A musician, actor and educator all rolled into one, professional storyteller Sam Payne wears many hats.

The son of a folk singer, Payne’s journey through the fine arts has taken him to many different destinations: the stage of The Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. as student actor and musician; the halls of a high school for aspiring performers in Utah as principal; a recording studio at Brigham Young University as the host of a daily radio program.

The next leg of the performer’s travels will take him to The Grand Old City, as the featured storyteller during the upcoming 2017 Dogwood Fine Arts Festival.

Payne will entertain audiences with his combination of storytelling and singing during his show at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17, at Southwestern Michigan College’s Dale A. Lyons Building theater. Tickets for the family-friendly performance cost $6.

Payne will also teach a master class on storytelling the night before, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Cass County COA Front Street Crossing. Registration for the class costs $10, with a limited amount of slots available.

Payne, who hails from Utah, has toured the world as a professional storyteller since 2010 — though his history as a performer dates back well before then.

Growing up in Alpine, Utah, some of Payne’s earliest memories are of his father, Marvin, who was a traveling folk musician who often made the rounds of college campuses across the Southwest and West Coast. There were times when the musician would go door-to-door in local neighborhoods, guitar in one hand and case of albums in the other, performing a few songs for people who would answer the door in hopes of selling them a record or two, Payne recalled.

“It was a tough way to make a living,” Payne said. “I don’t think I would have chosen a life like that myself if the opportunity hadn’t come knocking so hard on the door.”

While he initially studied music and theater in college, receiving many opportunities to perform in the process, Payne graduated from Weber State in Ogden, Utah, in 1995 with a degree in English. Payne then went to work in education, spending 13 years teaching religion at the Washington County School District in southern Utah, as well working as the principal of Pioneer High School for Performing Arts in American Fork, Utah, for several years.

In his spare time, Payne continued to perform as a musician, making a name for himself with his combination of folk music and jazz. In 2006, his bookings became so numerous that he began playing full time.

Although he did not become an official part of the community until 2010, Payne inadvertently delved into the world of storytelling as part of his music career. The lyrics of his songs often told stories, and were dense enough that he felt compelled to explain the meaning of his works to audiences during his performances.

After one of his shows, a member of the audience approached Payne and explained to him that his performance was similar to that of professional storytellers, who are famed for their performances at events such as the annual International Storytelling Festival in Jonesborough, Tennessee.

“That opened the door to a whole other world to me,” he said.

Around five years ago, Payne partnered with Brigham Young University in Utah to host a radio program based around storytelling, called “The Apple Seed: Tellers and Stories.” Payne has interviewed many of his fellow storytellers through the program, including those previously featured at Dogwood.

“That’s the joy of the program, presenting the works of my colleagues to the world, framing them in a way that is most enjoyable to folks,” he said.

Integrating music as part of his stories, Payne’s show will focus on tales of his past and on the greater American experience, featuring themes of family, generations and community, he said.

For Payne, the heart of storytelling is forming a communion with the audience, breaking down the fourth wall that exists in so many other kinds of performing.

“You and the audience are on the ride together, more so than any other type of performance,” he said. “The audience shapes the evening, and you often find yourself taken to new places a performer. It’s a special kind of performance.”

The 2017 Dogwood Fine Arts Festival kicks off Thursday, and runs through May 20. For a complete schedule of events or to purchase tickets, people may visit dogwoodfinearts.org or call (269) 782-1115.