Podcast

Episodes of the No, YOU Tell It! Podcast

Episode 54 – Coming & Going (Part 1)

Have you ever wanted to be someone else? The opening story of “Coming & Going”— our second team-up show with Lambda Literary — follows Calvin…or as he’d like to be known, Craig, as he travels to Florida to become someone new. This journey to overcome grief caused by a death, a breakup, and an unforgiving New York City reveals that what we seek might already be inside us, even if we have to imagine our future with a new set of eyes once in a while.

Nicole Shawan Junior reads “Becoming Someone Else in Florida” written by Calvin S. Cato.

Nicole’s reading was directed by Amanda Sisk.

Bonus: For this, our first virtual show, we asked each storyteller that if we, the listeners, wished to summon them directly to our room what three items might we place in a magic circle to do so. As you see and will hear, a wide variety of ingredients are needed to complete the spell.

Top: Calvin S. Cato, Bottom: Nicole Shawan Junior

Switching it up, our next story takes us on a trip to the west coast where two lovers seek comfort in each other’s sanitized arms during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the backdrop of 2020’s chaotic energy, the two women must navigate their coping mechanisms, fears, and ultimately their love for each other in order to confront their futures — together or on their own.

Nicole Shawan Junior’s timely story, “Finding Our Way Back Home,” is read for us here by Calvin S. Cato.

Calvin’s reading was directed by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons.

No, YOU Tell It! “Coming & Going” was AN OFFICIAL 2020 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL EVENT and made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Episode 53 – Stargazing

Our first story transports us to Lake Sunapee on a summer afternoon. Sounds peaceful enough, right? Except, once there, we find the narrator and his brother plotting over how to bait a porcupine (read: wild turkey hunter). The afternoon of googling best practices for said task leads to an examination of fear and how similar we actually are to our furry, or spiky, friends.

Today’s podcast is a #throwbackthursday to 2015 and our inaugural show at Fairleigh Dickinson University’s summer MFA creative writing residency. Read for us here by his story partner Becky Fine-Firesheets, give a listen to “Ascension” written by Cory Johnston.

We are thrilled to share that Cory’s story was recently published by the Doctor T.J. Eckleburg Review.

Click here to read along.

Stargazing Storytellers

Right: Cory Johnston; Left: Becky Fine-Firesheets

Switching it up, our second tale considers a different type of stargazing in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. A not-so-glam neighborhood is overrun with Boardwalk Empire and Girls extras, leading our narrator to dream of how her messy, poop-dancing, newly adopted boxer Bear could become a dog legend. As nostalgia for a neighborhood not to return increases alongside her rent, she strives for happiness in spite of the big city working against its own residents.

Cory Johnston reads “A Bear is Born” written by Becky Fine-Firesheets.

Happy Birthday to Becky!! As well as a big congratulations for being awarded a 2020-2021 Pen Parentis fellowship for her story, “2021.”

“Ascension” and “A Bear is Born” were directed by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons.

Episode 52 – a Muse (Part 2)

Our first story finds a dyed-in-wool New Yorker facing unforeseen suburban horrors. Negotiating neighborly encounters that make her question whether to recalibrate her moral barometer to keep up with the Joneses. Or, in this case, the Weavers.

Kicking off the second half of our special Brooklyn Book Festival event at The Astoria Bookshop, here is Ellie Dvorkin reading “The Neighbor’s Muse” written by H.E. Fisher.

Top left: Ellie Dvorkin; Top right: Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and H.E. Fisher; Bottom left: Story partners!; Bottom right: H.E. Fisher

Switching it up, in our next story, a daughter fails to find anything amusing about her lifelong role of caretaker. Her mother’s recent health scare causing her to rethink the responsibilities we take on, the ones put upon us, and what it takes to release yourself from burdens of the past. H.E. Fisher reads “Fun” written by Ellie Dvorkin.

For this 2019 Brooklyn Book Festival event, we partnered with The Astoria Bookshop for a special evening of poets and comedians trading true tales inspired by the theme “aMuse.” Stories performed live on September 17th, 2019.

Storeis were directed by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons who also narrated this episode.

