Lessons in Laughter
with
Torry Martin
      With his long hair, beard and burly appearance, Torry Martin doesn’t look like the typical straight-laced Christian speaker and he knows it.
Using his unusual appearance and background for inspiration this red-haired, rotund, Alaskan at heart travels the nation telling his funny, modern-day parables based on actual events, all with a biblical message.
“Have you ever had one of ‘those’ days? Well I have one of ‘those’ lives but I know that God can use me in spite of myself.”
With Torry, a simple day running errands can turn into a comedy of errors, and most people will end the evening by saying, “I can’t remember when I’ve laughed so much!”
Torry’s brand of comedy is just right for the Sunday service, a special event or a retreat. His blend of hilarious personal experiences, human observations and spiritual applications have made Torry one of the most entertaining and comical speakers around. From churches to corporate functions, from dinners to cruises, the appeal of  Torry Martin’s material makes him a perfect choice for groups and gatherings of all kinds.
      For information on how you can book Torry for your event, call 860-653-7733 or contact:masterworkproductions@yahoo.com.

• Sketch Writing Part 1
• Sketch Writing Part 2
• Finding Your Calling/
Discovering Your Gifts
• The Art of Collaborative Writing
• The Secrets to Free Publicity
• Story Telling/Monologues
• Comedy as Outreach


Torry's bio
Adventures in Odyssey
   Torry is proud to be writing for “Adventures in Odyssey”. He was a huge fan of the show when he lived in Alaska, so actually writing for this program is like a dream come true. “Adventures in Odyssey” can be heard on more than 2000 broadcast facilities throughout North America and around the world. He created the character of Wooten Basset.


What People Are Saying About Torry Martin

“Torry Martin’s style of home-spun humorous ‘parables’ are sure to entertain and touch the hearts of church- people everywhere. As a person and performer he exudes a natural charm and humility that’s refreshing in this day of ‘super slick professionals.’ His whole demeanor is so unaffected and natural-I can understand why he is in demand. Take Garrison Keillor and put a spiritual perspective to him and you have Torry Martin.”
--Paul McCusker- Author of a variety of Christian plays and novels
and writer, director and producer for the “Adventures in Odyssey” radio series.

“Torry’s unique style of comedy is clearly evident in his popular “Torry Stories.” I’ve had the privilege of hearing several of his stories having to do with his experiences living in a cabin in Alaska, and I’m still laughing! I highly recommend Torry Martin for both his talent and his Christian witness.”
-Martha Bolton, Emmy nominated staff writer for Bob Hope,
author of more than 140 books and hundreds of sketches, and the writer of the Cafeteria Lady column for Brio magazine.
Workshops
Performances

   Although Torry Martin has a long list of accomplishments as an actor, author, storyteller and a standup comedian, he prefers to use his gifts for laughter, writing and entertaining to bring serious messages to audiences through the softening blows of humor. After telling a typical “Torry Story” revolving around his own blundering and misfortune, Torry pulls in the spiritual lesson in a sometimes subtle way. “If I can keep them laughing while they’re learning it doesn’t hurt their brains as much.”
Torry was a standup comic and actor in Los Angeles before he became a Christian. After finding the Lord, Martin moved to Alaska and lived in a remote cabin with a friend who was studying for ministry. He gave up acting and comedy for two years and studied the bible while becoming grounded in his faith.


 
   After being encouraged by some friends at his church, Torry began writing comedy sketches which he entered into the national competition sponsored by the Gospel Music
Association called Christian Artists, now called Seminar in the Rockies. He won the grand prize two years in a row and now returns annually as an instructor.
   For this self-proclaimed “hippie-for-the-Holy-One,” the melding of talent and faith have also resulted in the release of several books, “Gimme Five,” “Under the Circumstances,” “What a Character,” and “The Gospel According to Us” written with Martha Bolton. All are collections of comedy sketches about Christian life. Published by Lillenas Drama, the books are available in Christian bookstores worldwide and through Masterwork Productions, Inc. While the sketches rely heavily on comedy to convey their messages, they also harbor moments of drama, often pulling no punches to get the point across. “I like using comedy in my writing because we need to be able to make fun of ourselves,” Torry says. “We take ourselves too seriously, but we don’t take God seriously enough and that needs some fixing.”
   Torry says he hopes his material will help an audience focus more on their relationships with God and place less emphasis on the technicalities of differing denominations or outside appearances. His blend of hilarious personal experiences, human observations and spiritual applications have made him one of the most entertaining and comical speakers around. Fromchurches to corporate functions, banquets to biker rally’s, cruises to praise gatherings, the appeal of Torry Martin’s material makes him a perfect choice for groups and gatherings of all kinds.

Photo credit: Todd Hibbs