Drew Prochaska, creator and host of **The ARTICHOKE Storytelling Series**. Photo by Michael Isabell.

Beacon is blessed with an incredible creative energy that’s made it home to fine artists, authors, improv artists, actors, musicians, and some of the best storytellers out there. A quick look at The Beacon Beacon’s Events Guide on any given week reveals the artistic richness found here.

One of the standout events is The ARTICHOKE Storytelling Series, which takes place at the beautiful, historic Howland Cultural Center on select Saturday evenings throughout the year. We recently sat down with its creator and host, Drew Prochaska, to find out what’s the secret sauce that makes this event series so popular.

Here's excerpts from our conversation.

Where it all began

Your impressive credentials include being a two-time Moth StorySLAM winner. Tell us where and how it all began?

“I graduated from NYU with a screenwriting degree in the mid-nineties, so I’ve been a story structure nerd for ages. I was a bit of a goofball growing up, so after college, I made several attempts at entering the comedy world. I started a comedy film festival, had a disastrous stint at standup and improv, but I’m also a terrible actor, so I struggled to find my place.

“I make my living as a web developer, and about twenty years ago I was freelancing for an author named Augusten Burroughs (Running with Scissors) who’s famous for writing comedic essays about his life. He encouraged me to write a book of comedic essays, which I did. But the book wound up being pretty terrible.

“While I was writing the book, someone turned me onto The Moth—the NYC storytelling event— which I immediately got excited about. I had no idea these events existed, where everyday people get onstage and tell stories from their own experiences.

“I soon discovered the podcast of another live storytelling show called Risk! which was created by a comedy hero of mine, Kevin Allison, from the legendary sketch comedy show “The State” (MTV). He was teaching a storytelling workshop at the time, which I was very lucky to take, and I quickly learned that all of those stories I’d written for my book that weren’t working on the page were now absolutely killing it when I told them in front of an audience.

“So, I became hooked. I quickly became immersed in the storytelling community and got up on every stage I could. I won a few Moth slams and then quickly began being booked on shows. The rest is history. It was wonderful to feel I’d finally found my place.”

How The ARTICHOKE came to Beacon

Valerie Lynn Brett performing in January 2025. Photo by Michael Isabell.

The ARTICHOKE has been running for about six years now. Who or what was the inspiration for it, and how has it grown and evolved over the years?

“Once I moved to Beacon, I found it difficult to keep performing regularly in the city, which is where most storytelling shows are. That long, late-night train was pretty draining after performing at a show for a few measly drink tickets. So, I decided to start my own show in Beacon and bring my favorite storytellers to me.

“I wanted to start a show that honored the performer. It’s quite demoralizing to perform at a sold-out show where the producer is clearly making money from your art at the door and compensating you in drink tickets. So, I decided that every performer would be paid well for their art at my show.

“We have a dinner party at my house before each show and an after party following it, which is my favorite part of the evening. The storytellers all talk shop and joke around and we really get to know one another. It’s a wonderful community to be part of. It’s important to me that the performers feel taken care of in a way I almost never was as a storyteller. And I think the show has become very popular among performers because of this.

“The show initially didn’t have an intended tone—I just wanted to bring the best storytellers I knew up to Beacon—but during the pandemic I decided everyone really needed a laugh and to have a good time. So, I made the decision that all our stories moving forward should be fun or funny. It’s important to me that everyone leaves with a smile on their face.”

And why the name?

“Well, the easy answer is it’s a nice metaphor for live storytelling, peeling away the leaves from a hard thistle to get to its tender heart. But in truth, I performed a one-man show about eight years ago called The Artichoke Queen about my fantasy of marrying The Artichoke Queen of Castroville, CA—the artichoke capital of the world—and I just liked the title.”

What to expect

Hamdan Azhar performs at the January 2025 show. Photo by Michael Isabell.

What can a first-time audience member expect when they come to The ARTICHOKE?

“Hopefully, some big laughs and riveting stories! There’s been a bit of a crossover among the standup comedy and storytelling world, so we’ve been inviting more and more comedians to come share their tales.

“I have a rule for my storytellers: if you have a story that’s particularly poignant and you need to take the audience down a dark path, you need to leave them where you found them. Every story needs to end on a high or hopeful note.”

What’s the secret sauce for standout storytelling?

“Funny and somewhat sad is the best cocktail. Keep people laughing, but tug at their heartstrings a bit. Find an emotional thread that everyone in the audience can connect with, but don’t pull on it too hard. You want to leave them smiling.”

