The Truth

Two stories: What if there were an app for blind people that could describe to them what they can’t see? Not just directions like a GPS, but descriptions of objects that paint a picture. It doesn’t exist quite like that yet, but we wrote a story that imagines it does. After that, we’ll hear a second story about a personal GPS that gets very personal. Visible: Performed by Russell G. Jones, Rachel Hamilton, Ann Carr, and Kerry Kastin. Written by Louis Kornfeld with help from Diana McCorry, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Drive Straight Ahead: Written by Jeremy Goldstein and Mira Burt-Wintonick. Produced by Jonathan Goldstein, Mira Burt-Wintonick, and Cristal Duhaime. Originally produced for CBC’s Wiretap. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Where's your costume? Dressing up is the best part of these things! Performed by Matt Antonucci and Angela DeManti, with Kerry Kastin, Alejandro Kolleeny, and Louis Kornfeld. Written by Louis Kornfeld and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Greetings, souls of the damned! This story is about a young woman who always looked up to her older sister, until they found themselves in Hell. Performed by Bianca Casusol, Kate Emswiler, Louis Kornfeld, Jake Hart, Blanche Ames, Jimmy O’Connell, and Kerry Kastin. With special musical guest Christian Colabelli. Written by Alejandro Kolleeny, with Louis Kornfeld. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No one knows what it is, or why we can't see it. All we know is that without it, the universe would fall apart. Performed by Kevin Corrigan, Chet Siegel, Ed Herbstman, Dennis Pacheco, Alexis Lambright, Rob Webber, and Anna Sale. Written by Diana McCorry, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Inspired by listener Christopher Tunnell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're having a stroke. Performed by Ann Carr, Louis Kornfeld, and Amy Warren. Written by Louis Kornfeld, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's the Age of Leisure, and keeping it that way is a full time job. Performed by Peter McNerney, Dave Hill, Louis Kornfeld, India Kotis, Rebecca Robles, Alex Marino, Phoebe Tyers, T.J. Mannix, and Rupert Degas. Written and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Commissioned by NPR's Planet Money. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A girl is lost and can't find her mom. Why won't anyone help her? Performed by Bee Herbstman, Melanie Hoopes, Ed Herbstman, Evan Sudarsky Abadi, Gregory C. Jones, and Blanche Ames. Written by Diana McCorry, Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. http://thetruthpodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hoping the dream date never ends... until it doesn’t. Performed by Adam Wade, Chrissie Gruebel, and Dan Fairall. Written by Alejandro Kolleeny, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. http://www.thetruthpodcast.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A hoarder's daughter digs through the past. Performed by Amy Warren, Armando Diaz, Jackie Hoffman, Louis Kornfeld, and Noel Dinneen. Written by Louis Kornfeld, produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who knows... maybe it's true. Performed by Phoebe Tyers and Dennis Pacheco, with Nick Mykins, T.J. Mannix, and Chris Dwane. Written by Diane McCorry, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

An elf gets a new job in the Naughty or Nice division of Santa's workshop. This story was commissioned by NPR's All Things Considered. It was written by Jonathan Mitchell and Seth Lind, and directed & produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Based on Philip K. Dick's short story "Upon the Dull Earth," originally published in 1954. Performed by Andy Moskowitz, Rebecca Robles, Diana McCorry, Ben Jones, and Al King. Produced and directed by Jonathan Mitchell. Special thanks to Diana McCorry, who found the story and lent us the use of her grandparent's home where we recording much of the story. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A psychic love story. Performed by Alex Marino, Christina Dabney, Blanche Ames, and T.J. Mannix. Written by Louis Kornfeld, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A game of Dungeons and Dragons is thrown into chaos. Peformed by Elana Fishbein, Jon Bander, Justin Moran, and Matt Shafeek. Written by Alejandro Kolleeny, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Voyager spacecraft has landed: meet the aliens who found it. Performed by Chet Siegel and Peter McNerney. