Radiotopia Presents: Red for Revolution (Radiotopia)

Why watch a movie if you can’t see the screen? Matthew and his friend Ben take in a Marx Brothers film and showcase the power of a good description.
 
 Blind Guy Travels is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about Blind Guy Travels and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Most dating apps rely heavily on user photos and other visual cues, so Matthew gathers a team of friends to help him craft the perfect dating profile and vet potential romantic interests.
 
 Blind Guy Travels is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about Blind Guy Travels and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Some teachers hang you upside-down to help you sing better. Others sit on you. In the lead-up to his senior recital, Matthew reflects on becoming an accomplished blind musician, through conversations with four of his music mentors who have helped along the way.
 
 Blind Guy Travels is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about Blind Guy Travels and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Independence. It’s a word that’s used in the blind community often, but that means different things to different people. What does independence mean for Matthew? On the heels of his Senior Recital and college graduation, Matthew ruminates on what might be next for him.
 
 Blind Guy Travels is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about Blind Guy Travels and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Blind Guy Travel’s Matthew Shifrin hasn't engaged much with the visual culture of memes. Cue the hosts of Say My Meme, Will Butler from Be My Eyes and Caroline Desrosiers from Scribely. Say My Meme is a podcast that literally describes the world's most #relevant memes, bringing the blind and sighted people together through laughter and the power of visual description. In their neverending crusade to bring memes to to the people who have the least access, Will and Caroline attempted to turn Matthew into a meme enthusiast by tapping into one of this favorite subjects: musical theatre. 

Blind Guy Travels is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about Blind Guy Travels and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

We were delighted to premiere Radiotopia Presents: My Mother Made Me at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. And today we’re sharing a recording of that premiere — a discussion with creator Jason Reynolds and audio trailblazer Jad Abumrad. Recorded live on June 18, 2022 at SVA Theatre in New York City.

Special thanks to Davy Gardner, Julie Shapiro, David Cotrone, Candace McManus, and Elena Giovinazzo for making this event possible.

My Mother Made Me is a production of Radiotopia Presents, and is written and narrated by Jason Reynolds with his mother, Isabell Reynolds. The series is produced by Mark Pagán and edited by Julie Shapiro, with production support from Yooree Losordo. Julie Shapiro and Audrey Mardavich are Executive Producers for Radiotopia Presents. Cover art by Jason Griffin. Theme song by Christian Reynolds. Mixing, sound design and additional original music is by Ian Coss.

Radiotopia Presents debuts limited-run, artist-owned series, from new and original voices. For more information, visit Radiotopiapresents.fm.

Back in 2017, Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative host/producer Jess Shane made “Perfect Woman”, an episode of Love Me, the CBC podcast. In 2018, Nick van der Kolk made “Points of Egress” for his show, Love + Radio, inspired by “Perfect Woman”. Today, we come full circle to share “Points of Egress” with you. Listen to the end for Jess’s version of the credits.

As tensions between Jazmine and her mother boil over, Grandma Ella steps in, guiding the three women to confront the painful reality of intergenerational homophobia. Meanwhile, back in the 1970s, the stakes soar for Ella and Lorraine’s relationship as young Ella is falsely accused of a crime. 

Red for Revolution is created, written, and directed by Jana Naomi Smith with Musical Direction by Tammy L. Hall and Sound Design by Collin Gerald Thomas. Original Music by Tammy L.  Hall and Jana Naomi Smith and performed by Renée Wilson, Loretta Devine, and Jordan Hull featuring the Red for Revolution band, Tammy L. Hall on piano, Kofy Brown on electric Bass, Ruth Davies on acoustic Bass, Ruthie Price on drums, Kristen Strom on saxophone and flute, and Vicki Randle on percussion. Cover art by Shefon N. Taylor. The series is executive produced by Renée Wilson, Jana Naomi Smith, and Meta Mana Media with associate producers Jordan Hull, Adrian Snegg, and Vanessa E. Williams. All episodes produced by Liz McBee.

The Red for Revolution team would like to thank each person who helped bring this project to life. Please visit redforrevolution.com for the complete credit and gratitude list. For additional resources and to sign up for our newsletter visit redforrevolution.com.

This audio drama was recorded under the SAG-AFTRA 2020 New Media Principal Performer Contract. 

Episode 5 Cast:
Jordan Hull a s Jazmine James
S. Epatha Merkerson as Ella Ali (Present Day)
Loretta Devine as Lorraine Giovanni (Present Day)
Renée Wilson as Lorraine Giovanni (1970s)
Rutina Wesley as Ella Ali (1970s)
Don Daniels as Sean 
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Delores Ali
Danny Glover as Howard Ali
Jennifer Beals as Suzanne Sands  
Vanessa E. Williams as Barbra Graves
JoNell Kennedy as News Reporter
Mark Thompson as William Davis
Caro Guzmán as Kathy
Miles Agee as Vincent and Preacher
Xavier Miles Temple as Nightclub Runner

Music Featured:
“His Eye is on the Sparrow”
Written by Civilla Durfee Martin and Charles Hutchinson Gabriel
Performed by Renée Wilson

“Send In The Clowns”
Written by Stephen Sondheim
Performed by Renée Wilson and Jordan Hull and the Red for Revolution Band
Courtesy of WARNER CHAPPELL MUSIC INC.

For Radiotopia Presents, Yooree Losordo is the Managing Producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. Red for Revolution is part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices. 

Today, longtime Presents producer Ian Coss shares a new project with a simple premise. If you want to talk about music today, you need to talk about migration – the movement of people around this earth. “Movement with Meklit Hadero” is a podcast that lives at that intersection: stories of music and migration, remixed.

Now is the time when you can help us keep Showcase and all of the many parts of Radiotopia thriving. Make your mark by donating today at radiotopia.fm.

And keep an ear right here for a new Showcase series coming in 2020!

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - The Memory Palace - “Lost Jobs”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

And you can buy The Memory Palace book here. 

Al recounts when he went to a protest to report the news, but became the news. Letson saved a right-wing protester from a vicious beating by Antifa. This episode is about why he did it, how it all happened, and how he felt afterwards.

Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.

Season 2 of Errthang is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy and Secrets, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Thanks to Burrow for sponsoring Showcase.

After writing a revolutionary memoir, William Styron declares he has beaten depression, but he is wrong. A frightening repeat of madness and writer’s block brings on shame and desperate measures. He seeks help from brilliant neurologist Alice Flaherty, who has herself admitted to being “openly crazy.” Can she save him?

The Great God of Depression is a production of Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia. It’s produced by Karen Brown and Pagan Kennedy, with support from New England Public Radio. Music and sound design by Ian Coss. Julie Shapiro is the executive producer.

Find links, photos and more information about this episode at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Occasionally between Showcase series, we’ll bring you surprise bonus episodes, like the one you’re about to hear. It’s a recording of a live conversation inspired by Ways of Hearing, the very first series we ever featured here on Showcase.

Since the series aired, writer, host, co-producer (and excellent musician) Damon Krukowski has taken the podcast to the page, with Ways of Hearing the book, published by MIT Press in May 2019. 
 
The conversation was recorded live before a studio audience on April 9 at the PRX Podcast Garage in Allston, Massachusetts and was mixed by Ian Coss. It was led by Damon, with Radiotopia Executive Producer Julie Shapiro, Ian Coss, who co-produced and sound designed the podcast, Matt Browne, who edited the book, and James Goggin, who designed the book.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Normal Gossip - “The Suite Life of Rachelle and Kelsey”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

Al and Willie wrap up the season right where they started – with each other. After 30 years of friendship, their origin story is finally revealed.

Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.

S2 of Errthang is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy and Secrets, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Hey, I’m Jason. But more importantly, meet my mother, Isabell. I’m not in the best mood for this introduction, because she raised me to be ambitious and selfless, which means she’s also raised me to be… overwhelmed. With life. But not to worry, my mother also knows exactly what to say to pull me out of a rut, which she does every Sunday, when I roll up to her house for our weekly visit.

