The Moth

The Moth is a non-​profit group dedicated to the art of storytelling. Read The Moth:50 Stories. The Moth Mainstage is quite a lot of fun. There’s also openmic storytelling compettiions, the Moth StorySLAM. Good fun.

my one experience with the event last week in brooklyn at the bell house felt mostly like a back-​patting circle-​jerk to «go brooklyn!»
the evening’s topic was «a quintessential brooklyn» story or moment or something, and there was much of the predictable «i moved to nyc with nothing, found a roommate on craigslist, she turned out to be a hooker, we lost the lease, and now… i live in south park slope and work in publishing.»
some stories were better than others, of course, and a few were even decent, but the topic elicited the kind of nonsense sentimentality that you’d find in a high school student council meeting.

The Moth isn’t a place. It’s a traveling storytelling club, held at random venues throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Here’s the deal: Every show has a theme. It could be love, it could be travel, it could be interference — anything. You show up a little before hand – in the summer, we’re talking like two hours beforehand, in the winter you should be solid with 45 minutes – that makes sure you get through the door.
Then, you plop yourself down in a seat. Or, let’s say you got a story you wanna tell. In that case, you jot down your name on a card, hand it to the host who drops it in a hat, and then you find a seat. Now, the host designates certain members of the audience as judges (in my experience if you and your friends enthusiastically ask to judge, they’ll shrug and say okay). The host then randomly draws names out of a hat.
So, let’s say your name is called. You trot up to the stage. You’re cooler than the Fonze. You’re cooler than a polar bear’s toenail. You’re cooler than Ringo Star before those motherfuckin’ Beatles broke up. You grab the mic. You have five minutes to tell a story. It must somehow relates to the night’s theme. The clocks is ticking. Five minutes. Go. Time’s up when you hear the buzzer. Now your life as a Moth protagonist is over. You eye the judges, frosty like you’re Stringer Bell, as they, you know, judge.
Your story’s supposed to be true, but no one’s gonna factcheck you or anything like that (with that said, I’ve heard a few stories on stage that have set my bullshit-​detector on red-​alert). The beauty is that you never really know what storytellers are gonna hit you with. I’ve heard some incredible stories here. I’ve also heard some stories so boring that I’d feel ashamed recounting them to my dog, let alone a few hundred people. At the end of the night, the person with the top rated story wins (wins what? Ah but you gotta find that out for yourself).
Sometimes you just get the mostly white, college-​educated, hipster crowd. But the great nights are when people from diverse backgrounds show up. The best Moth story I ever heard was from a 45-​year-​old construction foreman who told a story about his time as the one American working a construction site in Morocco. He moved me to the point that I sought out the guy after the show to tell him how touched I was by the story.
Oh, here’s a WARNING: give some serious thought before you bring a date here. You can hear stories that will make your vocal cords hurt from laughter. But you can also hear some dark shit that will leave you sad, and leave the girl thinking, «WTF, did he take me here to ruin my night?».
To get a sampling of some of the better stories told, look up the Moth on youtube. You’ll get the idea. To sum up, definitely worth checking out, and you never know what you’re gonna hear next.

I’ve only been once, but it was such a fun evening — so interesting and different from an average night’s entertainment. I like that they often hold it in HousingWorks bookstore (as it was the night I went), so purchases of drinks/​food go to support the organization. I thought Brad did a great job MC’ing. I liked the funny audience-​submitted bits in between stories. The stories were overall quite good, although there was certainly a range in quality and delivery. I didn’t loving having to wait outside in a line for an hour on a that very muggy, hot day to get in, but the event was worth it. Admission is cheap, and we even got seats.

NOTE TO SELF: Self, you know perfectly well not to go to the Members Show. Sure, it’s held in the Great Hall of Cooper Union (where Lincoln spoke, etc, etc). Sure, Richard Price is one of the storytellers and Bill Irwin is the host. Sure, you’re a bigshot for belonging to a cool storytelling organization, la-​di-​da.
But, Self (may I call you Self?) – this is the weakest Moth show of the year, and you’ve just got to avoid it in the future.
The Great Hall is not a good venue: massive pillars obstruct half the seats. So you have to get there when the doors open, which gives you a cool 2 hours to kill. And, of course, this is the show during which the Moth’s organizer stands up and gives an overlong speech about how Amazing and Significant everything and everyone is.
Self, you’re beginning to sound a little bitter. Didn’t you at least like the storytelling? What’s that, you say? There was no storytelling? The performers recited memorized scripts about Important Realizations with a side order of Exotic Locale (except Richard Price, who at least had the grace to tell a story, about his wrestling-​loving Bronx grandmother). Self, maybe you shouldn’t have left at intermission – it might have gotten better!
Next year, just go to an Irish bar and listen to old guys talk. The sight lines are great, you can nurse a Guinness, and no one takes themSelves too seriously.

