We’re visiting a place whose story is shared on over 570 public radio stations. We’re at the Gray Eagle in Asheville – and this is The Moth.

About 30 years ago a group of folks got together to celebrate and inhabit the power of true, personal storytelling to bring people together and build empathy – two things that we could use a lot more of these days. They called it The Moth – and nearly 3 decades later the concept has expanded to over two dozen cities across the country and beyond.

Here in Asheville’s River Arts District The Gray Eagle hosts The Moth’s StorySLAM series – another spot you can catch them in Ingles country is at the Balzer Theatre in Atlanta. So, what’s a StorySLAM? Good question.

This is an evening of entertainment where folks come together to experience and share true, personal stories based on a theme. The theme for our episode? Temptation. When you come you’ll experience 2 acts, consisting of 10 stories with an intermission in the middle.

Many of the stories told at the Asheville SLAM have gone on to air during the Moth Radio Hour on NPR and The Moth Podcast. The stories here can be funny, poignant, inspirational… it really spans the human experience. And it’s an experience you don’t want to miss.

And one you can participate in. One of the great things about The Moth is that it’s… us. It’s our community. And those experiencing the story are just as much a part of the process as those telling it. A story isn’t a story without a listener. So, whether you come to share a story, or to just enjoy an evening of entertainment, you have an important part to play.

And there’s more to The Moth than just the StorySLAMs. They have four critically acclaimed books, a card game, workshops, educational opportunities, community engagement programs… more Moth than you can shake a flame at.

So come to a local StorySLAM and see what The Moth is all about.