I have been telling stories onstage since July of 2011 when I took the stage at a Moth StorySLAM at the Nuyorican’s Poets Café in New York. I dropped my name in the hat, and when Dan Kennedy called my name, I took the stage and told a story about pole vaulting in high school.

By some miracle, I won that night. More importantly, I fell in love with storytelling.

Since that night, I have competed in 70 Moth StorySLAMs in New York and Boston and have won 39. I’ve competed in 24 Moth GrandSLAM championships, winning 6 times. I've also performed in Moth Main Stage shows in New York, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Northampton, MA. My stories have appeared on the Peabody Award winning The Moth Radio Hour and their weekly podcast. 

The Moth provided me with my very first stage, and for that, I am eternally grateful.

I have also told stories for:

  • This American Life

  • The Story Collider

  • TED

  • The Liar Show

  • Out by Ten

  • Other People's Stories

  • The Mouth

  • Literary Death Match

I've also hosted story slams for the Uptown Literary Festival, Purdue University, Yale University, University of Connecticut, Graded School in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and many others. 

In 2013, my wife and I founded Speak Up, a storytelling organization that produces shows throughout Connecticut and Massachusetts and teaches storytelling to both beginning storytellers as well as experienced raconteurs.  

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MY STORIES
Check out the recordings of some of my Moth StorySLAM and GrandSLAM stories below or check out my YouTube channel for the entire collection.

COACHING
In addition to teaching storytelling through Speak Up at places like The Mount, The CT Historical Society, UConn Law School, Yale University, and Kripalu, I do individual coaching as well - both in person and over Skype. Email me at matthewdicks@gmail.com for details. 

OTHER STORIES
Battle with Bunhead: Story Collider
TEDXBerkshires: Homework For Life
TEDxSomerville: Say Yes
TEDxNatick: Live Life Like Your 100 Year Old Self
TEDxTheCountrySchool: Speak Less. Expect More.
This American Life: Prologue