The Moth: Preserving the Storytelling Tradition

Stories attract people like moths to a flame.  Poet and novelist, George Dawes Green considered this in naming his foundation, The Moth.

George wanted to recreate, in New York, the feeling of sultry summer evenings in his native Georgia, where he and his friends would gather on his friend Wanda’s porch to share spellbinding tales. There was a hole in the screen which let in moths that were attracted to the light, and the group started calling themselves The Moths. The first New York Moth event was held in George’s living room, but word spread fast, and the events soon moved to cafes and clubs throughout the city. 

The not-for-profit organization is dedicated to the art and craft of storytelling. Experts and novices alike are allowed to share their stories as performance pieces. The former police officer in the video above tells of a humiliating experience as a rookie when he locked himself in the back of his own squad car.

Since 1997, The Moth has presented thousands of stories, told live and without notes, to standing-room-only crowds worldwide.