The power of the unscripted, personal story will take center stage on Dec. 12 as The Moth hosts its highly anticipated Grand Slam finale at the Historic Lyric Theater in Downtown Miami.
The event, which brings together previous winners from the popular competition series, is hailed by The Moth local host Gabriella Fernandez as a crucial moment for authentic connection in a city often focused on the new and superficial.
The Moth, which runs storytelling events and competitions across 26 U.S. cities, encourages individuals to share unique, true anecdotes with a live audience. The Grand Slam serves as the culminating event for those who have mastered the “fun, personal challenge” of crafting and delivering a compelling narrative.
For Fernandez, the upcoming finale is significant not just for the stories being shared, but for the historic space hosting them. She emphasized the importance of using places like the Lyric Theater during an interview with WLRN’s Folk and Acoustic Music Host Michael Stock.
“The Moth is an evening, for me, where you hear stories about a theme and then on the ride home, if you go with somebody, you're talking about it, you are thinking about it the next day. You compare it to your own life experiences," she said.
“Spaces like the Lyric Theater, like the Olympia Theater… have given me the opportunity to set foot on stages that are epic in a city where everything feels vapid and superficial and everything has to be brand new and ‘we're gonna tear down buildings.’”
In a time where personal connection can seem so convoluted through a phone screen, having the passion to share your stories — in person — is more important than it may seem, said Fernandez.
“Telling a story in The Moth is a challenge – It's a fun, personal challenge," she said.
The Moth’s mission, said Fernandez, aligns perfectly with preserving and activating these cultural landmarks.
“The fact that we still have these historic places and that The Moth does such a good effort in activating those spaces… I'm just full of joy.”
A shared human experience
The Dec. 12 event is expected to showcase the emotional depth that makes The Moth a unique experience.
Fernandez said each and every storyteller is different in details shared but it’s the core experience that make The Moth stories so universal.
“The one thing I've realized after so many years is we all pretty much live the same life,” she said. “Our human experiences, at their core, are so similar. We love, we lose, we win. We find each other, we lose each other – it's always the same thing… It's magic.”
She views The Moth as an event that continues to resonate long after the lights go down, creating a deeper form of communication than is often found in the modern world.
Fernandez, who is the event's host, describes her role as the foundation for the evening.
“I'm like the Ringo Starr. I'm not the main character, but I'm happy to be there — and without me, there's no rhythm,” she said, in reference to the lesser celebrated drummer of the iconic Beatles band.
Ultimately, the Grand Slam celebrates the bravery of those who choose to share their truths, recognizing that every story, whether "good" or "bad," is an accomplishment, she said.
“How do you know joy if you don't know sadness? How do you know a good story if you don't hear some bad ones too? The point is, you got up there and you did it. And not a lot of people can say that,” Fernandez said.
IF YOU GO
What: The Moth Miami GrandSLAM Championship
When: Friday, December 12. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Storytelling begins at 7:30 p.m.
Where: The Black Archives - Historic Lyric Theater, 819 NW 2nd Ave Miami, FL ,33136
Tickets are $37.05. Find ticket information here.