My Mother Made Me is a production of Radiotopia Presents, and is written and narrated by Jason Reynolds with his mother, Isabell Reynolds. The series is produced by Mark Pagán and edited by Julie Shapiro, with production support from Yooree Losordo. Julie Shapiro and Audrey Mardavich are Executive Producers for Radiotopia Presents. Special thanks to Levar Burton. Cover art by Jason Griffin. Theme song by Christian Reynolds. Mixing, sound design and additional original music is by Ian Coss. This episode was recorded at WAMU. 

Radiotopia Presents debuts limited-run, artist-owned series, from new and original voices. Learn more and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Behind the Series is a short-run series about the shows previously featured on this very podcast: Showcase from Radiotopia. This week, we revisit The Great God of Depression. 
 
Initially released in 2018, this five-part series tells the story of brain scientist Alice Flaherty’s journey to understand the madness that consumed her brain and body for a time—a journey which eventually led to acclaimed author and “great god of depression” William Styron. Three years later, producers Karen Brown and Pagan Kennedy reflect on the show’s creative challenges; from making a podcast for the first time to telling a serialized story that isn’t about a crime.

Behind the Series is hosted, written, and produced by Mark Pagán. Executive producers are Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro. Music from JD Samson and Blue Dot Sessions.

Behind the Series is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Wanna learn more about your favorite shows, get audio recommendations, events updates, and podcast news? Sign up for the Radiotopia Citizen newsletter at radiotopia.fm/citizen.

Lean in for this one, as The Stoop heads to the lowcountry of South Carolina to celebrate the language and culture of the Gullah Geechee, a people rooted in a mix of African cultures.

Meet Gullah royalty Queen Quet, unwavering defender of Gullah Geechee culture, and Professor Sunn m'Cheaux, who found himself teaching a language he’d often been told not to speak while growing up.

This mini-series of The Stoop is produced especially for Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia. It’s hosted and produced by Leila Day and Hana Baba, edited by Julie Caine and Casey Miner, engineered by Seth Samuel and Chris Hoff, and associate produced by Jessica Jupiter. Music by Daoud Anthony and artwork by Neema Iyer. Special thanks to KALW, the NPR Story Lab, and California Humanities.

Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy, Secrets, Errthang and The Great God of Depression at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

As Jazmine grapples with self-acceptance, Grandma Ella and Ms. Lorraine feel compelled to share their respective insecurities. This leads to a poignant recollection of the day a power outage compelled a young Ella and Lorraine to reveal their deepest secrets and vulnerabilities.

Red for Revolution is created, written, and directed by Jana Naomi Smith with Musical Direction by Tammy L. Hall and Sound Design by Collin Gerald Thomas. Original Music by Tammy L.  Hall and Jana Naomi Smith and performed by Renée Wilson, Loretta Devine, and Jordan Hull featuring the Red for Revolution band, Tammy L. Hall on piano, Kofy Brown on electric Bass, Ruth Davies on acoustic Bass, Ruthie Price on drums, Kristen Strom on saxophone and flute, and Vicki Randle on percussion. Cover art by Shefon N. Taylor. The series is executive produced by Renée Wilson, Jana Naomi Smith, and Meta Mana Media with associate producers Jordan Hull, Adrian Snegg, and Vanessa E. Williams. All episodes produced by Liz McBee.

The Red for Revolution team would like to thank each person who helped bring this project to life. Please visit redforrevolution.com for the complete credit and gratitude list. For additional resources and to sign up for our newsletter visit redforrevolution.com.

This audio drama was recorded under the SAG-AFTRA 2020 New Media Principal Performer Contract. 

Episode Three Cast:
Jordan Hull a s Jazmine James
S. Epatha Merkerson as Ella Ali (Present Day)
Loretta Devine as Lorraine Giovanni (Present Day)
Renée Wilson as Lorraine Giovanni (1970s)
Rutina Wesley as Ella Ali (1970s)
Jennifer Beals as Suzanne Sands  
David Alan Graf as Pilot
Ashley J. Hobbs as Ruby
adrienne maree brown as series sonic guide 

Music Featured:
“Stormy Weather”
Written by Harold Arlen
Performed by Loretta Devine and Renée Wilson
Courtesy of BMG, Round Hill Music, Sony Music Publishing and S.A. Music

For Radiotopia Presents, Yooree Losordo is the Managing Producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. Red for Revolution is part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices. 

Coming up next on Radiotopia Presents: My Mother Made Me.

My Mother Made Me is a series from Radiotopia Presents, where writer Jason Reynolds and his mother, Isabell, explore their shared history, how she raised him, and what they’re teaching each other. It’s a love letter to their connection, an homage to parent-child friendship, and a testament to how growth can be perpetual, despite age or circumstance. Across four episodes, Jason and Isabell go deep – into birth, death and spirituality… but they also keep it light: pushing a cart through Costco, birthday lunches, and hitting the casino together. That’s just how they do.

My Mother Made Me is a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices. It is written and narrated by Jason Reynolds with his mother, Isabell Reynolds. The series is produced by Mark Pagán and edited by Julie Shapiro, with production support from Yooree Losordo. Julie Shapiro and Audrey Mardavich are Executive Producers for Radiotopia Presents. Special thanks to LeVar Burton. Cover art by Jason Griffin. Theme song by Christian Reynolds. Mixing, sound design and additional original music is by Ian Coss.

Learn more about My Mother Made Me at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Thin nose, high cheekbones, kinky hair, what you got in your blood? Your blood won’t lie, but does it determine your identity? We meet two women – Uzaz Shami, a Nubian woman who didn’t expect her results, and Shonda Buchanan who has always identified as Native American but isn’t always accepted as that. What percent of an ethnicity makes you part of that group? Does it even matter? Co-hosts Leila and Hana also take the test, and things take an unexpected turn.

This miniseries of The Stoop is produced especially for Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia. It’s hosted and produced by Leila Day and Hana Baba, edited by Julie Caine and Chris Miner, engineered by Seth Samuel and Chris Hoff, and associate produced by Jessica Jupiter. Music by Daoud Anthony and artwork by Neema Iyer. Special thanks to KALW, the NPR Story Lab, and California Humanities.

Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy, Secrets, Errthang and The Great God of Depression at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Today, we're sharing the first episode of a new limited-run series from NPR's Embedded, "Alternate Realities".

Zach Mack and his dad are living in separate realities, and it's tearing their family apart. Like so many Americans, Zach's dad has gotten swept up in conspiracy theories. After years of circular arguments, the father challenged his son to a bet: $10,000 on ten politically apocalyptic predictions that would all happen in 2024. In this three-part series, we follow Zach on an intimate journey to bring his father back from the rabbit hole. 

"This is more than just a story about whose reality is 'correct'," said Zach Mack. "As I documented my father's beliefs throughout the past year, I was also trying to understand how the conspiracy theories he found took hold. The bet offered a way to settle our endless debates, which I know so many other families are having, and arrive at a place of truth and understanding."

"Alternate Realities" intimately explores how the intermingling of misinformation and Zach's father's religious beliefs tests the bonds of his family, and offers a first-person perspective into an issue plaguing close relationships across the nation. How do you reach a loved one who is lost inside his own conspiracy mentality? And what do you do if your best efforts to bring them back end up failing?

Embedded is available wherever you get your podcasts.

Jazmine holds space for Ms. Lorraine as she shares her story of substance abuse, inspiring a conversation about grace and self-acceptance. Meanwhile, back in the 70s, a younger Lorraine confesses her substance abuse to Ella, generating a difficult impasse between the two. 

Red for Revolution is created, written, and directed by Jana Naomi Smith with Musical Direction by Tammy L. Hall and Sound Design by Collin Gerald Thomas. Original Music by Tammy L.  Hall and Jana Naomi Smith and performed by Renée Wilson, Loretta Devine, and Jordan Hull featuring the Red for Revolution band, Tammy L. Hall on piano, Kofy Brown on electric Bass, Ruth Davies on acoustic Bass, Ruthie Price on drums, Kristen Strom on saxophone and flute, and Vicki Randle on percussion. Cover art by Shefon N. Taylor. The series is executive produced by Renée Wilson, Jana Naomi Smith, and Meta Mana Media with associate producers Jordan Hull, Adrian Snegg, and Vanessa E. Williams. All episodes produced by Liz McBee.

