Saved By A Story

Ishmael Beah, bestselling author of A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier & Radiance of Tomorrow, A Novel and human rights lawyer, Priscillia Kounkou-Hoveyda, who has worked for the UN for the past 10 years negotiating with warlords for the release of child soldiers from terrorist groups across Africa, together share the hilarious and moving story of their unique union.   Writer Mimi Schmir  (“Trapped In a Purple Haze,” HBO’s Strangers, Promised Land, Felicity, Party of Five, Shark and Grey’s Anatomy) tells a story about the Diver, the Tinman and the loss of her beloved husband. The brilliant Parson James graces us with the gorgeous and wrenching song, Waiting Game, from his soul, R and B, and gospel fused album, The Temple–a must download.

Listen as writer Jessica Goldberg tells a moving and hilarious story about returning home to Woodstock to face an unthinkable loss. Inspired by heartthrob Jared Leto from My-So-Called-Life, writer and actress Natasha Rothwell tells a uproarious story of trying to woo her own so-called Jordan Catalano. Singer songwriter Rozzi belts out her gorgeous tune, Bad Together, from her album of the same title. 

Enough/Firsts: Wicked co-writer and My So Called Life Creator Winnie Holzman takes on the theme of Enough and the big questions of procrastination, time and what it is to be so-called married. Winnie gets storybombed by her husband, Paul Dooley, one of the creators of The Electric Company and legendary character actor. From the Firsts salon, writer and founder of Saved by a Story, Kathy Katims tells a story about the first time she decided to be brave.  Singer Songwriter Lucy Schwartz sings her ebullient and gorgeous song, Happiness, accompanied by Mona Tavakoli, David Schwartz and Larry John McNally.

Coming Home: Writer and actor, Katie Mitchell, tells a story about coming home and sending her words up in flames in her story, Burning Fragments. Television writer and playwright, Julia Brownell, tells a story about both leaving home and coming home to herself. Singer songwriter, Larry John McNally, sings about the difficult and mysterious things between lovers in his gorgeous ballad, Many Strange and Faraway Things.

Coming Home: Writer and Producer of Friday Night Lights, Parenthood, Rise, About a Boy and The Path, Jason Katims writes, Seventeen Rifts, the first scene of a play about a man who wants to come home to his family. Performed by Elizabeth Murray, Sam Jaeger, Phil Abrams. Co-writer of Wicked (along with acclaimed song writer Stephen Schwartz), My So Called Life, Huge, Once and Again, Winnie Holzman tells a story of coming home and how she hopes the people she loves don’t come home any time soon. K’naan Warsame–poet, rapper, singer, songwriter and filmmaker–sings a song of loss and a celebration of his love–Fatima.

Executive Producer and writer of Family Guy and The Orville, David A. Goodman tells about being a guy in his family with a mother who could never get enough attention. Listen to playwright, poet, and television writer Chinaka Hodge’s lyrical poem, A Family History of Enough. Singer/Songwriter and recording artist Lucy Schwartz sings her sultry, longing song, You Are, You Are, accompanied by Mona Tavakoli, David Schwartz and Larry John McNally.

Karen Croner is a feature and television writer whose films include Admission, One True Thing and the upcoming The Tribes of Palos Verdez. Enjoy as Karen tells about being haunted by a slimy block of ice from the frozen lake of her unconventional mother’s house. Priscillia Kounkou-Hoveyda has worked for the UN for the past 10 years negotiating with warlords for the release of child soldiers from terrorist groups across Africa. In addition to her work helping children, Priscillia is a storyteller. Here she recounts her family’s harrowing attempt to escape war torn Tehran when she was a six year old child. Bhi Bhiman is an American singer songwriter whose penetrating lyrics take on such issues as immigration and injustice. Here he sings his gorgeous and heartbreaking song about immigration, Beyond the Border.

Television writer and producer Jason Katims and Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning composer Tom Kitt give us a peek at the first scene and first song of their gorgeous new musical, Williamsburg. Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning Television Writer/Producer/Director Cindy Chupack takes us inside her marriage and tells a story about receiving the gift of an indoor snow machine, to her horror, from her husband. Donna Missal graced us with her ginormous talent for song writing and soulful, passionate vocal acrobatics. Here, enjoy her amazing cover of 4 Non-Blondes, What’s Up. 

K’naan Warsame–poet, rapper, singer, songwriter, and filmmaker–tells a haunting story about his last days as a child in war torn Somalia as he prepares to become a refugee. Television writer and playwright, Julia Brownell tells a story about herself as a young woman with a chilly mentor who struggles to keep her dream of becoming a playwright alive. K’naan Warsame graced us with a performance of his single, “Wavin Flag” which hit number one on the charts in more than 19 countries during the 2010 World Cup. He performs with songwriter and musician, Colin Martin.

Listen as writer David M. Israel tells about the hero of his life, his grandmother Rosie, her love and her chicken soup. Television writer for Hulu’s The Path, John O’Connor, served our  country in Afghanistan and it took his baby boy to inspire him to tell what it was really like. Radnor & Lee play their soulful, folksy song, Be Like the Being.

Listen as writer Jessie Rosen tells a hilarious story about a time her neighborhood dry cleaner tried to match her with the man of her dreams. Ben Decter tells about his experience taking up boxing as a way to come to grips with his daughter’s epilepsy. Tom Freund sings his gorgeous ballad, Collapsible Plans.

GREEN Listen as the brilliant comedian Al Madrigal tells about the Madrigal men’s approach to maximizing their green and hilarious writer and actress Laura Silverman tells a quirky tale about her dysfunctional family’s move to a fake farm. Soulful singer songwriting duo Radnor & Lee sing about the quiet on Green Street.