Episode 51 – a Muse (Part 1)

First up, Pichchenda Bao’s “Speak, Muse” contemplates the roles we are assigned in life and the roles we adopt: refugee, American, daughter, mother, artist, citizen; the compromises we make for survival and the ways we interpret silence, and ultimately how we can expand, not contract, our relationship to each other and the world.

Read for us here by Carolyn Castiglia.

Story partners: Pichchenda Bao and Carolyn Castiglia

Switching it up, in Carolyn Castiglia’ s story “A Friend Request,” the author looks back at a time in her early twenties when she chose comfort over vulnerability and suffering over fulfillment. A small gesture reminds her how people who pass through our lives can show back up on our radar years later to remind us how we’ve weathered life’s storms.

For this 2019 Brooklyn Book Festival event, we partnered with The Astoria Bookshop for a special evening of poets and comedians trading true tales inspired by the theme “aMuse.” Stories performed live on September 17th, 2019.

“Speak, Muse” was directed by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons.

“A Friend Request” was directed by Erika Iverson.

Podcast narrated by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons.

Episode 50 – Pride and “Snapped!” Bonus

In celebration of Pride and the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, for this, our 50th podcast episode, we wanted to share some of our favorite LGBTQ stories from years past.

First up, from our recent “Snapped!” show at Dixon Place, a drag queen offers handy advice about standing one’s ground in “Lessons from The Queen,” written by Robb Leigh Davis and read for us here by story partner and Lambda Literary fellow, Mariam Bazeed.

Pride. Drag Queens. Courage. It’s all in there.

Click here to read Robb’s story, recently published on The Good Men Project.

Left: Robb Leigh Davis and story partner Mariam Bazeed. Right (top to bottom): Nicholas Maistros, Jeff Wills, Ariel Mahler, and Erika Iverson directs Molly Touger.

Next up, we revisit a show from our previous longtime home, Jimmy’s No. 43 in the East Village.  Author Nicholas Maistros writes of unexpected revelations during a visit with his mother in “Collecting.” Read for us here by his story partner, Jeff Wills, as part of our “Outdated” show.

Click here to give a listen to Nick read Jeff Will’s story “Lost Track” in Episode 41. 

Finally, a superfan desperately wants to connect with the Wonderful Wizard of YouTube, Todrick Hall, in Ariel Mahler’s story “Under the Rainbow, Over the Sea.” Presented here by Ariel’s story partner Molly Touger for our “Blowback” show.

Switching it up, click here to hear Ariel’s performance of Molly Touger’s “And in Local News…” in Episode 37

Speaking their partner’s piece aloud gives a No, YOU Tell It! storyteller the chance to step into another person’s shoes and experience their story on stage, a powerful way to amplify queer voices at a time when their true-life tales need to be heard and shared more than ever.

If you enjoyed these stories, please help us spread the word and share them with your podcasting-loving friends!

Episode 49 – Snapped! Queer Storytelling with a Twist

What begins as a simple cab ride to the airport becomes a shifting contest of power, imagination, and identity in Naomi Gordon-Loebl’s “Can I See It?” read by Kent D. Wolf in the first half of this special team-up show with Lambda Literary in celebration of Pride and the 50th Anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.

This story swap, recorded live at Dixon Place on June 11th, 2019, was directed by Mike Dressel who was also our host for the evening.
Story partners Naomi Gordon-Loebl and Kent D. Wolf

Top left: Naomi Gordon-Loebl and Kent D. Wolf; Top right: Naomi Gordon-Loebl; Bottom left: Kent and Naomi; Bottom right: Hugs! Photo credit: David Trudo

Switching it up, in Kent D. Wolf’s story, escape from the isolation of Midwestern farm life lies in a plane ticket for a semester abroad, but first, he must negotiate permission and withstand the disappointment of both parents. Here is Naomi Gordon-Loebl reading “July 1995.”

Click here to see the full set of “Snapped!” photos and LIKE our page on Facebook for more!

Episode 48 – Crafty (Part 2)

Restoring old chairs and cooking dinner may first appear to be common creative acts but stripped down resides a pair of stories about life, death, near death, and second chances.