The Red for Revolution team would like to thank each person who helped bring this project to life. Please visit redforrevolution.com for the complete credit and gratitude list. For additional resources and to sign up for our newsletter visit redforrevolution.com.

This audio drama was recorded under the SAG-AFTRA 2020 New Media Principal Performer Contract. 

Episode Four Cast:
Jordan Hull a s Jazmine James
S. Epatha Merkerson as Ella Ali (Present Day)
Loretta Devine as Lorraine Giovanni (Present Day)
Renée Wilson as Lorraine Giovanni (1970s)
Rutina Wesley as Ella Ali (1970s)
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Delores Ali
Danny Glover as Howard Ali
Caro Guzman as Kathy
David Alan Graf as Dean McKenna
Xavier Miles Temple as Robber
adrienne maree brown as series sonic guide 

Music Featured:
“He Looked Beyond My Fault”
Written by Dottie Rambo
Performed by Loretta Devine
Courtesy of Tomorrowland Music, Designer Music, Brandee-Vah Publishing, Capitol CMG Publishing

For Radiotopia Presents, Yooree Losordo is the Managing Producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. Red for Revolution is part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices. 

Behind the Series is a short-run series about the shows previously featured on this very podcast: Showcase from Radiotopia. This week, we revisit The Polybius Conspiracy. Initially released in 2017, this seven-part series told the creepy story surrounding a mind-altering arcade game from the 1980s and the quest of protagonist Bobby Feldstein to find vindication for an alleged abduction and assault he linked to playing the mysterious Polybius. Four years later, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto look back and offer thoughts about the show’s murky narrative—sharing how they crafted a documentary/fiction hybrid that paid homage to an urban legend and what they learned about audience expectations in the process. 

Behind the Series is hosted, written, and produced by Mark Pagán. Executive producers are Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro. Music from JD Samson and Blue Dot Sessions.  

Behind the Series is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Wanna learn more about your favorite shows, get audio recommendations, events updates, and podcast news? Sign up for the Radiotopia Citizen newsletter at radiotopia.fm/citizen.

Coming up next on Radiotopia Presents: S***hole Country.

Afia Kaakyire has a decision to make. And by God, her family is going to help her figure this s*** out.

Join her in this eight-part podcast series as she forages for her family’s guidance in their shared histories during a long-awaited trip to Ghana — true tales dipped in green card anxieties, complicated love, an “Are You the One?” marathon, and liberal portions of the world’s best jollof.

S***hole Country is written, narrated, sound designed by Afia Kaakyire, and produced by Afia and Mark Pagán. Julie Shapiro and Audrey Mardavich are our executive producers. Cover art by Sindiso Nyoni. Theme song by Ria Boss.

Learn more about S***hole Country at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Articles of Interest - “Nudity”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

On the hit podcast Song Exploder, we learn the digital secrets behind some of today's best songs. But we hardly ever hear the voice of the show's creator, Hrishikesh Hirway. In a special bonus episode to Ways of Hearing, Damon Krukowski interviews Hrishikesh — and explodes Song Exploder.

This is a bonus episode of Ways of Hearing, a six-part podcast hosted by musician Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi) that explores the nature of listening in our digital world.

Credits: Produced by Damon Krukowski, Max Larkin and Ian Coss. Written and hosted by Damon Krukowski. Sound design by Ian Coss. Executive Producer is Julie Shapiro. Showcase is a production of Radiotopia from PRX.

Introducing our new Showcase series! In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age.

In Episode One: The Player, an investigation into the origins of the Polybius legend leads to Bobby, who claims the game was responsible for his abduction as a teenager. In the 35 years since, Bobby has remained steadfast with his story, going so far as to organize a for-profit walking tour while obsessively searching for the one person he believes could corroborate his allegations. Local players from the Portland arcade scene cast doubt on Bobby’s story, as do journalists who refute the game as ever having existed.

The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro.

Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

To wrap the series, my mother and I chat about humility, while hanging at one of our favorite places — the casino. We gamble, feast on a lunch of crab cakes, and dive into how she’s always wanted me to keep my feet on the ground, even after hitting the jackpot.  

My Mother Made Me is a production of Radiotopia Presents, and is written and narrated by Jason Reynolds with his mother, Isabell Reynolds. The series is produced by Mark Pagán and edited by Julie Shapiro, with production support from Yooree Losordo. Julie Shapiro and Audrey Mardavich are Executive Producers for Radiotopia Presents. Special thanks to Aaron Holmes. Cover art by Jason Griffin. Theme song by Christian Reynolds. Mixing, sound design and additional original music is by Ian Coss. This episode was recorded at WAMU.

Radiotopia Presents debuts limited-run, artist-owned series, from new and original voices. For more information, visit Radiotopiapresents.fm.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Radio Diaries - “The John Birch Society”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

In the series finale, hosts Anna, Diego, and their voicebot co-host take a peek into the future of bot/human interaction — a world where bots look, sound, and recall memories more and more like the humans they learn from.

Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and produced by Anna Oakes and Diego Senior. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Curtis Fox is the story editor. Sound design by Terence Bernardo and Rebecca Seidel. Bei Wang and Katrina Carter are the associate producers. Cover art by Diego Patiño. Theme song by Maria Linares. Transcripts by Erin Wade. Bot Love was created by Diego Senior.

Support for this project was provided in part by the Ideas Lab at the Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University. Special thanks to The Moth, Lauren Arora Hutchinson, Director of the Ideas Lab, and Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio, where we recorded these episodes.

For Radiotopia Presents, Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Yooree Losordo is the managing producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

For La Central Podcasts, Diego Senior is the Executive Producer.

Learn more about Bot Love at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Introducing our new Showcase series! In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age.

Stay tuned for the first episode, “The Player,” coming up October 6th.

Radiotopia is pleased to introduce Showcase, a new podcast featuring original series of all stripes, from producers around the world. For this intro episode, Roman Mars (99% Invisible host / creator and Radiotopia partner) talks with Julie Shapiro (Radiotopia executive producer) about the project. Hint: This is a podcast for the adventurous listener.

Plus! Hear a preview of the first Showcase series, a six-parter about listening in the digital age, from acclaimed musician, writer and thinker Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, Damon and Naomi). Each episode looks at a different way that the switch from analog to digital audio is changing our perceptions: of time, space, love, money, and power. Subscribe now to hear Ways of Hearing when it launches on Friday, August 4th.

Learn more at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Join us in celebrating a wonderful achievement and exciting update for S***hole Country.

Want audio recommendations and updates about your favorite Radiotopia shows? Sign up for the Citizen newsletter at radiotopia.fm/citizen.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Ear Hustle - “What's Up, Michael Freeman?”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you!

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Benjamen Walker's Theory of Everything - "Not All Propaganda is Art" episode 1.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

Afia makes up her mind.

S***hole Country is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about S***hole Country and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Al goes deep exploring the "good guy’s” relationship to the #MeToo movement, through a story about his old friend, Louis. After the story, Al sits down with feminist commentator Kimberly Foster of For Harriet, to talk about the story, Rape Culture, and how to move forward. 

Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.

S2 of Errthang is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy and Secrets, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Contemplate the way digital audio – in music recording, and in radio and television broadcast – employs a different sense of time than we use in our offline life, a time that is more regular and yet less communal. Guests include: Ali Shaheed Muhammed of A Tribe Called Quest; and Joe Castiglione, the radio voice of the Boston Red Sox.

This is the first episode of Ways of Hearing, a six-part podcast hosted by musician Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi), exploring the nature of listening in our digital world.

Credits: Produced by Damon Krukowski, Max Larkin and Ian Coss. Written and hosted by Damon Krukowski. Sound design by Ian Coss. Executive Producer is Julie Shapiro. Showcase is a production of Radiotopia from PRX.

With only a few months till launch, Jess plays a draft of the series for her subjects and gives them an opportunity to request major changes.

Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is written, hosted and produced by Jess Shane. Sara Nics is the story editor. Sound design, mix/mastering by Michelle Macklem. Production support from Mona Hassan. Cover art is by Justin Broadbent. Jess’s bibliography is available here.

This reporting was supported in part by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Howard G.Buffett Fund for Women Journalists.

