More P.I.T. Bull: Monday, April 2

Come meet our next four unbelievable people. And stick around after the show for our newest segment: The Beating of the Liar. (Bats and clubs will be available at the door.)

Monday, April 2 @ 8pm - $5
The P.I.T. - 154 West 29th Street
(between 6th & 7th Aves)

Ned Vizzini is the author of It's Kind of a Funny Story ("insightful and utterly authentic" --New York Times Book Review), Be More Chill, and Teen Angst? Naaah.... His work has been honored by the American Library Association, BookSense, and the New York Public Library and has been translated into five languages (forthcoming in Chinese). He lives in Brooklyn, NY. www.nedvizzini.com

Michelle Leona his a writer, performer and artist. When she’s not telling stories at The Moth, Talkingstick, or SpeakEasy she’s making readable, tactile art, trying to meditate or punching & kicking the heavy bag.

Greg Walloch is a writer and performing artist who has appeared in Moscow, Toronto, Vancouver, London, Australia, Ireland, Germany and across the United States. He is a featured artist in The Artists with Disabilities Oral History Project at UC Berkeley's Bancroft Library. Greg's work is archived at the Bancroft Library, which houses the personal papers of the Beat Generation poets among a range of other well known artists. www.gregwalloch.com

Jon Levin has been a featured performer on the Moth mainstage. When not working on obscure documentaries, he is writing a psycho-spiritual memoir set against a backdrop of politics, corporate media, pop-culture and drug abuse. Just like everyone else.

Here's a short sample clip of previous shows.

Suburban Subterfuge

In two words: we love Pleasantville. I mean three. Saturday's sold-out show was a big hit with the Westchester crowd. The traditional Jewish Community Center gathering for St. Patrick's Day (or, "Liver: Chopped Meets Cirrhosis Of The") was so much fun I think I'll move up there to stay. And the crowd was so gullible, I should be able to finance the move by selling off my bridges to the locals.

Of the 150 audience members, only 14 nailed the Liar. That's 5 percent, a record. Mike, James and Michaela told three riveting, unbelievably true stories. Peter Lubell told one riveting, apparently believable load of baloney.

Special thanks to Anna Becker and her Insights & Revelations Series for making the show happen.

Go Westchester Young Man

This weekend, Liar heads to Pleasantville, NY for its first suburban excursion. They say lying is and art and apparently they know what they're talking about, because the show is being presented by Anna Becker's excellent Insights & Revelations Performance Series. Sounds fancy. Then again, listen to how fancy these people sound:

Mike Daisey has been called “the master storyteller” and “one of the finest solo performers of his generation” by the New York Times for his acclaimed monologues, “21 Dog Years,” and “The Ugly American,” among others. He’s a commentator for NPR’s Day To Day and a contributor to the New York Times Magazine, WIRED, Slate and Salon. His newest monologue, “Invincible Summer,” just completed a successful run at the Public Theater in NYC. www.mikedaisey.com.

James Braly has performed his autobiographical stories on NPR, at The Whitney Museum, The Long Wharf Theatre and The Players Club. He is the only two-time winner of The Moth GrandSLAM and is a featured performer on The Moth National Story Tour. His monologue, “Life in a Marital Institution,” directed by Hal Brooks (“Thom Paine: Based on Nothing"), will be released in book form from Algonquin Books early in 2008. www.JamesBraly.com.

Michaela Murphy is a featured Moth Mainstage storyteller on The Trio Network. She has performed with Second Stage Theater, The Atlantic Theater (with Lewis Black), and has been heard on NPR's Studio 360 and All Things Considered, at The Brooklyn Academy of Music, and Lincoln Center. Michaela’s work as a playwright and actor has been featured at Manhattan Theater Club, The Ensemble Studio Theater, LaMAMA Theater, The Aspen Comedy Arts Festival and the Clinton White House.

Peter Lubell has written, produced and directed for many television networks, and for National Public Radio. He's covered film festivals in print, worked as a jazz DJ in radio and told his stories onstage at The Moth and Speakeasy.

Andy Christie is the the creator and host of “Liar.” He is co-author and illustrator of "I Wasn't Kidding" (Random House/Ballantine Books) as well as a featured Moth Main Stage storyteller and four-time Moth Story Slam champion. His short stories & essays have appeared in literary journals and online. Recently, his piece on midlife mortification appeared in the NY Times. www.andychristie.com.

Please come join us. And remember: The truth shall set you free. But a good lie will make sure you don't get caught in the first place.

Saturday, March 17 @ 8pm
Rosenthal JCC Theater
600 Bear Ridge Road
Pleasantville, NY
Presented by The Deep End Productions
Tickets and info

Double Negative

A lot goes into putting on a show like this. First you've got to ask the performers if they're available. Then you've got to write down their names. But even with all that elaborate preparation and planning, occasionally things will fall through the cracks. Like remembering to note who'll be telling the lie.

So, Monday's show was an Extremely Special Liar (on the heels of January's Very Special show and February's Very Very Special show), because there were two liars on the bill. Which meant that even if you weren't paying attention, even if you don't speak English, or you're deaf, or a chimp, you had a 50-50 chance of picking a winner. And you did. A lot of you.

Adam and Peter shredded the truth with stories I won't describe, in case they want to tell them again at a "true-story" show. Margot and Dave were super-honest about super-stubborn baby teeth (Margot: "I lost my virginity before I lost my first tooth.") and being hired to write sex-and-drug crossword puzzles for America's armed services (Dave.) Congratulations to all the winners, you should be very proud of your wild guesses.

Coming March 17: the Insights & Revelations Performance Series presents an Extraordinarily Special Liar in Pleasantville (I hear it's nice there.) With Mike Daisey, James Braly, Michaela Murphy and Peter Lubell. Check back for details.