Literary Arts and The Moth are bringing a new lineup of storytellers to Portland. Each Moth Mainstage show features five tellers who have developed their true stories with help from The Moth’s directors. Join us on December 12, 2023 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and celebrate the ability of stories to honor both the diversity and commonality of human experience, and to satisfy a vital human need for connection.
This year’s theme is “How the Light Gets In.”
THE HOST:
JON GOODE is an Emmy-nominated writer raised in Richmond, Virginia and currently residing in Atlanta, Georgia. Jon’s work has been featured on CNN, HBO, VH1, MTV, TVOne, and BET. His writing earned him the 2006 Promax Gold for the best copyright in North America, and in 2022 he won a gold American Advertising Award, and a Silver Telly. Jon’s debut novel, Mydas, was a #1 new title on Amazon and is available wherever you buy books. Jon is the current host of The Moth, Atlanta.
IG @jon_goode
THE STORYTELLERS:
BRITTNEY COOPER, PhD, is an associate professor at Rutgers University, co-founder of the Crunk Feminist Collective, and author of the New York Times bestseller, Eloquent Rage.
DASHA KELLY HAMILTON is a writer, performance artist, and creative change agent, applying the creative process to facilitate dialogues around human and social wellness. She is the author of two novels, three poetry collections, four spoken word albums, and one collection of personal vignettes. She has taught at colleges, conferences, and classrooms, and curated fellowships for emerging leaders. An Arts Envoy for the US Embassy, Dasha has facilitated community building initiatives in Botswana, Toronto, Mauritius, and Beirut. Dasha is a national Rubinger Community Fellow and a National Laureate Fellow with the American Academy of Poets. She is a former Artist of the Year and Poet Laureate for the City of Milwaukee and the 2020–2022 Poet Laureate for the State of Wisconsin. She has also been a Moth StorySLAM host for the past five years. Her touring production, Makin’ Cake, uniquely engages communities in a forward dialogue on race, class, and equity.
ANNIE KORZEN, TikTok sensation, is the author of The Book of Annie: Humor, Heart, and Chutzpah from an Accidental Influencer. She was the recurring Doris Klompus on Seinfeld, and has written humorous essays for The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, and many more. Annie has performed her solo shows on three continents, and she has been interviewed by Oprah Winfrey, Tavis Smiley, and Dr. Phil. Learn more about Annie at AnnieKorzen.com or watch her posts at tiktok.com/@akorzen.
MONTE MONTEPARE is a comedian and adventure guide originally from Colorado. He’s been the keynote speaker at The Ouray Ice Festival, is on the cover of The Alaska Packraft Guidebook, and is part owner of Kennicott Wilderness Guides in Wrangell-St. Elias National Park, Alaska (all real things and places). Monte is a three-time Moth StorySLAM winner, a Moth GrandSLAM Champion and has been featured on The Moth Radio Hour. He lives in a little house on a hill with his partner Jillian, their baby Rocky, and chiweenie Sage.
Rizo aka AMELIA ZIRIN-BROWN is a performance artist, comedienne, singer, composer, and actor. She won the inaugural Time Out London and Soho Theatre Award and a London Cabaret Award. She is also a Grammy winner for a 2010 collaboration with Yo-Yo Ma on the holiday album Songs of Joy and Peace. A recipient of the New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, her original pieces have shown at the Public Theater in New York (she was aresident artist for three years at Joe’s Pub), the Leicester Square Theatre in London, and the Sydney Festival. Rizo created the six-piece house band and was Mistress of Ceremonies for the popular NYC supper club The Darby, performing alongside musical luminaries such as Prince, John Mayer, LeAnn Rimes, and Bruno Mars. She co-created the web series and composed the theme song VIDS for the Fuse network and E! Entertainment. Along with Yo-Yo Ma, she has recorded with Moby, Reggie Watts, and CocoRosie. Most recently she and her songs can be seen in the indie film Potato Dreams of America which was nominated at South by Soutwest, Seattle International Film Festival, and Deauville Film Festival. Her debut album, Violet, and her second album, Indigo, are both available at Rizo.love. Find her on Instagram @rizo.love.
THE MUSICIAN:
KEVIN KUNKEL joined the Oregon Symphony in 2016 upon completing a fellowship with the New World Symphony in Miami Beach, Florida. During the summertime, he serves as principal cello of the Des Moines Metro Opera and also performs at the Lakes Area Music Festival in Brainerd, Minnesota. Kevin has participated in numerous festivals such as the New York String Orchestra Seminar, the Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Spoleto Festival USA, the Lake George Music Festival, Britt Music & Arts Festival, the Pacific Music Festival, the Lucerne Festival Academy, and the Verbier Festival. Devoted to both the symphonic and operatic worlds, he has served as principal cello under visionary conductors, including Michael Tilson Thomas, Valery Gergiev, Christopher Hogwood, Stéphane Denève, Christoph Eschenbach, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Iván Fischer, Zubin Mehta, and Charles Dutoit. His musical travels have taken him to Carnegie Hall, the Konzerthaus Berlin, the Großes Festspielhaus at the Salzburg Festival, Hagia Irene in Istanbul, Palacio de Carlos V in the Alhambra, and the Suntory Hall in Tokyo. In 2016, his performance of Ibert’s Concerto for Cello and Winds at the Spoleto Festival USA was featured on American Public Media’s Performance Today. As a chamber musician, Kevin has performed alongside inspiring artists, including members of Eighth Blackbird, the Silk Road Ensemble, Yo-Yo Ma, Christian Tetzlaff, Anne-Marie McDermott, Albrecht Mayer, Orion Weiss, Andy Akiho, Julia Bullock, and the most cherished musical colleagues across the world. A native of the Chicago area, Kevin started his cello studies at age ten. He received his bachelor of music and performance diploma degrees from Indiana University studying under Eric Kim with influential mentorship from Jorja Fleezanis.
Tickets are selling fast for The Moth: Mainstage in Portland, on Tuesday, December 12, 2023 at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Don’t miss out! Get tickets now for an inspiring and enlightening evening of live storytelling.