Special thanks to Eleanor McDowall and Chioke I’Anson.

For Radiotopia Presents, Yooree Losordo is the managing producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - The Mortified Podcast - “The Origin Story”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

Artist and documentarian Jess Shane posts a Craigslist ad: “Does your story need to be told? Tell it in a documentary! Seeking shocking, heartbreaking, and transformative stories for a new series about the documentary industry. Compensation provided.” 

After days of auditions, Shane casts four participants, each with varied relationships to why they want to share their stories, from Ernesto, a recovering addict and fashion model who dreams of making it big, to Judy, an unhoused senior who wants to get off the street and give voice to the homeless. Through the making of documentaries about the participants, the series asks provocative questions about the story creation process, whether “sharing your story” is really as liberating as our culture imagines it can be, and how “being produced” for a show can shift someone’s relationship to their own experience. The series also explores the business side of the equation, such as how the forces underpinning today’s booming documentary marketplace impact whose stories are told or deemed valuable.

Shane also turns her mic to subjects to weigh in on standard documentary protocol, from the concept of “access” and the taboo of paying subjects to the logistics of editorial control. Ultimately, “Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative” asks listeners to consider their own relationship to this popular genre of content.

Learn more about “Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative” at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Secrets is a show about the secrets we all carry inside of us. How do you know if you ever truly know someone? 

Mohamed’s father abandoned Mohamed, his mother and his sisters and moved back to Morocco. There he started a third family. He told Mohamed’s mother nothing of this, and told the new family in Morocco that his family in Sweden had died. Mohamed’s father died of brain cancer in 1998, carrying all of these secrets with him into the grave. 

Also in episode five: We meet Swedish comedian Tobias Ström, whose long-distance girlfriend told him she was dying of cancer. But the details didn’t quite add up.

Secrets is produced and hosted by Mohamed El Abed and Martin Johnson, with additional reporting by Åsa Secher, from the Swedish production company, Soundtelling. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Artwork is by Sepidar Hosseini, and music is by Min stora sorg.

Secrets is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing and The Polybius Conspiracy, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Gina is a podcast producer who gives snark like she’s paid for it—because she is. She’s popular with fans, followers, and frenemies. Until her life gets interrupted by a painfully loud roar.

a hit dog will holler is written by Inda Craig-Galván. It is produced and directed by Gisele Regatão. Mixing and sound design by Sandra Lopez-Monsalve, with help from Isabel Hibbard. Music by Christina Gaillard. Performed by Cynthia K. McWilliams, J. Nicole Brooks, and Jacqueline Guillen. Show art by Yee Eun Nam.

For Radiotopia Presents, Mark Pagán is the producer. Production support from Yooree Losordo. Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro are the executive producers. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Thank you to WNYC News, social media citizen journalists and the community at Freesound for the audio of Black Lives Matter protests and other sounds used to create this story.

Special thanks to Jose Valenzuela for lending extra ears, and to Aura and Kelly Monsalve for allowing the almost destruction of their piano. No pianos were harmed in the making of this program.

Support for this project was provided in part by a PSC-CUNY Award, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York.
 
 Learn more about a hit dog will holler and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Hang Up - “Speed Dial”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

You don't have to be the son of a jazz singer to recognize the voice of a loved one as music, made up of sounds so basic to our understanding that they precede language. And yet our digital devices strip much of that away, trading intimacy for efficiency. But what is the essential part of our voices, and what isn’t? Guests include: jazz singer (and Damon's mom) Nancy Harrow, Roman Mars of 99% Invisible, and musicologist Gary Tomlinson.

This is the third episode of Ways of Hearing, a six-part podcast hosted by musician Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi), exploring the nature of listening in our digital world.

Credits: Produced by Damon Krukowski, Max Larkin and Ian Coss. Written and hosted by Damon Krukowski. Sound design by Ian Coss. Executive Producer is Julie Shapiro. Showcase is a production of Radiotopia from PRX.

It’s called “the nod,” that silent acknowledgement of solidarity that especially happens when Black folk see one another in spaces where they are “the onlys.” In this episode, The Stoop hits the streets with black radio producers to give the nod and report back from New York, Seattle, and North Carolina.

This mini-series of The Stoop is produced especially for Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia. It’s hosted and produced by Leila Day and Hana Baba, edited by Julie Caine and Casey Miner, engineered by Seth Samuel and Chris Hoff, and associate produced by Jessica Jupiter. Music by Daoud Anthony and artwork by Neema Iyer. Special thanks to KALW, the NPR Story Lab, and California Humanities.

Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy, Secrets, Errthang and The Great God of Depression at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

In the final episode, after years of struggling with depression, William Styron keeps his bargain with his readers, and his wife works hard to keep his spirits up until the very end. Alice Flaherty emerges from her own years of madness to a happier life, albeit a less literary one.

The Great God of Depression is a production of Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia. It’s produced by Karen Brown and Pagan Kennedy, with support from New England Public Radio. Music and sound design by Ian Coss. Julie Shapiro is the executive producer.

Find links, photos and more information about this episode at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Thanks for additional support from Benjamin Brock Johnson, Whitney Light, Cathleen O’Keefe, Katherine Sullivan, Emily Jones, Abby Holtzman and Ian Fox, Audrey Mardavich and Alex Braunstein, from the PRX Podcast Garage. Thanks to Jack Gilpin, who read for us from Styron’s works, And a very special thanks to Alice Flaherty and Rose Styron, as well as to Alexandra and Tom Styron.

Archival material for the series came from the Rubinstein Library at Duke University, The DANA Foundation, a 1990 interview by NPR’s Terry Gross on Fresh Air, produced by WHYY, The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR, the 92nd Street Y, biographer Jim West, filmmaker Joel Foreman, and the Sun Valley Writers Conference, an annual conference where readers and writers come together to celebrate ideas. Thanks to Librivox reader Stewart Wills for the Moby Dick excerpts. Sarah Shapiro designed our logo, and Michael Vitale and Shane Allesio performed additional music for the series.

Thanks for listening to The Great God of Depression. Suicide can be a difficult topic to hear about, and also hard to talk about if you’re having distressing thoughts yourself. The national suicide prevention hotline is there to help. It’s free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day. The number is 1-800-273-8255.

After Jess receives feedback that throws a major wrench into her production schedule, she has to make some tough decisions.

Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative is written, hosted and produced by Jess Shane. Sara Nics is the story editor. Sound design, mix/mastering by Michelle Macklem. Production support from Mona Hassan. Cover art is by Justin Broadbent. Jess’s bibliography is available here.

This reporting was supported in part by the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Howard G.Buffett Fund for Women Journalists.

Special thanks to Eleanor McDowall and Chioke I’Anson.

For Radiotopia Presents, Yooree Losordo is the managing producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

We’d like to thank the extended Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative team, without whom you may not have heard about this project. For PRX marketing: Gretchen Borzi, David Cotrone, Sher Delva, Apu Goteh, and Maggie Gourville. For PRX sponsorship: Audrey Davidson, Melissa Garcia-Houle, Carolyn Willander, and Jeanne Yeh.

This series was possible thanks to Ernesto, Michael, and Judy, whose vibrant souls could never fit into the confines of any series.

Most of all, thank you for listening.

Dru, a part-time soundproofing installer, fails to fix Gina’s “roar” problem. And Gina nearly loses it, until she learns Dru’s secret identity.

a hit dog will holler is written by Inda Craig-Galván. It is produced and directed by Gisele Regatão. Mixing and sound design by Sandra Lopez-Monsalve, with help from Isabel Hibbard. Music by Christina Gaillard. Performed by Cynthia K. McWilliams, J. Nicole Brooks, and Jacqueline Guillen. Show art by Yee Eun Nam.

For Radiotopia Presents, Mark Pagán is the producer. Production support from Yooree Losordo. Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro are the executive producers. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Thank you to WNYC News, social media citizen journalists and the community at Freesound for the audio of Black Lives Matter protests and other sounds used to create this story.

Special thanks to Jose Valenzuela for lending extra ears, and to Aura and Kelly Monsalve for allowing the almost destruction of their piano. No pianos were harmed in the making of this program.

