This is the 77th edition of Stories From Graceland Pond.

Recorded LIVE on Tuesday, February 6th, 2024, at low power stations, WRHC-LP 107.6 FM Three Oaks, Michigan and WRHZ 93.5 Sawyer, Michigan.

The show theme is My Cherie Amour (love stories for Valentines).   Special guest, dyanmic and funny comedian, writer, Improv actor, and Second City teacher Cheri Flanders joins us to tell a love story and talk about writing, writing process, story telling, favorite writers, the songs with the name Sheri in them, and more.    Shari starts at 8:50 --    Marijo O'Connell starts at 47:10 -- and gives us her thoughts on why marriage is a challenge, and provides some good advice on picking marriage mates and such.   Doug Stevenson comes on at 1:09:50 and tells a story about his love for his father, and arranging a special trip for him.   Mark Maguire closes the show with a story and a poem. His story relates his glory days as a young man in Texas with a lover and his Mustang. He starts at 1:39:55.

This is the 75th Edition of Stories From Graceland Pond

Recorded LIVE on Tuesday, January 9th, 2023, at lower powered stations, WRHC-LP 107.6 FM Three Oaks, Michigan and WRHZ 93.5 Sawyer, Michigan.

The show theme is Reflections on Purpose for 2024   Special guest, author Robert Hudson joins us to talk about his new novel "The Beautiful Madness of Martin Bonham." Gregg Fraley and Robert talk about writing process, words like "theopoly," morality, story structure, and more. It gets deep. Interview starts at 4:00 in.     Host Gregg Fraley is joined in-studio by Nina Alexandra for the introduction and commentary throughout. Nina talks about her own thoughts for 2024 starting at 34:35.    54:50 Gregg and Nina do free association Improv over Pat Methany music. ASMR-ish. To 57:50.   Marijo O'Connell starts at 58:20.   Doug Stevenson starts at 1:24:37.   Mark Maguire starts at 1:45:25.    

 

 

This is the 6th Edition of Stories From Graceland Pond

Recorded LIVE on Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at lower powered stations, WRHC-LP 107.6 FM Three Oaks, Michigan and WRHZ 93.5 Sawyer, Michigan. This recording contains the original cast of SFGP. No guests.

The show theme is Irish Stories   Slainte! Edition #6 is themed "Irish Stories" -- Stories about the old sod, being Irish, of Irish ethnicity, tall tales, fantasy, music, and of course, war. So, there are sad stories and songs of revolution in the mix. And, we'll have a bit of fun as well. After all, we're live on-air the eve of St. Patrick's Day.   The Stories From Graceland Pondon cast weighs in, and yes, we are all a bit, or a lot, of Irish extraction.   * Marijo O'Connell, "A Lesson In Manners" -- starts at 8:50 * Doug Stevenson, "A Tribute to Matt Mulcahy" -- 36:28 * Joanna Trotter, "A Wee Talk About the Fairies" -- 1:04:30 * Mark Maguire, "The Irish Troops that Saved Texas" -- 1:40:30   Music by: The Chieftains, Paul Brady, Greg Trooper, Ann & Francis Brolly, Grainne Holland, Sinead O'Connor, Delores O'Riordan and the Cranberries. Maybe Van Morrison, Paul McCartney, and others.

This is the 57th Edition of Stories From Graceland Pond

Recorded LIVE on Tuesday, February 28th, 2023, at lower powered stations, WRHC-LP 107.6 FM Three Oaks, Michigan and WRHZ 93.5 Sawyer, Michigan.

