Make-Believe

Does humanity deserve another chance? A fable from the great Lorraine Hansberry about a hermit and some children at the end of the world--or the beginning.

To contact Make-Believe, email us at [email protected]

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What Use Are Flowers?: A Fable

By Lorraine Hansberry

Music by Mikhail Fiksel

Sound by Erisa Apantaku and Mikhail Fiksel

Directed by Daniel Kyri

Executive produced by Jeremy McCarter

Performed and recorded live at the Harold Washington Library, Chicago

CAST

Hermit - Billy Branch

Charlie - Daniel Kyri

Lily - Khloe Janel

William - Tevion Lanier

Narration read by Kiayla Ryann

SOUND TEAM

Recording engineer - Joe Palermo

Additional recording - Scott Tallarida at Trigger

PRODUCTION STAFF

Production manager - Madeleine Borg

Stage manager - JC Widman

Community manager - LaRob Payton

POST-PRODUCTION

Editing and mixing by Erisa Apantaku and Mikhail Fiksel

Sound design by Mikhail Fiksel

Final mixing and mastering by Joe Palermo

Permission from Joi Gresham and the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust

Graphic design by Carly Pearlman

Equipment provided by TechMagic Designs

Make-Believe theme music by Mikhail Fiksel

“Greensleeves” - traditional English folk melody

Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 - 4. Finale (Ode to Joy)

Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 - 3. Adagio molto e cantabile; Andante moderato

Performed by Skidmore College Orchestra, via Musopen

SPECIAL THANKS

Joi Gresham, Julie McGarvie, and the Lorraine Hansberry Literary Trust; Brian Bannon and the staff of Chicago Public Library; Carolyn Casselman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, and Garrison; Robert Hornbostel; Nancy García Loza; Nate Marshall; SAG-AFTRA.

PRODUCTION SPONSORS

The Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Family Foundation, for an essential launch grant

The Poetry Foundation, our lead season sponsor

Joyce Chelberg, whose generosity supports the work of Make-Believe’s actors

All our donors and supporters

To support Make-Believe with a tax-deductible contribution, please visit:

https://makebelieve.fm/support-us/

Odysseus, the "man of twists and turns", goes on five new adventures, portrayed by five amazing actors. Sing for our time, too. To contact Make-Believe, email us at [email protected] --------------- Lost Books of the OdysseyBy Jeremy McCarterAdapted from the novel by Zachary MasonMusic composed and sound team led by Mikhail FikselDirected by Jess McLeodExecutive produced by Jeremy McCarter Performed and recorded live at the Harold Washington Library, Chicago CAST (in order of playing Odysseus)Kareem BandealyKristina Valada-ViarsLily MojekwuIan Paul CusterHenry Godinez SOUND TEAMSound designer - Mikhail FikselAssociate sound designer and audio technician - Robert HornbostelRecording engineer - Joe Palermo PRODUCTION STAFFProduction manager - Madeleine BorgStage manager - Brennan T. JonesCommunity manager - Kaitlin Fine POST-PRODUCTIONEditing, mixing, and additional recording by Mikhail FikselAdditional sound design, final mixing and mastering by Joe Palermo Graphic design by Carly Pearlman Equipment provided by TechMagic Designs Make-Believe theme music by Mikhail Fiksel SPECIAL THANKSCatherine Allen and The Den Theater; Brian Bannon and the staff of Chicago Public Library; Carolyn Casselman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, and Garrison; Bill Clegg; Nancy García Loza; Nate Marshall; Kevin Reader, Max Temkin, and Cards Against Humanity; Chris Rooney; SAG-AFTRA. PRODUCTION SPONSORSThe Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Family Foundation, for an essential launch grantThe Poetry Foundation, our lead season sponsorJoyce Chelberg, whose generosity supports the work of Make-Believe's actorsAll our donors and supporters To support Make-Believe with a tax-deductible contribution, please visit:https://makebelieve.fm/support-us/

Brer Rabbit, the iconic trickster of African-American folklore, returns in new tales by the poet Nate Marshall: It's a whole new briar patch now.

To contact Make-Believe, email us at [email protected]

This program is dedicated to the life of George Terrell, a storyteller and enslaved man on the Turnwold Plantation in Eatonton, Georgia. He is one of countless storytellers with names that we will never know or get right.

