The Moth Mainstage, a live storytelling series produced nationally, will return to the Lansing region this fall with a stop at the Wharton Center for Performing Arts in East Lansing.
Event and theme
Michigan Public and the Wharton Center announced the show will take place on Friday, Nov. 13, 2026, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The evening’s theme is TIGHTROPE, featuring first-person tales about risk, uncertainty and moving forward without a clear plan.
- The Moth Mainstage is a curated program with a host and five storytellers.
- Each storyteller speaks live for about ten minutes without notes.
- The show has appeared across Michigan, including Dearborn, Flint, Ann Arbor and East Lansing in recent years.
“The theme of this storytelling event is TIGHTROPE.”
Who’s behind the show and where it will be held
Michigan Public is partnering with the Wharton Center for Performing Arts to present the show at the Wharton Center’s main performance venue, located at 750 E. Shaw Lane, East Lansing. The Moth works with its hand-picked storytellers and directors to develop short, true stories designed for live audiences.
Organizers describe the TIGHTROPE lineup as featuring “extraordinary true stories about what happens when there’s no clear path—only the courage to keep moving forward,” including accounts of big gambles, near misses and quiet acts of bravery. The program’s format—one host and five curated storytellers—mirrors previous Mainstage presentations in the region.
| What | When | Where |
|---|---|---|
| The Moth Mainstage: TIGHTROPE | Friday, Nov. 13, 2026 • 7:30 p.m. | Wharton Center for Performing Arts, 750 E. Shaw Lane, East Lansing |
Why it matters locally
For Lansing-area audiences, the return of The Moth Mainstage continues a recent pattern of national storytelling programs visiting mid-Michigan. The show’s intimate, unscripted format offers residents an evening of personal narratives that highlight risk, resilience and change—topics that resonate with a broad cross-section of university communities, arts patrons and local residents.
Details about ticketing and the specific roster of storytellers have not been released with the initial announcement. Residents who plan to attend should watch Michigan Public and the Wharton Center’s event pages for ticket on-sale dates and any accessibility or safety information.
The Moth’s Mainstage format and its regional stops have in recent years played to full houses in Michigan cities including Dearborn, Flint and Ann Arbor; this East Lansing engagement continues that regional reach and provides another cultural offering for community members this fall.
