The Moth Mainstage Brings ‘TIGHTROPE’ to Wharton Center November 13, Featuring Local Storytellers
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The Moth Mainstage returns to Wharton Center for Performing Arts on Friday, November 13, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. with TIGHTROPE, an evening of true stories told live and without notes. Presented in partnership with Michigan Public, the program will take place on the Cobb Great Hall stage and includes two storytellers from the Greater Lansing area.
Lansing-based Andrea King Collier and East Lansing-based Maureen Abood join the lineup for a show built around the moments when life demands a leap of faith. According to Wharton Center, the TIGHTROPE theme explores uncertainty, courage, close calls and decisions that change the course of a person's story.
Collier is an award-winning author, journalist and photographer whose work has appeared in O, The Oprah Magazine; Essence; Town & Country; and The Washington Post, among other publications. Her books include Still With Me… A Daughter's Journey of Love and Loss and The Black Woman's Guide to Black Men's Health.
Abood writes about Lebanese American food and culture. She is the author of Rose Water & Orange Blossoms, a Michigan Notable Book and International Association of Culinary Professionals award finalist, and Lebanese Baking. Her writing and recipes have appeared in The New York Times, Food & Wine, The Splendid Table and NPR.
Ann Arbor-based Amir Baghdadchi will host the evening. Other featured storytellers are Jameer Pond, Mike Zimmerman and Bethany Hall. The performance marks The Moth's fourth visit to Wharton Center; the Mainstage first appeared in East Lansing in 2014.
The Moth is a nonprofit storytelling organization founded in 1997. Its signature Mainstage series features a curated group of people telling personal stories in front of a live audience without notes. The organization also produces The Moth Radio Hour, podcasts, workshops and StorySLAM events.
EVENT DETAILS: The Moth Mainstage: TIGHTROPE. Friday, November 13, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Cobb Great Hall, Wharton Center for Performing Arts, Michigan State University, East Lansing. Tickets start at $40; student tickets are $23 Visit https://www.whartoncenter.com/events/detail/the-moth-mainstage-2026 or 517-432-2000 for ticket information
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