Support for this project was provided in part by a PSC-CUNY Award, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York.

Learn more about a hit dog will holler and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm

Today, we’re introducing our Radiotopia Presents listeners to a brand new show out now from PRX. It’s called What’s Ray Saying?. 

In this first episode from the newest season, Ray Christian looks at the history of Black medicine and to better understand the treatment of the ills, injuries and minds of Black Americans, he reflects on his first experience of going to the doctor.

What’s Ray Saying? is created, hosted, and written by Ray Christian and recorded in the great state of North Carolina. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Jonathan Cabral is the associate producer. Story editing by Mark Pagán with development support from The Moth. Sound design by Rebecca Seidel. Original music comes from RJ Christian and Blue Dot Sessions.

To find out more about What Ray’s Saying? visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or at whatraysaying.com.

This series is supported by PRX, The Moth, and listeners like you.

Jazmine uncovers her grandmother's journals, shedding light on previously unknown aspects of her inner life and igniting the tale of how Ella and Lorraine reconnected in 1971, New York City for a taping of the TV show Black Dreams after their passionate first encounter in Gary.

Red for Revolution is created, written, and directed by Jana Naomi Smith with Musical Direction by Tammy L. Hall and Sound Design by Collin Gerald Thomas. Original Music by Tammy L.  Hall and Jana Naomi Smith and performed by Renée Wilson, Loretta Devine, and Jordan Hull featuring the Red for Revolution band, Tammy L. Hall on piano, Kofy Brown on electric Bass, Ruth Davies on acoustic Bass, Ruthie Price on drums, Kristen Strom on saxophone and flute, and Vicki Randle on percussion. Cover art by Shefon N. Taylor. The series is executive produced by Renée Wilson, Jana Naomi Smith, and Meta Mana Media with associate producers Jordan Hull, Adrian Snegg, and Vanessa E. Williams. All episodes produced by Liz McBee.

The Red for Revolution team would like to thank each person who helped bring this project to life. Please visit redforrevolution.com for the complete credit and gratitude list. For additional resources and to sign up for our newsletter visit redforrevolution.com.

This audio drama was recorded under the SAG-AFTRA 2020 New Media Principal Performer Contract. 

Episode Two Cast:
Jordan Hull a s Jazmine James
S. Epatha Merkerson as Ella Ali (Present Day)
Loretta Devine as Lorraine Giovanni (Present Day)
Renée Wilson as Lorraine Giovanni (1970s)
Rutina Wesley as Ella Ali (1970s)
Don Daniels as Sean 
Alimi Ballard as LeRoy
Caro Guzmán as Kathy
Mal'akiy Rhoden as Joe
Mark Thompson as Black Dreams Host
Miles Agee as Black Dreams Producer
Krystel Roche as Roseline
Mathew Quitney as Party-Guest
adrienne maree brown as series sonic guide 

Music Featured:
“I Don’t Want To Know”
Written by Jana Naomi Smith
Original Composition by Tammy L. Hall 
Performed by René Wilson and the Red For Revolution Band

“My Love Ain’t No Play Thang”
Written by Jana Naomi Smith
Original Composition by Tammy L. Hall 
Performed by René Wilson and the Red For Revolution Band

“Never Will I Marry”
Written by Frank Loesser
Performed by Renée Wilson and the Red For Revolution Band
Courtesy of MPL Music Publishing

For Radiotopia Presents, Yooree Losordo is the Managing Producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. Red for Revolution is part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices. 

Today we’re introducing our Radiotopia Presents listeners to a brand new dating game show, out now from Radiotopia. It’s called Hang Up. 
 
In each season, one person (the Star) is matched with six prospective love interests (the Callers). They go on dates over the phone and never see each other. After the dates, the Star chooses one person to “hang up” on and eliminate from the show.

 But there’s a twist— in the end, the final, remaining Caller makes their own choice: to either choose the Star back and take an all-expenses-paid vacation together or hang up on the Star and take a cash prize instead.
 
 We hope you enjoy episode 1 of Hang Up! To find out what happens on the rest of the season, subscribe to Hang Up in your podcast app of choice or find the show here.

The team:

Hang Up is created and produced by Caitlin Pierce, an award-winning audio producer and editor whose work has appeared on NPR, WNYC, KCRW, and BBC. The host and story editor is Zakiya Gibbons, an award-winning audio producer, editor and host who has worked with Gimlet, WNYC and Audible. She's also the co-founder of POC in Audio, a directory of people of color working in audio. Ben Montoya is the story editor, mixer, and sound designer.

In this second half of Errthang’s original radio drama: John Coffey doesn’t want to be Magical Negro anymore and the universe trembles in the aftershock of his decision. All John wants is a story all his own; a history deeper than him just saving white people. John sets out to find that story with the help of his fellow Magical Negroes and his creator, Stephen King.

Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.

John Coffey Refuses to Save the World features Larry Knight (John Coffey), David Girard (Legba), Jason Stephens (God with a little g), Toni Lang Philips (Mother Abigail), Steven Anderson (Bagger Vance), Bill Ratliff (Stephen King), Brooks Anne (Clerk).

S2 of Errthang is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy and Secrets, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

From tenderfoot.tv comes a new compelling podcast about 24-year-old Alana Chen who disappeared from Boulder, Colorado in 2019. She left behind two dozen journals chronicling a deep faith, her love of the outdoors, and her dream of becoming a nun. Alana also kept a secret, one that put her dream at risk. 

In this first episode, Simon travels to Boulder to meet Alana’s mother, Joyce, and becomes determined to help her understand what happened to Alana. To hear more Dear Alana visit apple.co/dearalana. For ad-free listening and exclusive content subscribe to Tenderfoot+ at tenderfoot.tv/plus

Tenderfoot's social handles: 

IG: @tenderfoot.tv

Twitter: @TenderfootTV

FB: Tenderfoot TV

Dear Alana social handles: 

IG: @dearalanapod 

Twitter: @dearalanapod 

FB: @DearAlana

After a personal tragedy, newly minted neurologist Alice Flaherty falls into a rabbit hole of mania, delusions and creative overload—and encounters a famous writer who revolutionized the conversation about mental illness.

The Great God of Depression is a production of Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia. It’s produced by Karen Brown and Pagan Kennedy, with support from New England Public Radio. Music and sound design by Ian Coss. Julie Shapiro is the executive producer.

Find links, photos and more information about this episode at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

From our friends at the LAist —

In 2023, North Hollywood’s Star Garden reopened as the only unionized strip club in the U.S. LAist Producer Emma Alabaster tells us the behind-the-scenes story of the workplace conditions that pushed the dancers into action. 

CONTENT WARNING: This episode includes sensitive content about sexual assault.

For sexual assault and harassment support and resources, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673, which is a service of RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network).

Here are some resources that informed our reporting:

• Working It: Sex Workers on the Work of Sex  (In particular, the essay "White Supremacy in Organizing" by Domino Rey)
• Unequal Desires: Race and Erotic Capital in the Stripping Industry by Siobhan Brooks
• Tits and Sass: Service Journalism by and for Sex Workers
• LA Co-op Lab
• U.S. Federation of Worker Cooperatives
• 2021 Worker Cooperative State of the Sector Report
• Yes, A Stripper Podcast

For more resources 

For more, visit https://LAist.com/ImperfectParadise

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age.

In Episode Four: The Rewind, sometimes journalists pursue a mystery; other times, it pursues them. An unexpected phone call from Naomi Halbrook leads to more revelations, while a competing documentary project about Polybius leads to conflict.

The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro.

Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

Thanks for listening to Showcase, from Radiotopia! We’re in the middle of our annual fundraiser right now. If you’re enjoying listening to The Polybius Conspiracy (and we bet you are) please consider donating to support the network, at radiotopia.fm.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - The Recipe with Kenji and Deb - “Popcorn”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

A heads up for listeners, this episode contains references to sexual assault as well as content that may not be appropriate for younger ears.

What does S-E-X look like with a B-O-T? Three app users open up about sex with AI chatbots and the ways that chatbots provide space to explore queer identity, BDSM, and solve marital issues… even when some of their spouses are in the dark about these private virtual lives.

Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and produced by Anna Oakes and Diego Senior. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Curtis Fox is the story editor. Sound design by Terence Bernardo and Rebecca Seidel. Bei Wang and Katrina Carter are the associate producers. Cover art by Diego Patiño. Theme song by Maria Linares. Transcripts by Erin Wade. Bot Love was created by Diego Senior.

Support for this project was provided in part by the Ideas Lab at the Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University. Special thanks to The Moth, Lauren Arora Hutchinson, Director of the Ideas Lab, and Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio, where we recorded these episodes.

For Radiotopia Presents, Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Yooree Losordo is the managing producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

For La Central Podcasts, Diego Senior is the Executive Producer.

Learn more about Bot Love at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age.

In Episode Five: The Seller, new clues about the whereabouts of Rubin's missing partner shed light on secrets Bobby might prefer stay hidden. The team looks into how one might go about vetting the authenticity of a Polybius cabinet.

The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro.

Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

Thanks for listening to Showcase, from Radiotopia! We’re in the middle of our annual fundraiser right now. If you’re enjoying listening to The Polybius Conspiracy (and we bet you are) please consider donating to support the network, at radiotopia.fm.

Behind the Series is a short-run series about the shows previously featured on this very podcast: Radiotopia Presents. This week, we’re talking with the creative team behind our latest series, a hit dog will holler. Today's episode is full of spoilers  — so if you haven't heard the series yet, we suggest finishing all the episodes before listening to this conversation. 

a hit dog will holler tells the story of two Black women activists who find their lives connected in surprising ways. Today, we sit down with three of the leading members of the team, writer Inda Craig-Galván, producer Gisele Regatão, and sound designer Sandra Lopez-Monsalve to reflect on the show’s highlights and creative challenges; from adapting a play into a podcast, creating a major character out of abstract sound elements, and the decisions that go into telling fictional stories about the real world.

Recommended texts from the hit dog will holler team:

• On the Yard by Etheridge Knight
• The works of Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Jason Moran, Christina Gaillard
• Fire Shut Up in My Bones by Terrence Blanchard
• Land of the Free by Gabriel Guerrero

Behind the Series is hosted, written, and produced by Mark Pagán. Executive producers are Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro and Yooree Losordo is our operations manager. Music from JD Samson, Blue Dot Sessions, and Christina Gaillard.

Behind the Series is a production of Radiotopia Presents, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Wanna learn more about your favorite shows, get audio recommendations, events updates, and podcast news? Sign up for the Radiotopia Citizen newsletter at radiotopia.fm/citizen.

When it comes to bots and their human creators, all kinds of relationships can develop. Some are from users like Julie, who needed a friend and made one with the help of an app. Then there are developers like Eugenia, who lost a real-life friend named Roman and created a bot from his memory. As it turns out, there’s a long history of people like Eugenia — people who create technology to help us grieve, love, and grow.

Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and produced by Anna Oakes and Diego Senior. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Curtis Fox is the story editor. Sound design by Terence Bernardo and Rebecca Seidel. Bei Wang and Katrina Carter are the associate producers. Cover art by Diego Patiño. Theme song by Maria Linares. Transcripts by Erin Wade. Bot Love was created by Diego Senior.

Support for this project was provided in part by the Ideas Lab at the Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University. Special thanks to The Moth, Lauren Arora Hutchinson, Director of the Ideas Lab, and Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio, where we recorded these episodes.

For Radiotopia Presents, Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Yooree Losordo is the managing producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

For La Central Podcasts, Diego Senior is the Executive Producer.

Learn more about Bot Love at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Secrets is a show about the secrets we all carry inside of us. When Mohamed El Abed found out that he had a secret sister, it was 25 years before he could start putting the pieces together. Across six episodes of Secrets, you’ll hear Mohamed’s story, and meet both people who live every day with a significant lie, and people affected by the lies of others.

How is it to live with a secret that no one can know about? What happens when that secret is exposed? In episode one we meet Neil Woods who, as an undercover policeman in the UK, pretended to be a heroin addict for 14 years while he had a wife and two children back home.

Secrets is produced and hosted by Mohamed El Abed and Martin Johnson, with additional reporting by Åsa Secher, from the Swedish production company, Soundtelling. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Artwork is by Sepidar Hosseini, and music is by Min stora sorg.

Secrets is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing and The Polybius Conspiracy, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

William Styron could never finish the war novel that was meant to be his masterpiece. Did that failure lead to his final depression? Or did depression stop him from writing? He and his doctor Alice Flaherty pore over the question together, trying to ward off his suicidal fears and a baffling paralysis, until his wife makes an unconventional and risky suggestion.

The Great God of Depression is a production of Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia. It’s produced by Karen Brown and Pagan Kennedy, with support from New England Public Radio. Music and sound design by Ian Coss. Julie Shapiro is the executive producer.

Find links, photos and more information about this episode at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Today, we’re sharing the first episode of a new series from Futuro Media and PRX. We Imagine…Us is a powerfully crafted dual set of podcasts designed to inspire and elevate innovative ideas and solutions for some of the most pressing problems facing our communities as they confront decades of racial inequality.

For the first time ever, Futuro Media is producing an original fiction podcast along with PRX, “We Imagine…Us: The Long Way Around,” starring Emmy-winner Karrueche Tran in her debut podcast performance. The compelling and audio-rich series takes us on a journey filled with twists and turns through the center of the country and explores themes of racial injustice, family and community healing and solidarity while telling the story of a father and daughter’s journey to build a new life for themselves.

This compelling audio drama holds up a mirror to the challenges of our contemporary world and was inspired by recent events and interviews with members of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation’s Solidarity Council on Racial Equity (SCoRE) including John Legend, Ava DuVernay, Michelle Alexander, Heather McGhee and others. 

A companion factual podcast series, Re-Imagination Nation with Maria Hinojosa, features interviews with these thought-leaders about where we are and about how we can work together to create a more just and equitable world.

In episode one of We Imagine…Us, after serving three years for a white-collar crime, Albert "Bumpy" Watkins is released into a post-Covid America, where he has to navigate his new status as a formerly incarcerated person  and his new role as a single parent to teenager Mercy Watkins. 

Red for Revolution is an enthralling audio drama that tells the passionate love story between jazz singer Lorraine Giovanni and activist Ella Ali. The narrative unfolds through the perspective of 18-year-old Jazmine, who is coming of age and seeking wisdom from her grandmother, Ella. As Jazmine conducts heartfelt interviews with her grandmother, listeners are transported between the vibrant present and the tumultuous year of 1971, encountering a captivating array of characters and experiencing an epic romance that transcends time.

Red for Revolution is created, written, and directed by Jana Naomi Smith, with musical direction by Tammy L. Hall and sound design by Collin Gerald Thomas. Original music by Tammy L.  Hall and Jana Naomi Smith, and performed by Renée Wilson, Loretta Devine, and Jordan Hull featuring the Red for Revolution band: Tammy L. Hall on piano, Kofy Brown on electric bass, Ruth Davies on acoustic bass, Ruthie Price on drums, Kristen Strom on saxophone and flute, and Vicki Randle on percussion.  The series is executive produced by Renée Wilson, Jana Naomi Smith, and Meta Mana Media with associate producers Jordan Hull, Adrian Snegg, and Vanessa E. Williams. All episodes produced by Liz McBee.

The Red for Revolution team would like to thank each person who helped bring this project to life. Please visit redforrevolution.com for the complete credit and gratitude list. 

Performances featured in order of appearance:

• adrienne maree brown as Series Sonic Guide
• Jordan Hull as Jazmine
• S. Epatha Merkerson as Ella Ali (Present Day)
• Caro Guzmán as Adrienne
• Loretta Devine as Lorraine Giovanni (Present Day)
• Rutina Wesley as Ella Ali (1970s)
• Renée Wilson as Lorraine Giovanni (1970s)
• Alimi Ballard as LeRoy
• Don Daniels as Sean
• Vanessa E. Williams as Barbra Graves
• Jennifer Beals as Suzanne Sands
• Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor as Delores Ali
• Danny Glover as Howard Ali

Song Featured:

• "Revolution" — Written by Jana Naomi Smith. Original composition by Tammy L. Hall. Performed by Renée Wilson and the Red For Revolution Band

Learn more about Red for Revolution at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

In the final episode of Spacebridge, big TV-satellite “spacebridges” become popular in the USSR, but remain a logistical nightmare—and for American producers, especially—a labor of love that few can afford. Meanwhile, a new breed of citizen diplomat enters the scene, determined to do an end-run around the USSR’s ancient telephone system. They find ways to connect people via a new-fangled contraption, the modem. The consequences of those connections linger today.