First up, celebrated author Rebecca Chace (Leaving Rock Harbor, June Sparrow and the Million Dollar Penny) revisits a true-life tale she previously thought of as complete. Here is “Painting Chairs” read live – aboveground N train and all – by Ruthy Kirwan in the second half of our “Crafty” show at The Astoria Bookshop.

Click here to check out the previous version of “Painting Chairs” originally published in The Common, June 27, 2012.

Upper left: Ruthy Kirwan Right: Rebecca Chace

Switching it up, an accomplished chef prepares for a picture-perfect entry in motherhood but is sidelined by postpartum depression. Ruthy Kirwan, author of the recently released “The Healthy Sheet Pan Cookbook,” gives us a glimpse into the unseen ingredients that go into a mother’s recipes.

Give a listen to “Tuna Casserole” read for us here by Rebecca Chace.

Episode 47 – Crafty (Part 1)

The stress of planning and executing a family vacation to Las Vegas leaves the narrator of Vaughn M. Watson’s story with a need to escape, resulting in a low-key cannabis caper.

From the first half of our “Crafty” show performed live at The Astoria Bookshop, whoosh of the nearby N train and all, here is Marianthy Karantzes reading “Getting Crafty at the Dispensary.” Directed by Erika Iverson.

Top left: Marianthy Karantzes, right: Vaughn M. Watson

Switching it up, the familiar of rhythms of vacation life on the coast of the Ionian sea lull the protagonist of our next story into a sense of security, until the clues that something may be amiss become too hard to ignore.

Vaughn M. Watson reads “Her Own Personal Ithaca” by Marianthy Karantzes. Directed by Mike Dressel.

Stories were performed live on 2/27/19. Podcast episode narrated by Mike Dressel.

No, YOU Tell It! “Crafty” was made possible (in part) by the Queens Council on the Arts with public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.

Episode 46 – Schooled

pictured left to right: Tiffany L. Berryman, Andrew Condouris, Eliot Schrefer

Since our own Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons started No, YOU Tell It! six, WOW, yes, six years ago one of her favorite things has been going out to Fairleigh Dickinson University to switch-up stories with students, faculty, and alums from their Creative Writing MFA program.

Earlier this summer, authors Tiffany L. Berryman, Andrew Condouris, and Eliot Schrefer were given the theme “Schooled” to inspire this terrific trio of true-life tales. We all worked together to develop their pieces on the page. Then, on the final morning of FDU’s summer writing residency, they took to the stage to perform each other’s stories:

The Sky Under the Umbrella

written by Eliot Schrefer

performed by Tiffany L. Berryman

 

Every Witch Way

written by Tiffany L. Berryman

performed by Andrew Condouris

 

The Turtle

written by Andrew Condouris

performed by Eliot Schrefer

 

Stories were performed live on Sunday, August 5th, 2018 at FDU. Directed by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons.

Click here for more pics and to learn more about our switched-up storytellers.

August 14, 2018 Post Comment Podcast

Episode 45 – Mayday (Part 2)

Angela Cobb’s story is a romantic liaison set against the backdrop of Hurricane Sandy. After the storm subsides, she finds the attempt to recapture that intimacy fraught and even the best-laid plans might require a “Plan B.”

Kicking off the second half of our “Mayday” show, recorded live at The Astoria Bookshop on May 10th, Ryan Holmes performs.

Left: Ryan Holmes and Angela Cobb. Right: Great crowd at The Astoria Bookshop.

Now, switching it up, the narrator of our next story finds his inability to refuse another wedding invitation leading to a series of embarrassing social interactions, forced mirth, and ultimately, a dark conclusion. Here’s Angela Cobb performing “Terror in Virginia” written by Ryan Holmes.

  • Stories directed by Mike Dressel
  • Evening hosted by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons
  • Podcast narrated by Mike Dressel

For more info on Angela Cobb’s upcoming shows visit

  • Twitter: @angelacobb
  • Instagram: @angelacobbcomedy
  • Facebook: @ Angela Cobb Comedy

Ryan Holmes is the host of the Internet radio show and podcast, BlazinRy Radio, visit http://blazinryradio.com or download the podcast for free at http://bit.ly/blazinryitunes.

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