Stories from the Stage

Enjoy this encore listen—and thank you for being part of our storytelling community. Lani Peterson’s cooking mistake becomes a family secret; Melanée Addison faces the ultimate test of adulthood with the Thanksgiving turkey; Heather Rodman honors her father by running a road race dressed as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer; and Matthew Dicks gathers his courage to stand up to his girlfriend’s tough-as-nails dad at Thanksgiving dinner.

Ruby Chan turns a beloved family recipe into a tribute to her father’s memory and their heritage; at age 10, Kenny Palazzolo learns to make pizza in the heart of Little Italy; and Julian Plovnick discovers how meals can hold grief, love, and memory during his mother’s battle with cancer.

Cheryl navigates post-pandemic middle school turbulence and earns the trust of a student who challenges her; Susan seeks escape in Tokyo; Sonya returns from India to write her own destiny.

After years of pain and addiction, Larry finds healing in the drum his grandfather entrusted to him; Rebekka honors her late aunt with a final, heartfelt walk; Kevin joins fellow activists in protest of a development threatening sacred land, planting seeds of advocacy. Three storytellers, three interpretations of WE REMAIN.

Lorenzo Beronilla survives heart failure and finds new purpose with a stranger’s heart; Michelle Lynn turns her own assault into a mission to stop a serial predator; and Mark Chauppetta watches his son come back from the brink, pulled by the unbreakable bond of a twin.

Some journeys take us across the world; others take us deeper into who we really are. Kim is embraced by the homeland she once tried to forget; John has avoided dancing his entire life...until a family cruise; and Robin travels to China, hoping to find a slip of paper left with her adopted daughter as a baby.

Martha surprises her boyfriend at a French puppetry festival; Aida grapples with the weight of protecting her ailing father from the heartbreak of loss; and Jezrie shares her quest for belonging through a college sorority.

When life falls apart, Annie learns that being the rock doesn’t mean carrying everything alone; Tae’s trumpet dreams collide with the budget, teaching him that love sometimes sounds like compromise; and Shweta confronts beauty standards, reclaiming her reflection.

John’s life shifts when a teacher sees what no one else does, giving him a reason to stay in school; first-time mom Rachel learns to fight for her blind, neurodivergent son; and Harold finds his way to healing while guided by voices along the road to sobriety.

Suna reimagines life for her neurodivergent daughter, growing a world of flowers and belonging; Ann Marie uncovers the truth behind her family’s past and transforms it into a life of purpose; and Holly opens her home to three young sisters - and discovers unexpected joy.