New Trier Performing Arts Stories

In Part 1 of my very special interview with Oscar Nominee Virginia Madsen, Virginia talks openly and candidly about her time at New Trier. We also talk about some of her favorite performing arts memories, and the gratitude she now feels for the experience she had. We also talk about the transition from New Trier to her Hollywood film career, the challenges she faced, and the strength she found from family and friends. Enjoy!

In part 2 of my interview with John Siuntres, we talk about the creation of the Word Balloon podcast (which has become essential listening in the comic book fan world). We also return to WNTH and talk about John's experience interviewing some Hollywood legends, Enjoy!

John Siuntres is one is one of the most universally liked WNTH alum of our time, and when you talk with him, it's immediately obvious why that's true. In Part 1 of our interview, John talks about how WNTH gave him the skills necessary to rapidly rise through the ranks in broadcast radio, eventually spending decades in the field, including 9 years at WXRT and "The Score".

In Part 3 of my interview with Rainn Wilson, Rainn and I will talk about his new book Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution. We’ll also talk about his humanitarian work with Lide Haiti, and then, as we always do, we’ll return to New Trier and talk about WNTH, and our one time together on stage.

In this episode, Rainn and I finish our conversation about his film career, then move on to TV to talk about The Office (and a little bit about Star Trek). Finally, we start our conversation about his other career as a best selling author. Enjoy!

Welcome to Season 2 of New Trier Performing Arts Stories! We have some SPECTACULAR guests for you this Season, and we're leading off with a BIG star. In this episode (part 1 of 3), we welcome actor Rainn Wilson to the podcast! Rainn talks about how his time at New Trier launched his career as an actor. We also talk about the transition from stage to screen acting (and the challenges and differences involved). And finally, Rainn reveals his (current) favorite film experience. Enjoy!

Well folks, this is it, the end of Season 1, and we're going to "bookend" the season by bringing back our very first guest, John Gion. In this show, John talks about his personal experiences with New Trier and how he became one of the most well known and liked "behind the scenes" people in the incredible and huge underworld below Gaffney Auditorium. We also talk about his frankly amazing abilities when it came to costuming, and how his time at New Trier led him to form a company which warehouses stage costumes. And of course, along the way, we’ll talk about some of his favorite memories. Also, stay tuned to the end for details on season 2 and where you can listen to me until then. Enjoy!

In my post interview conversation with Dave Marran, we talked first about our mutual WNTH friends John Siuntres (host of the Word Balloon podcast) and Gary Price. Then Dave asks me about Season 2 of this show, and finally, we talk about my impending return to The Rugby Report podcast, and my most recent sports obsession, New Zealand cricket. Enjoy!

Welcome to our second WNTH themed show of the season! Our guest today is Dave Marran, a former WNTH Station Manager who went on from New Trier to spend 29 years working with the Chicago White Sox, and two decades as the sports editor for the Kenosha News. In this show, Dave talks extensively about New Trier in general, and WNTH in particular helped to prepare him for a career in broadcasting and media. Enjoy!

Welcome to another special bonus feature from New Trier Performing Arts Stories! In my brief post interview conversation with Beth Lane we talk about some of the truly extraordinary people in the unusually talented class of 1981, and then Beth tells me about yet another way that New Trier impacted her life, when the marriage of two of her New Trier classmates led directly to her meeting her husband. Enjoy!