The Moth
Encyclopedia
The Moth is a non-profit group based in New York City
dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. It was founded in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green
, who wanted to recreate the feeling of sultry summer evenings in his native Georgia, when moths were attracted to the light on the porch where he and his friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales. George and his original group of storytellers called themselves "The Moths", and George took the name with him to New York. The organization now runs a number of different storytelling events in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and other American cities, often featuring prominent literary and cultural personalities. Previous notable storytellers have included Andy Borowitz
, Margaret Cho
, Joe Lockhart
, Jonathan Ames
, Ethan Hawke
, Malcolm Gladwell
, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels
, George Plimpton
, Al Sharpton
, Gay Talese
, Mira Nair
, Moby
, Lili Taylor
, and Sam Shepard
.
The organization also holds "StorySLAM" events, storytelling competitions open to everyone in New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Louisville, Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles. The format was inspired by and is similar to poetry slams. Although hosts rotate, New York City StorySLAM hosts include Sara Barron, who hosts the last Monday night of every month at The Bitter End
; Dan Kennedy, who hosts the second Tuesday of the month at the Housing Works
Bookstore & Cafe; Ophira Eisenberg
who hosts the third Thursday of the month at Housing Works
Bookstore & Cafe; and Peter Aguero who hosts the first Monday of the month at Southpaw in Brooklyn.
The Moth also runs a community program that offers storytelling workshops free of charge to high school students and underprivileged New Yorkers.
The Moth offers a weekly podcast
, which provides free audio of stories from all types of Moth events. The podcast
has over 70,000 subscribers and averages over 1,000,000 downloads a month. In August 2009, the organization also launched a national public radio show, The Moth Radio Hour, produced by Jay Allison and distributed by Public Radio Exchange
http://www.prx.org. In the fall of 2009 The Moth Radio Hour was licensed by more than 200 public radio stations and won the Peabody Award
in 2011.
Andy Borowitz
became the Moth's primary host in 1999. An evening hosted by him in Central Park on June 28, 2011, drew a capacity crowd of over 4500 people.
The organization's annual fundraising event is called the Moth Ball, where the annual Moth award is presented. The 2008 Moth Award was presented to Salman Rushdie.
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. It was founded in 1997 by poet and novelist George Dawes Green
George Dawes Green
George Dawes Green is an American novelist and the founder of the storytelling organization The Moth. Green published his first novel, The Caveman's Valentine, in 1994, and it was adapted into a film starring Samuel L. Jackson. He quickly followed that success with The Juror, also adapted into a...
, who wanted to recreate the feeling of sultry summer evenings in his native Georgia, when moths were attracted to the light on the porch where he and his friends would gather to spin spellbinding tales. George and his original group of storytellers called themselves "The Moths", and George took the name with him to New York. The organization now runs a number of different storytelling events in New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, and other American cities, often featuring prominent literary and cultural personalities. Previous notable storytellers have included Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz is a comedian and New York Times bestselling author who won the first National Press Club award for humor. He is best known for creating the satirical website , which has an audience in the millions...
, Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho
Margaret Cho is an American comedian, fashion designer, actress, author, and recording artist. Cho is best known for her stand-up routines, through which she critiques social and political problems, especially those pertaining to race and sexuality. She has also directed and appeared in music...
, Joe Lockhart
Joe Lockhart
Joseph Lockhart is a spokesman and communications consultant, best known for being the White House Press Secretary from October 5, 1998 to September 29, 2000, during the administration of U.S. President Bill Clinton...
, Jonathan Ames
Jonathan Ames
Jonathan Ames is an American author who has written a number of novels and comic memoirs. He was a columnist for the New York Press for several years, and became known for self-deprecating tales of his sexual misadventures. He also has a long-time envy of boxing, appearing occasionally in the ring...
, Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Green Hawke is an American actor, writer and director. He made his feature film debut in 1985 with the science fiction movie Explorers, before making a supporting appearance in the 1989 drama Dead Poets Society which is considered his breakthrough role...
, Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell
Malcolm Gladwell, CM is a Canadian journalist, bestselling author, and speaker. He is currently based in New York City and has been a staff writer for The New Yorker since 1996...
, Darryl "DMC" McDaniels
Darryl McDaniels
-Video game appearances:*The Warriors - Scopes*Guitar Hero: Aerosmith - Himself- External links :* * * * * http://articles.latimes.com/2009/dec/12/entertainment/la-et-people-speak12-2009dec12...
, George Plimpton
George Plimpton
George Ames Plimpton was an American journalist, writer, editor, and actor. He is widely known for his sports writing and for helping to found The Paris Review.-Early life:...
, Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton
Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton, Jr. is an American Baptist minister, civil rights activist, and television/radio talk show host. In 2004, he was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election...
, Gay Talese
Gay Talese
Gay Talese is an American author. He wrote for The New York Times in the early 1960s and helped to define literary journalism...
, Mira Nair
Mira Nair
Mira Nair is an Indian film director and producer based in New York. Her production company is Mirabai Films.She was educated at Delhi University and Harvard University. Her debut feature film, Salaam Bombay! , won the Golden Camera award at the Cannes Film Festival and also earned the nomination...
, Moby
Moby
Richard Melville Hall , better known by his stage name Moby, is an American musician, DJ, and photographer. He is known mainly for his sample-based electronic music and his outspoken liberal political views, including his support of veganism and animal rights.Moby gained attention in the early...
, Lili Taylor
Lili Taylor
Lili Anne Taylor is an American actress notable for her appearances in such award-winning indie films as Mystic Pizza, Say Anything..., Short Cuts and I Shot Andy Warhol, and the acclaimed TV show Six Feet Under....
, and Sam Shepard
Sam Shepard
Sam Shepard is an American playwright, actor, and television and film director. He is the author of several books of short stories, essays, and memoirs, and received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1979 for his play Buried Child...
.
The organization also holds "StorySLAM" events, storytelling competitions open to everyone in New York City, Detroit, Chicago, Louisville, Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, and Los Angeles. The format was inspired by and is similar to poetry slams. Although hosts rotate, New York City StorySLAM hosts include Sara Barron, who hosts the last Monday night of every month at The Bitter End
The Bitter End
The Bitter End is a nightclub in New York City's Greenwich Village. It opened its doors in 1961 at 147 Bleecker Street under the auspices of owner Fred Weintraub. The club changed its name to The Other End during the 1970s...
; Dan Kennedy, who hosts the second Tuesday of the month at the Housing Works
Housing Works
Housing Works is a New York City based non-profit fighting the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness. The charity is well-known for its operations, which have recently included outreach to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake....
Bookstore & Cafe; Ophira Eisenberg
Ophira Eisenberg
Ophira Eisenberg is a Canadian comedian, writer, and actress. She is from Calgary, Canada. Eisenberg now lives in New York City.She has made guest appearances on comedy programs including Comedy Central’s Premium Blend and Fresh Faces of Comedy, as well as VH-1's Best Week Ever and All Access, the...
who hosts the third Thursday of the month at Housing Works
Housing Works
Housing Works is a New York City based non-profit fighting the twin crises of AIDS and homelessness. The charity is well-known for its operations, which have recently included outreach to Haiti after the 2010 earthquake....
Bookstore & Cafe; and Peter Aguero who hosts the first Monday of the month at Southpaw in Brooklyn.
The Moth also runs a community program that offers storytelling workshops free of charge to high school students and underprivileged New Yorkers.
The Moth offers a weekly podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
, which provides free audio of stories from all types of Moth events. The podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
has over 70,000 subscribers and averages over 1,000,000 downloads a month. In August 2009, the organization also launched a national public radio show, The Moth Radio Hour, produced by Jay Allison and distributed by Public Radio Exchange
Public Radio Exchange
The Public Radio Exchange is a nonprofit web-based platform for digital distribution, review, and licensing of radio programs. The organization claims to be the largest on-demand catalog of public radio programs available for broadcast and Internet use.-Mission:According to PRX's site, its mission...
http://www.prx.org. In the fall of 2009 The Moth Radio Hour was licensed by more than 200 public radio stations and won the Peabody Award
Peabody Award
The George Foster Peabody Awards recognize distinguished and meritorious public service by radio and television stations, networks, producing organizations and individuals. In 1939, the National Association of Broadcasters formed a committee to recognize outstanding achievement in radio broadcasting...
in 2011.
Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz
Andy Borowitz is a comedian and New York Times bestselling author who won the first National Press Club award for humor. He is best known for creating the satirical website , which has an audience in the millions...
became the Moth's primary host in 1999. An evening hosted by him in Central Park on June 28, 2011, drew a capacity crowd of over 4500 people.
The organization's annual fundraising event is called the Moth Ball, where the annual Moth award is presented. The 2008 Moth Award was presented to Salman Rushdie.
External links
- The Moth
- Detroit Metro Times
- New York Times, August 14, 2009
- "Songs of Themselves" New York Times, November 14, 2008
- The Moth: Stories About Loss at LIVE from the New York Public Library October 12, 2007.
- Catherine Burns - Artistic Director of The Moth Audio interview on the Art of Storytelling with Brother Wolf Show.