This American Life 528: The Radio Drama Episode
Jun 20, 2014
01:27:31
Opera Singer Locked in Closet
- Carin Gilfry locked herself in a hotel closet while recording an audiobook to avoid noise.
- She called the front desk on a shaky Wi-Fi but was finally rescued by a housekeeper after 22 minutes.
Opera Elevates Everyday Stories
- Opera transforms small, mundane stories into grand spectacles.
- Ira Glass collaborated with Philip Glass to create an opera from Carin's closet story.
Undercover Cops at High School
- Undercover cops posing as students uncovered school drug dealing.
- Justin, an honor roll student, unknowingly became involved in drug sales leading to felony charges.
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Introduction
00:00 • 2min
The Longest Hotel, Phone Menu Ever!
02:24 • 2min
Can You Come to the Door Then Someone Taps on the Door?
04:42 • 2min
Is It Appropriate to Tip in a Situation Like That?
06:52 • 2min
Philip Glass - I Am Not Joking, Help
09:22 • 2min
Radio Drama - It's This American Life
11:32 • 2min
The German People, You Know, Just Got to New York, Aria, Sung in German.
13:03 • 2min
Is There a Baritone Aaria?
14:40 • 2min
The E Per God
16:39 • 2min
Bananas Onica Is That All I Did?
18:12 • 1min
The Fongan, a Musical Based on Journalism
19:41 • 3min
What the Heck I Gotta Do to Be With You?
22:49 • 2min
What the Heck I Gotta Do to Be With You?
24:24 • 2min
She'll Think About It
26:13 • 2min
What the Heck I Gotta Do?
28:00 • 2min
Is Your Dealer a Student?
29:35 • 2min
Is Justin a Drug Dealer?
31:12 • 2min
You're Just in Time for Me
33:16 • 2min
What the Heck Did You Do?
34:47 • 2min
What the Hell Did You Do?
37:09 • 2min
What the Heck Did You Do?
39:33 • 2min
What the Heck Did You Do?
41:53 • 2min
What the Hell Did You Do?
44:02 • 4min
What the Heck Did You Do?
48:01 • 1min
How Do You Slow This Thing Down?
49:31 • 2min
The Night Before Christmas
51:21 • 2min
I'll See You Later Tonight, Dave.
52:54 • 2min
Awakening the Giant Within Can Boost Your Neurological Scores
54:32 • 2min
Ethan Snyder's Gigantic Molar Retrospective
56:53 • 2min
I Can't Bring Myself to Kiss My Mom Like That
58:33 • 2min
A Man With a Heroic Past Is a Man With a Heroic Mind
01:00:22 • 2min
Do You Have Any Other Questions About End-of-Life Care?
01:02:28 • 2min
When Mom Is Dying, You Call Her Fucking Friend
01:04:37 • 2min
I'll Be OK, I Hope So.
01:06:33 • 2min
How Do You Slow This Thing Down?
01:08:25 • 5min
I Drive Pretty Crazy, You Can't Go Home, You Hit Your Head
01:13:09 • 4min
What the Fuck Is Wrong With You?
01:17:02 • 4min
Don't Get That Muffin!
01:20:46 • 2min
I Will Not Destroy the World!
01:23:09 • 2min
Ira Glass, Producer of 21 Chum Street
01:24:54 • 3min
Our most ambitious live show ever! We pulled together a massive team of theater pros at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Opera House—nearly 50 singers, actors, dancers and musicians. The result? Journalism turned into a Broadway musical, into opera. Mike Birbiglia, Sasheer Zamata, Stephin Merritt, Josh Hamilton, Lindsay Mendez, Lin-Manuel Miranda and others.
- Carin Gilfry explains how she once accidentally locked herself in a hotel closet, and because today’s show is being broadcast from an opera house stage, Ira is able to take the story to a place he never usually can. (18 minutes)
- Act One: Lin-Manuel Miranda turns a piece of reporting we broadcast in 2012, into a 14-minute Broadway mini-musical, created by people who normally work on Broadway. (18 minutes)
- Act Two: Comedian Mike Birbiglia, his wife, and his cat take a trip together and meet some parasitic zombie mice. (10 minutes)
- Act Three: Joshuah Bearman tells a story that’s a sequel to his memorable episode about his mother and half-brother David. It’s done onstage as a play that’s structured like a radio documentary, with Josh Hamilton playing Joshuah, and James Ransone playing his brother. (17 minutes)
- Act Four: Comedian Sasheer Zamata stages a radio play, complete with sound effects and comedians Nicole Byer, Chris Gethard, and Frank Garcia Hejl. It’s a true story about a recent bus accident. (9 minutes)
Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org
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