The Odyssey Storytelling Podcast

Melanie Madden's biggest grudge is more than 30 years old, and involves wrongs that are perhaps impossible to forgive. Two years ago, she took the stage at Odyssey's "Forgiveness/Grudges" show to talk about her personal journey of healing through confrontation, and how she was able to offer, if not complete forgiveness, at least something reasonably close. From Melanie's Odyssey bio: Melanie Madde...

Only a month ago (listen to Miles' introduction for details on why the July 2018 Summer show is being released in the form of individual story episodes) comedian and radio host Dave Margolis stepped onto the Odyssey stage for the very first time, reminiscing about the summers he spent as a child, playing baseball with his friends. From Dave's Odyssey bio: Dave Margolis has written a number of scre...

You can always count on a cartoonist to see things just a little bit differently, and David Fitzsimmons' interpretation of Odyssey's "Mission" theme in February 2017 was no exception. It's hard to put this particular story into words, but if it makes you laugh and cry at the same time, then as Fitzsimmons himself puts it, "Mission accomplished." From David's Odyssey bio: David Wayne Fitzsimmons, k...

There's no place like home, and once again, there's no Odyssey show quite like the Home show. In October 2015, playwright and performer Monica Bauer explained that for her, not only were there other places like home, but there were, in fact, other places significantly preferable to home, and that as a teenager, she was willing to lie, cheat, and play the xylophone to find them. From Monica's Odyss...

In October 2016, the inimitable Tracy Kurtzman took the Odyssey stage to tell the heartbreaking story of the time her sweet and perfect three-year-old son was mysteriously kidnapped, and replaced by her new angry and terrible three-year-old son. The process is actually entirely natural, and there's really nothing anybody can do about it. Good luck, parents! From Tracy's Odyssey bio: Tracey Kurtzma...

Alternative, exotic, incompatible, outcast, unconventional. Distinct, fresh and separate. Different is frequently shunned or seen as undesirable but often breaks ground and sets new trends and copycats. Different still? This week's storytellers include: Terry Filipowicz Lavina Tomer Ethel Lee-Miller  Vic Roych Stephen Hall This episode was a special fundraising event for Southern Arizona Senior Pr...

It was nearly three years ago that Joseph Bradbury opened Odyssey's Independence show with the story of his relationship with the concept of independence, and how it has evolved and changed over the course of his life. His original Odyssey bio has, at least for now, been lost to history, but he's about to tell you most of it himself -- from growing up a Mormon in Salt Lake City to bitterly cursing...

In March 2016, puppeteer Gwen Ray took the Odyssey on a strange journey involving a farm, a calf, a bad dream...and a voice . From Gwen's Odyssey bio: Puppeteer and storyteller, Gwen Ray has been entertaining folks for over 30 years! Migrating in 1979 to Tucson from the high plains of West Texas she balances performances with gardening, travel, and an intense love of the red nose approach to clown...

There were many ironies on display at Odyssey's "Contradictions" show in April 2016, but perhaps none as strange, yet somehow relatable, as Evan Casler's deadpan description of "hardcore zen." From Evan's Odyssey bio: Evan Casler is a native Tucsonan and an English teacher. His hobbies are reading, martial arts, and meditation. He is active at his local Zen center, and often works concert security...

Fictional friends! Bogus braggarts! Hilarious hoaxes! And of course, orgasms. In a world of fake news and fraudulent schemes, it's hard to know what's real anymore. Here are seven true tales of things forged, fabricated, and phony. This week's storytellers include: Jeff Klashman Brianna Hamilton Drew Cronyn Nooshie Motaref Jonathan Moore Myken Dahlen Vene Aguirre This episode was performed and rec...

In September 2016, Odyssey's dual-themed "Forgiveness/Grudges" show featured a heartfelt story from Maggie Golston about learning to forgive her father, and longing for his forgiveness, in turn. From Maggie's Odyssey bio: Maggie Golston is a Writing and Humanities faculty member at Pima Community College. She earned an MFA at the University of Arizona and also studied as a PhD candidate at the Uni...

Dirty laundry is one thing, but what happens when there's just...no laundry at all? In November 2016, Gretchen Wirges explained the importance of wearing underwear to the Odyssey audience (particularly when nearly killing yourself) in a story that included scenic island vacations, gruesome bicycle accidents, and the origins of the nickname "Splat." From Gretchen's Odyssey bio: Originally hailing f...