Molly Austin at The ARTICHOKE, September 2024. Photo by Michael Isabell.

Take the Stage

What should someone who's reading this feature and wants to be in The ARTICHOKE do? Can they submit a story or video of a performance?

“If they’re already an experienced live storyteller, they can submit a pitch through our website, but we do favor those who submit videos. We’d like to see someone perform. It’s also important that the story be funny. Even if you’re an incredible storyteller, we’re only interested in those who can make people laugh.

“In January, we had our first monthly Story Slam competition at Norma’s in Wappingers Falls, which is a cafe I own with some friends. Anyone who’s interested in telling a story can drop their name in the hat, and ten of those people get to share a six-minute story, which doesn’t necessarily have to be funny. There’s a panel of judges and a winner is declared at the end of the evening. Once we have six winners, we’ll have a Grand Slam competition, and the winner of that will get a spot on The ARTICHOKE’s main stage at the Howland Cultural Center.

“Our first Story Slam was a huge success. There are so many gifted storytellers in the area!”

The evolution of The ARTICHOKE

You’ve recently introduced coaching classes for potential storytellers. Tell us about that?

“Yes, in January I started teaching a storytelling workshop out of my home, which has been a ton of fun. We meet every Monday for six weeks, at the end of which is a class show. Everyone who takes the workshop will leave with two stories they can take to any story slam.

“I was extremely proud at our recent Story Slam, as two of my students came in first and second place.”

What’s your vision for the future of The ARTICHOKE? Can we expect future evolutions of the show?

“We have quite a few plans for expanding the show, some of which I’m not ready to talk about publicly. But I’m currently looking for a podcast editor to help us get that project off the ground.

“We’ve also started a wonderful new series called The ARTICHOKE Presents which is long-form storytelling. We invited celebrated comedians and storytellers to Beacon to perform their one-person shows. Beacon’s own Jamie Mulligan is producing that series.”

the March 8th lineup

Tell us about the March 8th show. Who’s in the line-up and what should the audience expect?

“I’m very excited about the lineup. We have Jack Blankenship who is a regular on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and whose face became a famous internet meme. We also have Neil Intraub who is a Moth GrandSlam winner, Johanna Gohmann who is a brilliant comedian, featured storyteller for The Moth, Andrew McGill, Bailey Swilley who is a storyteller I had the pleasure of performing with recently, and Britt Genelin, a very funny character actor.”

Quick fire questions

How long have you lived in Beacon and what brought you here?

“I’ve been here seven years. I was living in a tiny apartment in Williamsburg, Brooklyn with my dog and I decided she needed a yard to run around in. So, I bought her a house! I also had a few friends who lived here and I was tired of being jealous of them.”

Favorite season in the Hudson Valley, and why?

“Fall. I’m an avid hiker and mushroom forager, and it’s the best season for both.”

Which do you prefer— river or mountain, and why?

“Mountain! Standing at the peak of a mountain overlooking the incredible Hudson Valley is one of the great joys of my life.”

Favorite places to eat, drink, or shop in Beacon?

“Food: I order from Red Pepper Diner (441 Fishkill Avenue) at least twice a week. In fact, I love their food so much I traveled to Sri Lanka last year!

“Drink: Not only does Hudson Valley Brewery (7 East Main Street) have incredible beer, but the pizza from Get Lost Pizza is terrific. John Anthony and his staff always make me feel so welcome. We’re blessed to have this place in our town.”

How would you describe Beacon to someone who’d never been here?

“In December, I was at the wonderful Wynotte Sisters holiday show at the Southern Dutchess Country Club, and was not only blown away by their incredible performance, but I was looking around the room at the audience and I was seeing visual artists and actors I recognized, successful musicians, and filmmakers, and was so overcome by the insane amount of sheer talent that exists in this town. For a creative person, it’s utter heaven.”

If you think you’ve got a story in you the world needs to here, you can pitch it to Drew and team here. The ARTICHOKE Storytelling Series is next on Saturday, March 8th at the Howland Cultural Center, starting at 8 PM promptly. Tickets are available here.

To keep up to date with upcoming events and more, follow The ARTICHOKE Storytelling Series on Instagram and YouTube and sign up for their newsletter.

For highlights of everything happening in Beacon, NY, see our Events Guide.

Until next time…

The Beacon Beacon🧡

At the Heart of The ARTICHOKE Storytelling Series