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The sounds we make don't just fade away; they're embedded in the wood around us. Performed by Ed Herbstman, Kevin Cragg, Annemarie Cullen, Dennis Pacheco, and Rebecca Robles, with Melanie Hoopes, Bea Herbstman, Alex Marino, and Kerry Kastin. Music performed by Isabel Kim, Matt Evans, and Shawn Lovato. Written and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. It was written for a program in New York City called Experiments in Opera. Special thanks this week to Jason Cady, Aaron Siegel, and Mathew Welch This was recorded at New York Public Radio by George Wellington and Ed Haber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Live the death you've always wanted. Performed by Andy Moskowitz, Jackie Hoffman, Ben Jones, Damon Ketron, Phoebe Tyers, Shacottha Fields, Blanche Ames, and Rebecca Robles. Written by David Wilcox. Produced and by Jonathan Mitchell, associate produced by Kerry Kastin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Adam and Allie would do anything to have a baby. Performed by Tami Sagher, Ed Herbstman, Louis Kornfeld, and Kerry Kastin. Written by Ira Gamerman. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell, associate produced by Kerry Kastin. Original music by Jonathan Mitchell. The end credits music is "Tomorrow Begins" by Richard Walters from his album Regret Less. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A trip to the museum takes a surreal turn. Performed by Isabel Frohnhofer, Tom Ligon, Elana Fishbein, Imran Chowdhury, Laura Parker, Philipp Goedicke, Dennis Pacheco, Blanche Ames, Ron Palais, Willy Appelman, Andrew Yurman-Glaser, and Phoebe Tyers. Written by Elana Fishbein, produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two shock jocks make a big morning mess. Performed by Jon Bander, Alessandro King, Bianca Casusol, Brian Frange, and Elana Fishbein. Written by Ira Gamerman. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell, associate produced by Kerry Kastin. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Are you hearing voices? You're not alone. Performed by Christian Paluck, Carly Monardo, Tom Stephens, Louis Kornfeld, Jon Keller, Kerry Kastin, Nick Mykins, Aina Rapoza, and Ashley Wilson. With special musical guest Elizabeth Ziman. Written by Louis Kornfeld and developed collaboratively by The Truth, with dialogue improvised by the actors. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A freak accident on a train platform leads to... romance? Performed by Chet Siegel and Peter McNerney, with Willy Appleman, Louis Kornfeld, Lauren Ashley Smith, Sebastien Conelli, Quinton Loder, Jon Bander, and Kim Ferguson. Written by Chet Siegel and developed collaboratively by The Truth, with dialogue improvised by the actors. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A prodigal daughter returns. Performed by Ed Herbstman, Ben Jones, Christian Paluck, Chet Siegel, Louis Kornfeld, Amy Warren, and Asher Herbstman. The story was developed collaboratively by The Truth, with dialogue improvised by the actors. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You're cordially invited to spend New Year's Eve with Walt Avery. To attend, simply play this podcast. Performed by Ben Jones and Tom Ligon, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A couple goes in search of childhood memories. Performed by Ed Herbstman, Lauren Ashley Smith, and Louis Kornfeld. Story by Jonathan Mitchell with dialogue improvised by the actors. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when a corporation becomes a person? In this satire by Tony Award-winning playwright Greg Kotis, we follow a company called Geneva Mutual that becomes a sentient being. Performed by Louis Kornfeld, Rachel Hamilton, Tom Ligon, Chet Siegel, Amy Warren, Ed Herbstman, Christian Paluck, and Rupert Degas. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This story was inspired by a submission from listener Mathew Mercier, for our Halloween/Election crowd-sourcing experiment. It's based on his experience as caretaker of the Edgar Allan Poe estate, and imagines what Poe's last living hours may have been like. Performed by Christian Paluck, Ed Herbstman, Chet Siegel, and Louis Kornfeld. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A canvasser gets the donation she needs, but it will cost her. Performed by Chet Siegel and Tom Ligon, with Matt J. Weir, Quentin Loder, and Melanie Hoopes. Written by Chet Siegel. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell, with sound design help from Brendan Baker. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Produced at the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Radio Beyond Radio conference, featuring performances by Amie McKenna, Michele Durman, Michael Whalley, and Martin Dingle Wall. Produced by Ed Herbstman and Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A teacher gives his students lesson about democracy that they'll never forget. Performed by Peter McNerney as Mr. Mohr, Russ Armstrong as Eric, and Alexis Lambright as Margaret, with Fiona Bradford, Teddy Shivers, Oscar Montoya, and Ben Jones as the principal. Written by Louis Kornfeld. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mike Coleman is an independent candidate running for Congress, and he's finally getting some attention... from a serial killer. Performed by Ed Herbstman, Chet Siegel, Rick Andrews, Nick Kanellis, Louis Kornfeld, Amy Warren, and Bryn Magnus. Written by Ed Herbstman, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Written by Kurt Andersen, this story was originally heard on PRI's Studio 360. Narrated by Ed Herbstman, with John Ottavino as Nicholas, and Melanie Hoopes as Nancy. The story editor was David Krasnow. Produced and directed by Jonathan Mitchell. The unabridged version was published in Stories: All New Tales, an anthology edited by Neil Gaiman and Al Sarrantonio. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A pair of urban explorers goes underground, in the first part of a continuing story. Performed by Emily Tarver, Alex Marino, Louis Kornfeld, Ed Herbstman, Christian Paluck, and Amy Warren. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Two different approaches to making stories that combine improvisation with the recording studio. Total Transparency is a brand new piece, it was completely improvised and recorded in one take, and then edited. It was made up on the spot by Chet Siegel, Ed Herbstman, and Louis Kornfeld. Eye Contact was made using lots of different people telling the same story, that was edited into a fractured monologue. It originally aired in 2006 on Weekend America. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The recording doesn't lie. Performed by Ed Herbstman & Tami Sagher, with Libby Geroge & Christian Paluck. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell, written by Jonathan Mitchell, Ed Herbstman, & Melanie Hoopes. Originally produced for This American Life. Production advisors: Peter Clowney & Kerrie Hillman. Special thanks: Ira Glass, Lisa Pollack, Jonathan Menjivar, and Chris Bannon. Recorded at WNYC, KCRW, Magnet Theater, and on location in New York City. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Spin class gets personal. Performed by Chet Siegel, Emily Tarver, and Ed Herbstman. Written by Chet Siegel, and developed collaboratively by The Truth. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell, with Kerrie Hillman and Peter Clowney. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Terry Bisson's classic short story "They're Made Out of Meat" originally appeared in Omni Magazine in 1991, and our audio version was produced for WNYC's Studio 360 in November 2011. We've re-mixed the story especially for this podcast, and it's followed by an interview with Bisson himself. The story was performed by Russ Armstrong & Miriam Tolan, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A taxi driver is working on his anniversary, and gets more than he expected when he picks up a couple in Lower Manhattan. Featuring: Christian Paluck as The Driver, Chet Siegel as Mary, Louis Kornfeld as Frank, and Amy Warren as Morgan. With Ed Herbstman, Melanie Hoopes, Charlotte Rabbe, and Jamie Rivera. Written by The Truth, and produced by Jonathan Mitchell. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can coconut cake + random phone calls = love? Find out, when these two Valentine's Day traditions collide. Produced by Jonathan Mitchell Edited by Hillary Frank Performed by Eliza Skinner, Birch Harms, and Curtis Gwinn Additional voices: Pat Etchill, Jennifer Geller, Hillary Frank, and Jonathan Mitchell Music by Jonathan Mitchell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episode #1: Moon Graffiti. In our pilot episode, we imagine what may have happened if the Apollo 11 mission ended in tragedy. Featuring performances by Matt Evans, Ed Herbsman, and John Ottavino. Inspired by a real contingency speech written in 1969 by William Safire for Richard Nixon titled “In Event of Moon Disaster." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Truth delivers original short fiction with cinematic sound design and unforgettable performances. When you press play on a new episode, there’s no telling what you’re going to get, because each episode is a brand new story with a new cast of characters, and a whole new world to explore. Some are suspenseful, others funny, or shocking, or uplifting. What you’re guaranteed is incredible performances, thoughtful writing, and detailed, immersive sound design that pulls you in and never lets go. If you're new, some good starting places are: The Dark End of the Mall, Silvia's Blood, Can You Help Me Find My Mom, The Hilly Earth Society, or Robocalls. Listening with headphones is recommended! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices