Award-winning storytelling show ‘The Moth’ makes first-ever stop in Bellingham next week

Daniel Schrager
·2 min read

Live storytelling series “The Moth” is coming to Bellingham for the first time next week. On Wednesday, Feb. 28, the organization’s “Mainstage” series will make a stop at the Mount Baker Theatre.

Like a concert for storytellers, the event consists of people sharing their most interesting personal experiences. As opposed to their open-mic-style “StorySLAM” events, the Mainstage series features five pre-selected storytellers.

The Bellingham show lineup includes Seattle-based writer and activist Katharine Strange, Brooklyn-based writer Devan Sandiford and Los Angeles-based former science teacher-turned-writer Bryan Kett, along with locals Martha Benedict and Jackie Brown. Emmy-nominated writer Jon Goode will host. The show will also feature a musical set from Tehri Miikki-Broersma.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. for the 7:30 p.m. show. Tickets are currently sold out.

According to Moth Master Instructor Larry Rosen, the show’s director, the stories will be tied together by a loose theme.

“We’ve called the evening ‘Heart of the matter,’ which really speaks to each story and also kind of speaks to Valentine’s month.”

Rosen said that the organization first got the idea to come to Bellingham after it was approached by the Mount Baker Theatre.

“What our production department likes to say is sometimes we find the city and the venue, sometimes they find us,” Rosen said.

Wednesday’s sold-out show will be the culmination of a process that started in 2019, according to Rosen.

“The Mount Baker Theater reached out, it was back in 2019, and there were actually plans underway to bring a show there,” Rosen said. “And the pandemic hit. So once things began to move again it took some time before we were able to work out a new date.”

Tickets go on sale at 2 p.m. Sunday for the touring events at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. The “Embark Open House” includes the chance to tour the theater, enjoy video and audio of upcoming performances, hear the pipe organ, and potentially win a series package of four shows.
Tickets go on sale at 2 p.m. Sunday for the touring events at Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. The “Embark Open House” includes the chance to tour the theater, enjoy video and audio of upcoming performances, hear the pipe organ, and potentially win a series package of four shows.

The New York City-based nonprofit is also known for its popular radio show and podcast. The Moth Radio Hour, which won a Peabody Award in 2010, currently airs on over 500 public radio stations and on major podcast platforms, according to the organization’s website. It airs at 1:00 p.m. every Sunday on Bellingham NPR affiliate KQOW 90.3 FM. It’s available in much of Washington at the same time on KUOW 94.9 as well.

Malcolm Gladwell, Molly Ringwald, Hasan Minhaj, Darryl McDaniels (the DMC in Run DMC) and Rosanne Cash have all spoken at previous Mainstage events, according to the Moth’s website.