For those who have ever wondered what a man might do when forced to choose between watching the playoffs and having sex, Jeff Whitehead answered your question on the Odyssey stage in April 2017 with a story about the time he tried to have his cake and...well, you get the idea. Might have gotten away with it, too, if not for that lousy dog. From Jeff's Odyssey bio: By day, Jeff Whitehead is a resta...

In February 2016, professional bridge-builder Claudia Perchinelli took the Odyssey stage for a story that weaves together both physical and metaphorical bridges, and ends with a beautifully triumphant crossing. From her Odyssey bio: Claudia Perchinelli is originally form Brooklyn, NY and came to Tucson to attend UofA and to see if people really have last names that don't end in a vowel.  She wante...

Megan Smithey set the tone for Odyssey's "Body" show way back in December 2015, opening the event with a story that ran the gamut between funny, sad, and heartwarming. It's a story about her relationship with her body, and with the voice that lives in all of our heads, telling us we're not good enough. From Megan's Odyssey bio: Megan Smithey is a biomedical research scientist, who secretly just wa...

A year and a month ago, Pamela Campbell explained to the audience of Odyssey's "Left" show why sometimes, though it might still be painful, being left behind isn't necessarily the worst thing in the world. From Pamela's Odyssey bio: Pamela Campbell is currently pursuing a second Master's degree in School Counseling at the University of Arizona. She loves climbing, singing, playing guitar, baking,...

Shaggy and Scooby. Lucy and Ethel. Holmes and Watson. What would one be without the other? Sidekicks play no small role. They offer friendship and loyalty, sometimes at a high cost. Sidekicks make us laugh, help us see things in a new light and are sometimes the ones that we can really relate to. Join us for seven(!) true, local stories about having, being or knowing a sidekick. This week's storyt...

The story Israel Gonzalez told at Odyssey's "Home" show in 2015 might be, in his words, a buzzkill, but if you listen closely, some inspiration can be found. And if you stay until the end, some poetry can be found, as well. From Israel's Odyssey bio: Israel Gonzalez is a Mexican American who was born in California but has spent most of his life in South Tucson.  He is an AmeriCorps member and a GE...

Lisa Cardenas is bad at confrontation, worse at committing crimes, and positively terrible at confrontation stemming from a crime she's committed. During Odyssey's "Fraught" show in December 2016, she explained what she's learned from being bad at these things, lessons about gathering courage, doing the right thing, and being careful not to preemptively implicate yourself in future crimes that may...

Way back in August 2015, Lisannette Adelaida Dawson-Ruiz told a story that truly encompassed the "Detours" theme -- a story about the detours offered by personal choices and the uncertainty of life, and how those detours sometimes turn out the be the path you should have been walking all along. From Lisannette's Odyssey bio: Lisannette Adelaida Dawson-Ruiz hails from the Bronx, New York. In 2007,...

Author and rainwater harvester Brad Lancaster has thought a lot about the natural processes of death and defecation, and in October 2016, he combined the two in a beautiful story about love, decay, and rebirth during Odyssey's "Natural" show. From Brad's Odyssey bio: Brad Lancaster loves to partner with and serve life. Towards that aim he authored the books "Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and B...

What we do for a living. Our hobbies. The clothes we like to wear and the foods we like to eat. The stories we tell the people around us, and the profiles we create online. What does it really mean to "know" someone? For most of us, there is a spectrum of what we share and who we let in. There are those we tell our deepest secrets to, and those we keep at arm's length. There are things we reveal t...

The Odyssey Storytelling Podcast returns to the "Labor" show from January 2017, this time with a different -- and dual -- connotation: the work of having a baby. Montserrat Caballero tells the story of how the experience of pregnancy and giving birth showed her that successful labor, so many other things, relies on community. From her Odyssey bio: Montserrat Caballero is a community volunteer and...

In November 2016, Troy Larkin took the theme "Dirty Laundry" to its logical -- and horrifying -- conclusion. Did he, in fact, wear a t-shirt printed with the image of his own testicles onto the Odyssey stage that fateful night? The answer may lie within... From Troy's Odyssey bio: Troy E. Larkin is a lawyer by day and silly-heart by night. He loves writing, movies, television, and singing poorly t...

Two years ago, Dr. Grace Gamez demonstrated enormous courage by taking the Odyssey stage to tell a very personal, very emotional story about rebuilding her life following her release from jail. From Grace's Odyssey bio: Dr. Grace Gamez is a mother, activist and scholar.  Her research, coupled with her own personal experience in the system, provides her with intimate knowledge regarding the structu...