The show theme is HARDEST LESSON I'VE LEARNED.   Special guests Ada Cheng and Holly Link join the regular cast. We have a five-story two-hour journey, with music. It's a cliche, but it's true: The hardest lessons make the most incredible stories, so please don't let those experiences be in vain, listen to a very cool show.   Host Gregg Fraley is joined in-studio by Nina Alexandra and Phil Thorton for the introduction and commentary throughout.    Ada Cheng kicks us off at 6:19 -- she's a speaker with the Illinois Humanities Road Scholars Speakers Bureau who has a fascinating story about defining success. A life lesson story about how to be happy -- doing what you love, and the courage that often requires.    Holly Link tells a story about how to let people go -- she starts at 32:58. Holly also backfills with another big story, her being hit by a car and a two year journey of recovery.    Mark Maguire follows at 1:03:35 and relates not only a hard lesson learned story, but an easy lesson learned as well.   Regular cast member Doug Stevenson was scheduled for this show but called in sick at the last minute. He's in every podcast we do with this rare exception.   Marijo O'Connell closes the show with a story about the ,, and, how to deal with being ghosted by a good life long friend. She starts at 1:34:45.   Related to theme musical interludes by: Avicii, Sia, Fleetwood Mac, Donny Hathaway, The O'Jays, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and John Prine.   Stories From Graceland Pond is a long-running storytelling radio show. It airs on a low-powered FM station in southwest Michigan and then is podcasted. Check out our themes and related stories and music. It's great for times when you have the peace for a listen.

This is the 63rd Edition of Stories From Graceland Pond. Recorded LIVE on Tuesday, June 20th, 2023 -- WRHC-LP 107.6 FM Three Oaks, Michigan and WRHZ 93.5 Sawyer, Michigan.

Theme: Planes, Trains, and Automobile Stories

With Special Guest Storyteller, Janna Sobel

Janna Sobel is a teacher, facilitator, coach, and performer, and notably has taught storytelling at Second City in Chicago for many years. She's joined in this program by regular cast storytellers Mark Maguire, Doug Stevenson, and Marijo O'Connel in telling stories about travel and more. 

00: Introduction with Gregg Fraley and Nina Alexandra

4:43 Janna Sobel on, her lovely and literate story begins at 14:03  -- about the conversations that happen on trains

32:50 Mark Maguire talks about his beloved old Mustang, Maynard

1:04:15 Doug Stevenson, story begins at 1:10:43, and it's another train story.

1:35:00 Marijo O'Connell gets into a lovely rant about teaching, teachers and labor strikes. 

Musical selections come between storytellers and relate to the theme.

For more information on Janna Sobel, see: https://www.jannasobel.com/about

60th edition of Stories From Graceland Pond.    Originally recorded on Tuesday, May 9th, 2023   Show theme is Tipping Into Darkness   Author/musician Westley Heine, and musician Debra Sawyer join our regular cast of Nina Burkhardt, Mark Maguire Doug Stevenson, and Marijo O'Connell for this show.   Stories about that moment we all reach when you feel like you might lose it, or actually losing it. What's "it?" It could be your mind, a job, a relationship, joy, love, fear, etc. These will be dark stories with favorable resolutions.   Westley talks about his new book Busking Blues, and his encounters with the mean streets of Chicago.   Debra Sawyer talks about, gulp, Death.   Mark Maguire doesn't turn to darkness much, and he explains his even keel, even in the face of his own demise during open heart surgery.   Doug Stevenson recounts the story of his incredible football coach, and funeral parlor humor.    Marijo O'Connell talks about her teaching days, poverty showing up in her classes, yet, dismisses some of the myths around public schools.    Open with Gregg Fraley & Nina Alexandra Westley Heine -- 9:29 Mark Maguire -- 27:18 Debra Sawyer -- 48:47 Doug Stevenson -- 1:20 Marijo O'Connell -- 1:43   Musical selections by: The Rolling Stones, Tom Waits, The Youngbloods, War, Westley Heine, Kirk Franklin, and Zach Williams.

Robert Swan was an actor, writer, and producer from Chicago who settled in southwest Michigan in his later years.

He passed away on August 8th, 2023, and his friends and fans in Michiana will sorely miss his many contributions to the arts in our community.

Stories From Graceland Pond host, Gregg Fraley, interviewed Robert for his old show Michiana Story Hour back in 2017. In this one-hour interview, Robert talks about his experiences working with Gene Hackman, Dennis Hopper, and Barbara Hershey on the iconic sports film Hoosiers. Robert also shares stories of his role as a Canadian Mountie in The Untouchables. He relates an early experience, his first paid acting gig, as an understudy in a truly disastrous production of Zorba. 

This is a lively interview with a man with many stories to tell. Robert Swan was a big man in every possible way. We hear his good humor in this chat. 

Robert's Obit in the Hollywood  Reporter lists his roles in Rudy, Somewhere in Time, The Babe, and many more notable films. He also played Broadway in The Freedom of The City. 

For more on this interesting man see:

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/robert-swan-dead-hoosiers-rudy-babe-1235559720/?fbclid=IwAR1PFGDHYIOFQYcqsdj2Oh-9hH-mRiyjXaZoU0zc1JVEtRUfzTOAFDV5Nu4

This special show departs from the standard format of Stories From Graceland Pond. We're honoring our fellow cast member who died suddenly in January 2023. Joanna Trotter was and will remain a treasured colleague in storytelling and a dear friend. We treasure her memory and the fine art she created with her writing and performances. 

This show features 11 storytellers who each provide a remembrance of Joanna. These are touching and deeply felt stories coming directly from the heart. And, it's celebratory, funny, sweet, and creative. Joanna appears,-- we took a clip from a previous show where she talks about the various "new beginnings" in her life. 

Gregg Fraley and Nina Alexandra host these writers, Improv people, and other creatives who knew her well. 

Following the two-hour storytelling/remembrances part of this recording is a 30-minute musical tribute. These are mostly songs that Joanna liked or that were suggested as songs she might have liked. It includes Michael Feinstein, Mike Nesmith, Bruce Springsteen, The Waterboys, a song from the sounds track to The Commitments movie, Pheobe Snow, The Cranberries, Bob Dylan, and The Corrs. 

Guest storytellers and where they show up:

Gregg Fraley and Nina Alexandra Introduction 00:00 -- which includes a letter from her family. 

Mary Dean Cason 6:30 -- reading of a funny Irish sketch MD and Jo performed 

Fred Rubin 16:40 -- a poem

Joanna Trotter 27:30 -- her story for the New Beginning themed show on SFGP

Kate Ryan 46:05 -- positive memories and remarks about the blessings of a peaceful death

Kathy Postilion 55:47 -- a story of a solid friendship

Marijo O'Connell 1:07:10 -- a view from someone who "hardly knew ye"

Sam Rath 1:15 -- back in the Improv days

Mark Maguire 1:27:57 -- "an urchin, a waif, and a sprite"

Doug Stevenson 1:39:30 -- invisible connections SFGP story-tellers share

Cindy Caponera 1:51:15 -- from Springsteen parties to "she'll be a ghost"

Music Segment starts at 2:08

 

Recorded Live on-air Tuesday, November 15, 2022, airing originallyh on WRHC-LP, Radio Harbor Country, Three Oaks, MI Edition #50 of "Stories From Graceland Pond."    Theme:  "Reflections & Book Bans"   For two years, four storytellers and their host, Gregg Fraley, have shared their stories -- and souls -- with our audience. We are so grateful for their participation. Our featured story performers are Doug Stevenson, Joanna Trotter, Marijo O'Connell and Mark Maguire.   We've explored 50 Themes, and the cast has prepared 50 original stories. Our 50th show will revisit the experience, and each of our stars will share their thoughts on the show's process and, Writing, Storytelling, Performing, and Story/Music Pairings. We also touch upon and hear some rants about Book Bans.   Musical interludes for our 50th edition include: Allan Sherman, Dr. Demento, David Bowie, Rising Appalachia (with Ani DeFranco), Harry Styles, Barbara Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, and the Neville Brothers.

Recorded Live on-air Tuesday, March 2, 2021 WRHC-LP, Radio Harbor Country, Three Oaks, MI Edition #5 of "Stories From Graceland Pond."    Theme:  "Where You Hang Your Hat" -- Stories about home, temporary homes, unusual places you stopped over, and the kindness of strangers. As usual, the cast weighs in with their thoughts and stories.   * Doug Stevenson relays two stories of exceptional hospitality in foreign lands (starts at the top of the show 3:45).   * Joanna Trotter tells a tale of a very cool Van and a lonesome trek around Europe (starts at 34:25).   * Mark Maguire talks about the various bars where he hung his hat, often illegally, in his youth (starts at 1:09:27).   * Marijo O'Connell talks about a crazy little apartment in Clifton, Cincinnati, Ohio, where something terrible almost happened (closes the show starting at 1:35:30).   Music by: Joe Cocker, Loggins and Messina, Dire Straights, The Beatles, Marc Cohn, Slaid Cleaves, The Travelling Wilbury's, and Willie Nelson.