Spacebridge is a production of Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia with additional funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Our Russian content partner is the history site Arzamas.Academy.

Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy, Secrets, Errthang, The Great God of Depression and The Stoop at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - The Heart - “EPILOGUE | Letter to Gaza”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age.

In Episode Two: The Missing, as a man comes forward to potentially corroborate Bobby's story, the path forward plunges into the darkness of another Oregonian legend: the infamous Shanghai Tunnels.

The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro.

Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

Dru is livid at Gina for posting an interview without her knowledge and breaking the internet. Their phones start ringing. They couldn’t leave, but now they can’t stay.

a hit dog will holler is written by Inda Craig-Galván. It is produced and directed by Gisele Regatão. Mixing and sound design by Sandra Lopez-Monsalve, with help from Isabel Hibbard. Music by Christina Gaillard. Performed by Cynthia K. McWilliams, J. Nicole Brooks, and Jacqueline Guillen. Show art by Yee Eun Nam.

For Radiotopia Presents, Mark Pagán is the producer. Production support from Yooree Losordo. Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro are the executive producers. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

This podcast was recorded under a SAG-AFTRA Collective Bargaining Agreement. 

Thank you to WNYC News, social media citizen journalists and the community at Freesound for the audio of Black Lives Matter protests and other sounds used to create this story.

Special thanks to Jose Valenzuela for lending extra ears, and to Aura and Kelly Monsalve for allowing the almost destruction of their piano. No pianos were harmed in the making of this program.

Support for this project was provided in part by a PSC-CUNY Award, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York.

Learn more about a hit dog will holler and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Al and Willie tell stories about fatherhood. Al’s story is about being a black father to a white kid, while Willie recounts teaching his son how to handle a bully.

Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.

Season 2 of Errthang is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy and Secrets, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Thanks to Burrow for sponsoring Showcase.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Shocking, Heartbreaking, Transformative - “Just a Girl with a Microphone."

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - Weight For It - “Into Thin Air."

It's not too late - Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is still on! Donate to support audio with vision. Thank you!

The chatbots we’ve met are designed to be companions to humans. But some developers are trying to build AI extensions of humans for the workplace. In a panel discussion recorded live at On Air Fest 2023, hosts Diego Senior, Anna Oakes, and special guest Natalie Monbiot (Head of Strategy, Hour One) chat with senior producer Mark Pagán about the origins of Bot Love and the waves of technological change coming our way.

Bot Love is written by Anna Oakes, Mark Pagán, and Diego Senior. Hosted and produced by Anna Oakes and Diego Senior. Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Curtis Fox is the story editor. Sound design by Terence Bernardo and Rebecca Seidel. Bei Wang and Katrina Carter are the associate producers. Cover art by Diego Patiño. Theme song by Maria Linares. Transcripts by Erin Wade. Bot Love was created by Diego Senior.

Support for this project was provided in part by the Ideas Lab at the Berman Institute of Bioethics, Johns Hopkins University. Special thanks to The Moth, Lauren Arora Hutchinson, Director of the Ideas Lab, and Josh Wilcox at the Brooklyn Podcasting Studio, where we recorded episodes.

Thank you to the team behind On Air fest, who gave us support and a platform to record this bonus episode. For On Air, Jemma Rose Brown is the Director of Programming & Production, Scott Newman is the Creative Director and Founder, Jenny Mills is the Event Producer and Project Manager, Kathleen Ottinger is the Production Manager, Graham Galatro is the Recording Engineer.

For Radiotopia Presents, Mark Pagán is the senior producer. Yooree Losordo is the managing producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. It’s a production of PRX’s Radiotopia and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

For La Central Podcasts, Diego Senior is the Executive Producer.

Learn more about Bot Love at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

The first two-way satellite links between the US and USSR are strange, disorganized, and sometimes a little magical. Battling language and technological barriers, Soviet and American musicians, computing pioneers, scientists, and even kids find a way to stage a series of exchanges across the skies — at first awkward, but growing more meaningful as Cold War paranoia ratchets ever higher.
 
 Spacebridge is a production of Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia with additional funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Our Russian content partner is the history site Arzamas.Academy.

Find out more and listen to the previous series, The Stoop, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy, Secrets, Errthang, and The Great God of Depression at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - The Kitchen Sisters Present - “Tupperware”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you! 

Behind the Series is a short-run series about the shows previously featured on this very podcast: Radiotopia Presents from Radiotopia. This week, we look back at the story quandaries, personal stakes, and tech blunders that made trouble for some of your favorite series from Radiotopia Presents. 

This bonus episode is part of a special Radiotopia-wide project. This week, shows across the network are releasing episodes on the theme “Making Trouble.” You can learn more and donate to support our work at radiotopia.fm.

Behind the Series is hosted, written, and produced by Mark Pagán. Executive producers are Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro. Music from JD Samson and Blue Dot Sessions. 

Behind the Series is a production of Radiotopia Presents, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Wanna learn more about your favorite shows, get audio recommendations, events updates, and podcast news? Sign up for the Radiotopia Citizen newsletter at radiotopia.fm/citizen.

Coming up next on Radiotopia Presents: Bot Love

The AI chatbot universe is deeper and bigger than the general public knows. Millions of users worldwide are creating deep emotional bonds, sometimes sexual and sometimes not, with their own AI-driven virtual humans. We meet Julie in Tennessee, Suzy in Atlanta and Kelly in the Midwest, people that are fighting depression, finding their true sexuality, and learning how to live, hand in hand, with the AI-driven humans they themselves created.

Learn more about Bot Love at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

In the 20th century, music seemed like an object — bought and sold like any other product. But digital technology has dematerialized music, separating it from money and revealing its real terms of exchange. Guests include: Artist and writer Jace Clayton, also known as DJ /rupture; Victoria Ruiz and Joey DeFrancesco of the Providence punk band Downtown Boys.

This is the fourth episode of Ways of Hearing, a six-part podcast hosted by musician Damon Krukowski (Galaxie 500, Damon & Naomi), exploring the nature of listening in our digital world.

Credits: Produced by Damon Krukowski, Max Larkin and Ian Coss. Written and hosted by Damon Krukowski. Sound design by Ian Coss. Executive Producer is Julie Shapiro. Showcase is a production of Radiotopia from PRX.

Afia is due to return to San Francisco in a few days. She wants to pay a visit to an old friend before she leaves.

S***hole Country is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about S***hole Country and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Today, we share an episode from our friends at Snap Judgment — Rooty the Pig.

Rooty, a piglet, leaves her Victorian dollhouse on the farm and heads to the city of New Orleans to find a family. But when Hurricane Katrina hits, everything that is near and dear to her is threatened.

BIG thanks to Jim & Connie for sharing their story with us! Thanks as well to Jeffery Tam & Dr. Alison Barca.

Produced by Annie Nguyen, original score by Cheflee

Artwork by Teo Ducot

Best of Radiotopia 2024 - This Day in Esoteric Political History - “Dick Cheney Shoots Friend In The Face”.

Radiotopia’s fall fundraiser is here! Donate today to support audio with vision. Thank you!

Spacebridge tells a largely-forgotten saga of the late Cold War, when despair about the prospects of a nuclear conflict gripped the world. Both Soviets and Americans grasped at emerging communication technology via satellite and early Internet “spacebridges” that brought together citizen diplomats ranging from New Agers to tech-enthusiasts to astronauts. The urge to “just connect” helped tilt the world from top-down broadcasting to the more horizontal, Internet-levelled society where we all now live…for better and/or for worse.

Co-hosted by Julia Barton and Charles Maynes, Spacebridge is a production of Showcase from PRX’s Radiotopia with additional funding from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Our Russian content partner is the history site Arzamas.Academy.