The Moth is incredible.
Here is the deal: the event happens at a different bar each time and each night has a different theme like say hope or danger. People get up to tell a 5 minute story related to that theme. To tell the story, you put your name in a hat and the host draws from it randomly. The only rules are that the story must be true and told without notes. There is a strongly advised rule that the stories are five minutes and people might boo you (or yell gong) if you exceed the limit.
There is also a host who provides the entertainment in between stories. The hosts are usually funny, but some are better than others. For instance, the woman at the Bitter End is hilarious while the guy at the Southpaw is sort of funny, but mainly just negative.
If you like This American Life, Radiolab, or poetry slams, you will definitely like this event.
If that description didn’t get you, let me pitch it to you this way: think of the most exciting, funny, or touching stories your friends have ever told you. That is what the Moth is.
Also note that It costs a very reasonable $ 8 and doesn’t include a drink minimum.
There is also a podcast and a show on NPR, but it is better live.

Corralled the friends and we all ventured downtown to the Bitter End recently on a sweltering hot evening for a little story telling fun. Got there 45 minutes before the show & the line was literally around the block. We weren’t sure we should even get on line bc there definitely were more people on line then were getting in, but where was the cut off? No staff around to ask, so we stood on line, more people came, more people came until the line was now around the corner and all the was down the block. Eventually we began moving and then would stop, move & then stop. Finally it’s five minutes past the scheduled show time so one of our group goes into the club to ask if they’re still letting people in. The response? «Oh, no we’re @ capacity.» He must not have seen the look on my friends face, bc then he added «When you go back out can you tell everyone?» Nice. Come on Moth — you know what the club capacity is right? So have someone outside doing a count. Once the line gets to the magic number let people know — after this person we’re @ capacity. Then it’s their choice, if they want to wait (in case people drop out or they miscounted somehow). But don’t have people waiting almost an hour when there isn’t even a small possibility of getting in. AND let people know when you’re @ capacity — even if it means going outside, around the block to make certain everyone hears.

I lost my Moth virginity last night, and I’ll never be the same. It was my first time, and I was cooing in pleasure after about fifteen seconds. I loved everything about it — the zany hostess; the at-​times funny, at-​times crazy, at-​times heart-​breaking stories; and the fact that The Bitter End was absolutely packed with people cheering and laughing hysterically.
Oh – two tips:
1) Arrive EARLY. Doors opened at 7, we got there at 6:30 and I’d say there were about 40 people ahead of us.
2) Eat before you go. It’s a long thing (ended at 10:15).

When I say I’m in love, you best believe I’m in love, L-​U-​V.

If you go to a story slam, make sure to arrive at least half hour early. So if show is at 7:30, be there at 6:30 for seats, they go fast.
When you are given a small piece of paper to write your story, thats not the paper they choose for you to be selected (randomly) to tell your 5 minute long story.
Its usually $ 7 to get in and held at random places about once a month or so.
I loved each time!

The Moth is a not-​for-​profit collective that is keeping the art of storytelling alive. If you’re into This American Life, you’ll be into The Moth. I had been listening The Moth podcast (
) whose diverse topics run the gamut from humorous to dramatic, heartfelt to shocking, and always entertaining. Stories are told by regular joes, celebrities and everyone in between.
The Moth events are mainly situated in NYC and LA in different playhouses and intimate venues. The mainstage shows are monthly and tickets are around $ 25 (they go on sale exactly one week before the show date and they sell out very quickly). While the mainstage shows are the priciest, the audience is guaranteed the best stories and polished storytellers as they have been invited to speak from other Moth events. The Moth has biweekly StorySLAMs in NYC and LA for $ 7 in coffee shops. I hear these can be hit-​or-​miss because it’s structured as an open mike night. If you have a story that is remotely related to the topic of the evening, you’re welcome to take the stage.
I went to my first Moth Mainstage production last week at the The Player’s Club in Gramercy Park. There is not a more fitting venue than this historic townhouse home to the literati club, The Players, founded by Edwin Booth and Mark Twain, since 1888. (Interesting fact that I picked up from Sarah Vowell’s Assassination Vacation: Edwin Booth was not only the greatest Shakespearean actor of his time but brother to John Wilkes Booth who assassinated Abraham Lincoln.) The theme was New York Stories and the evening lasted about two hours. Each of the six speakers got 10 minutes. The comedian host, Tom Shillue, was super funny and kept us laughing in between performances. We were treated to stories from an ex-​NYFD chief, an elderly Irish couple who emigrated to Brooklyn in the ‘40s, a 15-​year-​old recounting the troubles that ensured after coming out to his family, a Korean-​American twenty something spoken word poet and the guy who plays Munch on Law &Order: SVU told us how his lawsuit against Hulk Hogan in the ‘80s financed his purchase of a home in Europe.