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Bruh Rabbit And the Fantastic Telling of Remington Ellis, Esq. By Nate Marshall Music composed and sound team led by Mikhail Fiksel Directed by Wardell Julius Clark Executive produced by Jeremy McCarter

Performed and recorded live at the Harold Washington Library, Chicago

CAST (in order of appearance) Interviewer/Mayor/Tar Baby - Sydney Charles Remington/Fam Bear - Osiris Khepera Fam Wolf - Charles Andrew Gardner Fam Fox - Kiayla Ryann Bruh Rabbit - Al'Jaleel McGhee

SOUND TEAM Sound designer - Mikhail Fiksel Associate sound designer - Robert Hornbostel Recording engineer - Steve Labedz Audio technician - Maddie Doyle

PRODUCTION STAFF Production manager - Madeleine Borg Stage manager - J.C. Widman Community manager - Arrion Jones

POST-PRODUCTION Editing, mixing, and additional recording by Mikhail Fiksel and Robert Hornbostel Mastering by Joe Palermo

Graphic design by Carly Pearlman

Equipment provided by TechMagic Designs

Make-Believe theme music by Mikhail Fiksel

SPECIAL THANKS Catherine Allen and The Den Theater; Brian Bannon and the staff of Chicago Public Library; Carolyn Casselman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, and Garrison; Nancy García Loza; Chris Rooney; SAG-AFTRA; Maria Tatar

PRODUCTION SPONSORS The Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Family Foundation, for an essential launch grant The Poetry Foundation, our lead season sponsor Joyce Chelberg, whose generosity supports the work of Make-Believe's actors All our donors and supporters

To support Make-Believe with a tax-deductible contribution, please visit: https://makebelieve.fm/support-us/

A brave girl's journey through a land of many monsters, adapted from a Mexican folktale by Nancy García Loza. Performed and recorded live in Chicago, followed by audience conversation.

To contact Make-Believe, email us at [email protected]

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Brava A folktale con música Script and corrido by Nancy García Loza Music direction and additional music by Eréndira Izguerra Sound team led by Mikhail Fiksel Directed by Laura Alcalá Baker Executive produced by Jeremy McCarter

Performed and recorded live at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen, Chicago

CAST (in order of appearance) Young Girl - Ilse Zacharias Father/Patrón - Christian Castro Viejita/Cook - Ana María Alvarez Walking Stick/Servant - Brandon Rivera Guard/Soldado - Carlos Rogelio Diaz Prince/Bolumbí - Eduardo Curley-Carrillo

BAND Violin - Eréndira Izguerra Guitarron - Jeanette Nevarez Vihuela - Laura Velazquez

SOUND TEAM Sound designer - Mikhail Fiksel Associate sound designer - Robert Hornbostel Recording engineer - Steve Labedz Audio technician - Maddie Doyle

PRODUCTION STAFF Production manager - Madeleine Borg Stage manager - Jaclynn Joslin Community manager - Jennifer Aparicio Folk music adviser - Juan Dies, Sones de México Ensemble

POST-PRODUCTION Editing, mixing, and additional recording by Mikhail Fiksel Additional recording by Robert Hornbostel Mastering by Joe Palermo

Based on a folktale in Tales from Jalisco, Mexico by Howard T. Wheeler, published by The American Folklore Society.

Casting by Paskal Rudnicke Casting

Graphic design by Carly Pearlman

Equipment provided by TechMagic Designs

Make-Believe theme music by Mikhail Fiksel

SPECIAL THANKS Catherine Allen and The Den Theater; The American Folklore Society; Carolyn Casselman of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton, and Garrison; Erica Daniels and Victory Gardens; Maria Hinojosa; Nate Marshall; Chris Rooney; SAG-AFTRA; and Carlos Tortolero and the National Museum of Mexican Art

PRODUCTION SPONSORS The Chauncey and Marion Deering McCormick Family Foundation, for an essential launch grant The Poetry Foundation, our lead season sponsor Joyce Chelberg, whose generosity supports the work of Make-Believe's actors All our donors and supporters

To support Make-Believe with a tax-deductible contribution, please visit: https://makebelieve.fm/support-us/

How can creative artists make each other more creative? As we count down to the release of Make-Believe's first audio drama, we talk with Monica Beletsky, acclaimed writer for TV and film, about artistic collaboration, the highs and lows of the TV writers' room, and the fable of the Town Mouse and the Country Mouse.

See Monica's thread on storytelling:

https://twitter.com/MonicaBeletsky/status/946479909903282177

See @edithdrod's visualization:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/16AMvLZhqHvX9KpwLRYmFPhuJ_Ez4SpaP/view

Talk to Make-Believe: [email protected]

A preview of the first audio drama in our season of Grown Folks Fables, a Mexican folktale con música by Nancy García Loza. A brave girl faces many monsters. #muchowowwow #muchoguaoguao

Michael Sandel, philosopher and showman, helps us prep for Season 1 by showing how it's done. Plus: the art of listening, upstaging Matt Damon, and the case of Grasshopper v. Ant.

Want to talk with us? We're at [email protected].

Want to support our work? Please consider a tax-deductible contribution here.

Welcome to Make-Believe Association, a Chicago-based company producing new audio dramas--recorded live--and conversations about how stories shape our world. It's independent. It draws from the breadth of our vibrant city. And it's coming very soon.