Drinking and Writing Theatre founder Steve Mosqueda and “newcomer” Grace Murphy join Rick Kogan to talk about their newest event, Sensuously Transmitted Drama: Love Poured Neat, which explores the idea of “love” through monologues, music, movement and writings from literary figures.  They also talk about the theatre’s ongoing exploration of the relationship between alcohol and creativity, and the sometimes problematic romanticism of the ‘tortured writer’ type.  

Lawyer/novelist Ronald Balson joins Rick Kogan on After Hours to talk about finding a later-in-life career as an author, the trip to Poland that sparked his creative desire to write historical novels, navigating the publishing industry, the emotional toll of writing about heavy subject matter, and his works Once We Were Brothers, Saving Sophie, and the upcoming Karolina’s Twins.    

Rick Kogan visits with author Fern Schumer Chapman, who talks about her three books that detail her mother’s journey (and her own) back to the German town she grew up in during WWII. Motherland features Chapman’s reluctant trip with her mother, a holocaust survivor, back to the German village of her youth; Is It Night or Day? provides a fictionalized account of the young Edith Westerfeld’s migration to America following an escape from the Nazis and Like Finding My Twin […]

Rick Kogan visits with WGN overnight legends Steve King and Johnnie Putman for a conversation on their book A Little More Les, which takes a look back on their long friendship with guitar innovator Les Paul. They talk about Paul’s legacy as the man who defined the sound of rock guitar, turning the next generation of guitarists on to his work and importance to sound recording, and the significance of incorporating music into their long-running radio show.  

Author Marcus Sakey stops by After Hours for a talk on his latest book Written in Fire, the last installment in his Brilliance series.  He discusses the challenge of telling (and closing out) a story over three parts, his long career and standalone works, transitioning from advertising to creative writing and Chicago as a creative backdrop for his work.  

Rick Kogan visits with Tom Crane, author of Pat’s Tavern, a collection of essays, poems and stories based on his memories of growing up in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood in the 1930’s and ’40’s.  Crane talks about finding the inspiration to start writing these stories and studying composition under legendary director Sheldon Patinkin; he also recounts stories featuring Sam Giancana, Robert Conrad and more.  

Rick Kogan visits with Peter Garino, Charles Stransky, Kendall Zwillman and Ashley Wickett of the Shakespeare Project of Chicago; they discuss the project’s latest production of “Cymbeline” starting February 26 at the Niles Public Library and their collective passion that drives them to keep Shakespeare’s work relevant; they also set the mood for Valentine’s night with readings of a few of the playwright’s romantic sonnets.  

Rick Kogan talks with veteran writer John Schulian about his latest project, his first novel, A Better Goodbye, a tale of suspense set in seedy modern-day Los Angeles.  They also discuss his long career covering boxing and football, Schulian’s thoughts on Mike Ditka 30 years after Super Bowl XX, and his foray into screenwriting courtesy of Steven Bochco.    

Chinese Fine Arts Society president Julie Ma joins Rick Kogan to preview this year’s Chinese New Year celebration events.  She talks about the effort from the mayor’s office to make Chicago’s Chinese New Years events the biggest in the country, welcoming Jackie Chan’s hand-picked troupe of martial artists, what to expect from the Year of the Monkey, and more. Chinese Fine Arts’ Young Artist Award-winning cellist Jack Boettcher also provides some live music, and explains why Chinese music resonates with […]

WFMT Radio Network Director of Syndication Tony Macaluso joins Rick Kogan to talk about his crowdfunding campaign for the Studs Terkel Radio Archive, with the goal of making over 45 years of Terkel’s radio interviews and discussions available to the public.  Macaluso talks about the benefits of having this material readily accessible, the importance of hearing history as opposed to reading it, some of Studs’ memorable conversations, and more.