The Brian Lehrer Show Stories With The Moth
Mar 12, 2026
Kate Tellers, storyteller and director of MothWorks who coaches people to tell personal stories, discusses The Moth's American Dreams theme. She talks about the show's double-meaning theme “what are we fighting for?” and how casting balances levity with reckonings on race. She explains coaching methods, the no-notes rule, and how storytelling programs help libraries and organizations.
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Theme Explores Fighting Versus Reconciliation
- The Moth theme What Are We Fighting For explores values through competing meanings of 'fight' and 'reconcile'.
- Kate Tellers explains stories surface what we care about and whether we pursue conflict or seek reconciliation, shaping five distinct takes on the theme.
Diverse Lineup Balances Levity And Serious Reckoning
- Casting Moth shows mixes tones; the lineup includes levity alongside America's reckoning with race and an ACLU lawyer's surprising client story.
- Kate Tellers says they assemble five stories that span the gamut to create lively rooms and varied perspectives.
Find A Changed-By Experience To Build Your Story
- Find an experience that changed you and shape it into a story rather than expecting a coach to write it for you.
- Kate Tellers describes asking targeted questions to help people discover and communicate their own transformative moments.
