On Saturday night, Beacon’s historic Howland Cultural Center turns into a living room of confessions, laughs, and revelations as The “Artichoke Storytelling Series” returns with one of its most compelling lineups yet. Conceived by Beacon resident and “Moth” veteran Drew Prochaska to cultivate live narrative performance where there was none, the series has become one of the Mid-Hudson’s standout cultural fixtures, regularly drawing crowds from up and down the Hudson Valley to hear true stories delivered with wit, heart and candor.
For its January 10 main-stage show at 8pm, “Artichoke” brings to Beacon an ensemble of seasoned raconteurs whose work spans NPR, national comedy stages, podcasts and storytelling institutions. The evening promises a tapestry of voices unified by a common trait: telling personal stories that, unexpectedly, reflect something larger about being human.
Leading the bill is Ophira Eisenberg, the Canadian-American comedian, writer and host best known for her long tenure on NPR and WNYC’s “Ask Me Another.” Eisenberg’s blend of humor and insight has made her a familiar voice to public radio audiences and a revered presence in New York’s comedy and storytelling circles.
Also on the roster is Gastor Almonte, a Brooklyn-born stand-up comic and storyteller whose appearances on Comedy Central’s “This Is Not Happening” and PBS’s “Stories From the Stage” have earned him acclaim, including a Webby People’s Voice Award. His work—marked by sharp, honest insight into family, identity and culture—makes him a natural fit for the Artichoke stage.
Joining them is Natalie Allen, the recent winner of Artichoke’s Big Story Showdown. A Beacon-based comedic improviser, writer and performer, Allen brings the perspective of a locally grounded but broadly trained storyteller, with credits in improv troupes and sketch work that have informed her on-the-spot narrative instincts.
The lineup also features Maggie Crane, Mark Pagan and David Drake, performers whose credits touch on stand-up, writing and film. While their individual bios may not be as extensively catalogued online, they represent the diverse creative ecosystem that Artichoke curates—artists who bring variety in tone and subject matter, from edgy laughs to reflective moments.
What makes an Artichoke night distinctive isn’t just the quality of the storytelling, but the sense of shared experience that builds in the room as each teller walks the audience through a personal narrative arc—a beginning, middle, and end that lands in surprise, connection or pure delight.
When: Saturday, January 10, 8 p.m.
Where: Howland Cultural Center, 477 Main Street, Beacon
Tickets: Available through “The Artichoke” website.