Find out more at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

We have a treat for you this Fathers Day—an episode from Radiotopia’s The Heart. In the latest season titled DAD, The Heart brings you a different kind of love story, one between a father and daughter.

In this first episode, Kaitlin tells the story of her relationship with her dad from birth to adulthood. As she matures into adulthood, she grapples with the period of her life that the family calls 'World War 3' and what it means for her relationship with her dad.

Trigger Warning: topics related to physical and mental abuse. ⁠

In The Polybius Conspiracy, producers Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto investigate the decades-old urban legend of Polybius, a mysterious arcade game from the '80s whose alleged existence in the Pacific Northwest is fueled by myth and an obsessive online fan base, and which may have factored in the abduction of two teenage boys. Told as a hybrid documentary/fictional story, the series is an artful meditation on how urban legends take hold and spread, and an exploration into how we consume and perpetuate information in the internet age.

In Episode Three: The Cassette, the search for answers leads the team to a retired journalist with a bizarre connection to Coin Kingdom, and unsettling allegations of abuse at an international youth academy.

The Polybius Conspiracy is written and produced by Jon Frechette and Todd Luoto, and hosted, sound designed and mixed by Jon Frechette. Field producer is Dylan Reiff. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro.

Music throughout The Polybius Conspiracy is by Anenon, Chris Fitzpatrick, Hrishikesh Hirway, Jon Frechette and Restricted. Episode Artwork is by Jin Lim. Logo design is by Kevin Blanchard. Avatar design is by Jonathan Moura.

Radiotopia Presents and S***hole Country is proud to present a bonus episode from AfroQueer. 2021 has been a really rough year for Ghana’s LGBTQI people. Police raided and shut down a queer community center in Accra; 21 people attending a paralegal workshop in the city of Ho were arrested and locked up for 21 days before the case was dropped; and eight MPs have come up with draft legislation that, if adopted, makes it a crime just to be queer or a queer ally. But the LGBT community are fighting back - with a #KilltheBill campaign. Ghanaian filmmaker, Edem Robby, reports on what’s been happening and why - and, in a rare interview, she sits down with some of the so-called Ho 21 to hear the horrifying story of their arrests.

This episode from AfroQueer was reported by Edem Robby. Produced and written by Penny Dale. Story Editor is Kerry Donahue. AfroQueer is executive Produced by Selly Thiam. Rachel Wamoto is the social media manager, Tevin Sudi, and Mercy Barno are the audio editors. Listen to Human Being (Just like you) by Wanlov The Kubolor that was featured in this episode. Find more info and episodes @afroqueerpod on Twitter, @afroqueerpodcast on Instagram, and www.afroqueerpodcast.com 

S***hole Country is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about S***hole Country and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

A missing plane. A cabin full of suspects. A search for the truth. Passenger List is a new fictional mystery thriller from Radiotopia. Hear episode two and subscribe to the show at passengerlist.org. 

Secrets is a show about the secrets we all carry inside of us.

What happens when a secret becomes larger than life? When Mohamed’s mother was a young teenager in Morocco, she entered an arranged marriage with his father, Ben Assai. When Mohamed’s father eventually travelled to Sweden to start a new life for his family, he met another woman and with her conceived a secret daughter, Maria.

In episode two, we also travel deep into the forest to meet the Norwegian nature photographer Terje Hellesö, who took photos of a world in the forest that didn’t exist.

Secrets is produced and hosted by Mohamed El Abed and Martin Johnson, with additional reporting by Åsa Secher, from the Swedish production company, Soundtelling. Executive producer is Julie Shapiro. Artwork is by Sepidar Hosseini, and music is by Min stora sorg.

Secrets is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing and The Polybius Conspiracy, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Afia tells the truth.

S***hole Country is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about S***hole Country and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Actor Tony Shalhoub is well known for his role as one of the few openly mentally ill characters in television – an obsessive compulsive detective on the long-running show Monk.

In this bonus episode of The Great God of Depression, Shalhoub sits down with co-producer Karen Brown to read passages from William Styron's work, and share his perspective on mental illness and creativity.

If you haven’t yet heard The Great God of Depression, all five episodes are available now. For links, photos and more information visit radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Mom and I talk candidly about how she taught me to believe in a Higher Power, even though I didn’t like church so much. We get into her many spiritual practices, stroll around Costco (where all miracles happen) and I visit my older brother Allen, for a long overdue catch-up. 

My Mother Made Me is a production of Radiotopia Presents, and is written and narrated by Jason Reynolds, with his mother, Isabell Reynolds. The series is produced by Mark Pagán and edited by Julie Shapiro, with production support from Yooree Losordo. Julie Shapiro and Audrey Mardavich are Executive Producers for Radiotopia Presents. Cover art by Jason Griffin. Theme song by Christian Reynolds. Mixing, sound design and additional original music is by Ian Coss. 

Radiotopia Presents debuts limited-run, artist-owned series, from new and original voices. Learn more and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

Coming up next on Showcase: Errthang

Errthang is just that: everything that’s percolating in journalist/storyteller Al Letson’s brain; stories told with a lot of heart, interviews with a lot of thought, music with a funky beat, and a good time with co-host Willie Evans Jr. Stay tuned for eight weekly episodes starting March 23.

Find out more at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

It’s been awhile, we know, but we’ve got some exciting Showcase updates for you. Keep an ear right here to catch a brand new series coming your way April 28.
 
 Want audio recommendations and updates about your favorite Radiotopia shows? Sign up for the Citizen newsletter at radiotopia.fm/citizen.

Ong’s Hat is rumored to have once been the site of a gateway to another dimension. After meeting on a forum devoted to the urban legend, yoga instructor Sarah Larsen, and academic Charlie Brill, go on a road trip to the New Jersey Pine Barrens where a group of renegade Princeton professors had once conducted quantum physics and chaos theory experiments to discover a new theory for dimensional travel. When Sarah disappears, Charlie finds himself at the center of a mystery.

Corey Brill (The Walking Dead) stars in this docu-thriller for Radio 4 and BBC Sounds from the makers of The Polybius Conspiracy and Passenger List.

Al Letson and Willie Evans Jr. are back with season two of Errthang! After a long hiatus, the dynamic duo returns to tell stories, and have a good time. This season Letson and Evans focus on stories and interviews about fatherhood, the political unrest in the country, and ruminations on love. It’s a wild, fun ride with a lot of heart and depth. 

In episode one, Al tells the stories of three excruciating heartbreaks that will leave you laughing.

Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.

Errthang is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy and Secrets, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

Behind the Series is a short-run series about the shows previously featured on this very podcast: Showcase from Radiotopia. This week, we revisit Secrets, a six-part series from 2018. When released, Secrets offered listeners a compelling mix of autobiography, private admissions ranging from espionage to photography fraud, and storytelling traditions from Sweden and the U.S.. Three years later, producers and hosts Mohamed El Abed and Martin Johnson lift the curtain to share the secrets behind Secrets: how they get people to tell private stories of their lives and what’s happened since Mohamed shared this part of his family’s story. 

 Behind the Series is hosted, written, and produced by Mark Pagán. Executive producers are Audrey Mardavich and Julie Shapiro. Music from JD Samson and Blue Dot Sessions.  

 Behind the Series is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Wanna learn more about your favorite shows, get audio recommendations, events updates, and podcast news? Sign up for the Radiotopia Citizen newsletter at radiotopia.fm/citizen.

This episode features Kiese Laymon’s memoir about growing up as a young black man in the South. The piece is performed by a small group of young black men who Al mentored in their youth.

Errthang is produced and hosted by Al Letson, with co-host and music supervisor Willie Evans Jr., show systemizer Brie Burge and actor Jason Stephens. Check out season one here.

S2 of Errthang is a production of Showcase, from PRX’s Radiotopia. Find out more and listen to the previous series, Ways of Hearing, The Polybius Conspiracy and Secrets, at radiotopia.fm/showcase.

With their “Are You The One?” marathon complete, Afia and her parents must now turn to Accra for entertainment. What will they find?

S***hole Country is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices.

Learn more about S***hole Country and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.