Whether or not you go on stage yourself at one of their Storyslams, The Moth is one of those fantastic cheap things to do in NYC that only the locals know, like the UCB theater. I’ve been to two shows, both at the Nuyorican, and both were so much fun. Except for that raspy voiced girl whose stories just sound way too rehearsed and monologized. (You KNOW who you are.)
Do it!

I was at the gym the other day and got a lot of strange looks as I flew face first off of the treadmill. Bruised and somewhat beaten, I’m okay, but I learned the hard way to never listen to the comic genius that is TheMoth.com’s podcasts while on such a dangerous contraption. Laughing too hard does sometimes lead to injury.
I’m writing this having never been to a show, but I can tell you I’m completely obsessed with what they allow me to have FOR FREE on the internet.
If you like This American Life or even if you don’t, I highly recommend giving it a try. A few favorites include:
–Andy Borowitz talking about writing for «The Facts of Life»
–AJ Jacobs discussing the beauties of outsourcing
–Joe Lockhart on being Clinton’s press secretary during the impeachment
Download now, you won’t regret it.

So I read about The Moth story slams in the NY Times a few weeks ago and I realized that I had to go see what was up. In short, the moth plans these story-​telling events almost every other week at various venues around the city. Most often they’re held at The Bitter End or the Nuyorican Poets Café, though they are starting to branch out to Brooklyn. At each event, there is a theme and the storytellers pre-​plan a five minute story that corresponds with it. Some theme examples are: Wine, Time, Gifts, Pets, etc. The catch is that even if you prepare a story, you might not actually perform it. When you get there, you put your name in a hat and hope (or not, depending on your nerves, I suppose) that you are picked. If you are, you get up in front of the massive crowds and captive them with your wit and raw emotion, hoping to elicit high scores from the random judge teams sitting in the audience. Scores are written up on chart paper after each performance and at the end, a winner is announced. There’s no real price — except respect and applause, and the chance to perform your story again — but it all seems to be worth it.
This is DEFINITELY recommended for a different, entertaining and unique night out. You might fall into The Moth cult soon enough (Lord knows I’d like to) and next thing you know, you’ll be on the stage.
Make sure you get there early because these things really get PACKED. I was kind of shocked to see so many moths eager to get close to the life light, the individual stories that each reflect some aspect of the human condition.
I saw people smuggle (well, it actually wasn’t so covert) falafel sandwiches in, claim their seats, send a representative to get wine for the table, eat and wait for the stories. I think that’s a pretty good idea. The whole thing goes for about two and a half hours, and The Moth even has moth merchandise and story cds that you can purchase.
Can’t wait for the next Moth!

If you like events like da’ poetry lounge in los angeles, than you’ll like the story slams held twice a month by The Moth.

The Moth isn’t a place — it’s a storytelling organization.
Before you roll your eyes and turn away thinking, «What the hell do I want sitting around on the floor Indian-​style listening to some Mr. Rogers type recount a fruity fairytale?» hear me out.
Story slams are held twice a month, normally on the first Tuesday (Nuyorican Poets Café) and last Monday (Bitter End) and are based on a particular theme — e.g., balls, holidays, desire, etc.
One MC (almost always an NYC writer). Ten storytellers, chosen at random from the people who signed up at the beginning. One audience, with three teams of judges, chosen by the event’s producer. Five minutes to tell a (true) story. One winner.
Last night’s theme: tests. A story sampling:
1. Prep school play in Latin
2. Smoking pot with physics teacher at Stuyvesant High
3. Inappropriately informing Hillary that Bill ate TWO crepes
4. Raising tadpoles
5. Premature ejaculation
6. Being a junkie
Stories are almost always funny, or meant to be. Sometimes the subject matter is graver, and heartfelt. Occasionally there’s a train wreck, where someone with a few in him forgets he’s not in his therapist’s office and incoherently breaks down about his dead brother. Eek.
All the same, it’s entertainment. Mr. Rogers is nowhere in sight. And you get to drink beer.