Stories From The Stage

Growing up Black in America means forging cultural bonds, struggling for visibility, and all too often, receiving unearned judgment. Valerie Tutson teaches her students about Africa's greatest explorer; Angie Chatman learns about how far we have come and how far we have to go in a chance encounter she will never forget.

Comedic storyteller Susanne Schmidt shares two of her favorite childhood adventures: an "extreme camping" trip with her family, and her Janis Joplin lookalike nanny, who invented an new Olympic competition riding pillows down the staircase.

A missed connection doesn't necessarily mean loss; it could be a chance for redemption. While dating after having a mastectomy, Musu-Kulla Massaquoi finds a friend who likes her the way she is.

You can’t win if you don’t play. And playing can make all the difference. Nora Meiners fills in the blanks as the missing pieces person at a jigsaw puzzle company; Olympian ski jumper Nick Fairall tells how one leap changed his life forever; and on his first hunting trip, John Stewart fears disappointing his dad, an avid hunter. Three storytellers, three interpretations of GAME ON!, hosted by Wes Hazard.

Day by day, meal by meal, food becomes a part of who we are. Javed Rezayee tests his meager cooking skills against those of his father, a talented professional chef; Jo Radner's mother astonishes her family by baking a pie for dinner; Juan Pedrosa conjures a memorable meal despite a multitude of challenges.

Summertime is upon us. As the days stretch longer and the sun shines brighter and hotter, anything seems possible. Khalilah Jones goes to camp for the first time and learns more than just campfire songs; Sarah Sutton discovers the trials and tribulations of working with her spouse; Matthew Sandel looks down the barrel of a robber’s gun and understands that his life is worth more than a pint of ice cream.

Road Trip! On the highway where anything can happen, take a ride on a journey that changed everything. Melissa Ferrick tells us about the night she opened for Bob Dylan; Suzanne Ketchum Adams drives home with a feisty ram; and Akshobh Giridharadas discovers hospitality and humanity in the wilderness. Three storytellers, three interpretations of ROAD TRIP, hosted by Wes Hazard.

Stories from the Stage brings you a podcast perfect for road trips and these long summer days. Extraordinary real stories of love and loss, personal courage, everyday adventures, shocking revelations, and unexpected triumphs that reveal our shared humanity. Hosted by Liz Cheng and Patricia Alvarado Núñez, executive producers and co-creators of the series.

Remember high school? While it’s the place to learn a lot and make friends for life, for some it can mean challenges, uncertainty and shame. Teen storyteller Cecilia Viveiros battles a hidden learning disability that leaves her high school teachers, her parents, and Cecilia herself baffled. A year after her story, we join her as she goes to college in New York City.

The twists and turns of a journey can lead to an unpredicted discovery. Angie Chatman crosses racial boundaries during a turbulent flight, and Kelli Dunham finds herself hilariously in a not-so-ordinary boot camp in Florida’s swamps.