Out Chicago (Featured Interviews)

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Ivan Enrique Rodriguez , composer of a new work for string quartet commissioned by Nova Linea Musica; it will have its world premiere Wednesday, November 18 when Poiesis Quartet performs it at at Chicago's Guarneri Hall . Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Steve McDonagh , cast member of “ Little Shop of Horrors ,” playing through December 13 at Chicago’s Porchlight Music Theatre . Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Gary Chichester , one of the founders of the Chicago LGBT Hall of Fame. Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Heartland...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Angelique Monro of  Angelique Munro’s 17th Annual Turkey Trot Thanksgiving Fundraiser for GroceryLand , the food pantry co-founded by the late Mama Lori F. Cannon, who dedicated her life to feeding and uplifting our community. It takes place Thursday, November 12.  Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Asher McMaher , executive director of  Trans Up Front IL . Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HeartlandSignal T...

Ellen Miller and guest co-host Kathy Voltmer are joined by Tina Fakhrid-Deen , playwright, author, and educator who is the recipient of the 2026 3Arts Awards SIF Fund at the Chicago Community Foundation Award.  Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Fa...

Ellen Miller and guest co-host Kathy Voltmerare are joined by  Kimi Hayes , musician currently appearing in “Six the Musical” as Maggie, the guitarist.  Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820...

Ellen Miller and guest co-host Cathy Richardson , singer-songwriter who is the lead vocalist for Jefferson Starship.  Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Mikael Burke , director of the Chicago premiere of Michael R. Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical “A Strange Loop,” a co-production of  About Face Theatre and Raven Theatre playing through November 8 at Raven’s Johnson Stage. Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WC...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Coco Soodek of  Q Force , an organization and community for queer and allied Chicagoans fighting to embolden Democrats and defeat Republicans.  Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebo...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Write Club Chicago host/producer  Corbette Pasko and timekeeper/producer Josh Zagoran ; season 17 begins with “ Write Club: The Rising Price of Ghastly ,” Tuesday, October 20. Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website:...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Rick Miller , LICSW, founder and executive director of  Gay Sons and Mothers and director of the documentary " Mom, I Have Something to Tell You ." Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Faceboo...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Denise Poloyac , Indivisible Chicago executive committee member. Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Owen Keehnen , author, historian and public speaker on LGBTQ history.  The conversation highlighted Owen’s work preserving LGBTQ history, especially Chicago’s queer communities, during LGBTQ+ History Month. He began documenting LGBTQ history during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s, when people, places, and stories were dis...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Kyna Lenhof , 2026 candidate for Chicago Board of Education. - Lenhof says she is running to put students first in the first fully elected Chicago school board election. Her background includes special education, teaching in Chicago Public Schools, caregiving, nonprofit arts administration, and education advocacy. She described th...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza , 2027 candidate for Chicago mayor . Mendoza's campaign is centered on affordability, public safety, and restoring confidence in the city’s finances.  Core Priorities - Address the financial crisis so residents can afford to remain in Chicago. - Improve public safety and make Chicago a safe, wo...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Bridget Lee , founder of the  Academy for Local Leadership (ALL Chicago). Here is a brief summary of the conversation: - Lee explained that Chicago is transitioning from a mayor-appointed board to a representative, community-led school board. Following a 2024 hybrid trial run involving 10 elected seats and 11 appointed seats, the upcom...

Scott Duff and guest co-host Ken Mejia-Beal are joined by Susan Ottaviano , vocalist with with synth pop band Book of Love, coming to  Metro Saturday, October 10 . Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartl...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Julio Flores , program director for The Alliance at the Public Health Institute of Metropolitan Chicago . The Alliance is a statewide program that promotes safety, support, and healthy development for LGBTQ+ youth in Illinois schools and communities.  Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Sheldon Epps (director) and Alan H. Green (cast member) from Chicago Shakespeare Theater’s production of “ Play On! ” playing through October 18. Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: ht...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Mitchell J. Fain , cast member of “ The Birth of the Pill ,” having its world premiere at  TimeLine Theatre through October 4. Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago).   Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.fac...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Jennifer Grosshandler , executive director and founder of The GenderCool Project . Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WCPT820 Heartland Signal Facebook: https://www.facebook.co...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Tania Richard , writer and performer of " Black Girl From a White Suburb ," and the production's director J. Nicole Brooks . The solo show is having its world premiere at American Blues Theater September 4-October 4. Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: W...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by William Lindsey Cochran of  Great Moments in Vinyl ; check out their upcoming shows here: https://www.greatmomentsinvinyl.com/upcoming .  Catch “Out Chicago” Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Central on WCPT (heartlandsignal.com/programs/out-chicago). Follow us: Website: https://heartlandsignal.com WCPT Facebook: https://www.facebo...

Scott Duff and Ellen Miller are joined by Jay Kuo , two-time Tony-winning co-producer and composer; CEO and founder of The Social Edge (a social media and digital publishing company based in New York City); author of  The Status Kuo Substack newsletter; and member of the board of directors for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC). Kuo discussed his journey into activism, inspired by his trans neph...