Beavermoth, Spring 2026: The Gripping Power of Obsession
Contributing Writer Cole Writeout writes “On April 7, UMF hosted another iteration of its live storytelling event, Beavermoth, in the Emery Performance Space,” (Submitted Lewis Robinson).
May 1, 2026
Cole Writeout, Contributing Writer
On April 7, UMF hosted another iteration of its live storytelling event, Beavermoth, in the Emery Performance Space. Lewis Robinson took up his role as Beavermoth’s host and kicked the event off after microphone issues, which set a jovial tone going into the event. This semester’s theme for the event was obsession; a feeling most storytellers know quite well. Robinson gave a taste of what was to come by speaking about an obsession his son let him peer into, when his son became enraptured with colognes and scents.
Lina Martinez Nocito
Lina Marinez Nocito brought the audience into her childhood, and an obsession that formed a bond with her sibling, which would be literature, specifically portal fantasy. She discussed the fantasy trope involving characters, namely children who are often siblings, getting transported from the real and mundane into a magical world. Nocito gave examples of some of her favorites, such as “Narnia” or “Gregor the Overlander”. Nocito and her sibling realized that as two young siblings with a passion for learning, they were the prime candidates for transport into fantasy. Nocito and her sibling prepared for this, and sought out adventure when they could, including when they found a sealed-off door in the two-hundred-year-old house they moved into. This inspired Nocito and her sibling to create their own fantasy world.
Liz Hansen
Liz Hansen’s obsession is the kind that connects generations. Hansen tells the story of her and her father’s mutual infatuation with their Danish heritage. After both of them managed to visit Denmark separately, connecting with various family members, both of them went on a trip together in 2018. Unfortunately, the first night ended with something unexpected. Her father ended up tripping on Danish cobblestones, which resulted in a few cracked ribs, and her father was on OxyContin for the duration of the trip. This sent their trip to unexpected places, visiting the island where their grandfather was raised to fill up a prescription. On the island, her (now very sociable) father managed to get them invited to meet his first cousin, who they had never met, forming a lifelong connection with a family member. All of this because of a nasty fall, and leaving Hanson obsessed with coincidences.
Katelyn Ryan
Katelyn Ryan, an alum of the UMF Psychology program, sought to share with the audience their deep connection with the movie Joe Dirt. Joe Dirt is a 2001 comedy, starring David Spade, that made a profound impact on their life. With 153 watches in 5 years, and over $1000 spent on Joe Dirt merchandise, Ryan has found comfort in the character, and their discovery of self-shipping, sporting a ring that their cutout of Joe Dirt also sports around his neck. Ryan has become something of a known figure on Letterboxd, and has been reached out to by podcasters as well as a curator who asked for a comment to share with the viewing audience for a showing of the movie in Chicago. They shared that love has enriched them so much, and despite knowing that they aren't actually married to Joe, it brings them joy. They hope others find their own Joe.
Anabelle Taff
Annabelle Taff’s obsession is a bond of friendship. When Taff’s mother was pregnant with them, their mother’s walking partner was also pregnant with their soon to be best friend, Piper. They spent their childhood begging strangers in the park for cheeseburgers, playing family, and eventually discovering a mutual obsession, which would be the game Minecraft. They played mini-games on Mineplex, joined the community for Team Crafted, and made memories together. Eventually, Taff discovered fanfiction, which started their journey as a writer, and their love of gaming led them to pick up a Video games minor here at UMF. Now, years later, Piper is pregnant, and Taff asserts that they will be able to give the coolest of gifts to that kid.
Kathryn Grover
After two years of subpar birthdays, Kathryn Grover’s story details her and her friend Visio’s journey to make her 21st birthday count. Grover’s birthday fell on a snow day, which freed them up from classes, but after trudging to the Roost in the cold and snow, they found out that the bar was closed due to the storm. They then journeyed down an icy hill in heels to reach Sabaidee Thai, which was also closed. This left the two with only Farmington House of Pizza, an option they weren't too pleased with. All these setbacks made Grover want to just give up, but Visio wouldn’t let them, determined to make the birthday special. Visio dragged Grover along the dangerous trip down to Walgreens, and they made blue lagoons and ice cream sundaes. Grover told the audience it was the best birthday ever.
This concluded Beavermoth, Spring 2026, and if you manage to catch one of the storytellers in the wild, be sure to ask them for the full story experience!
