General Admission Podcast

Alison Flowers is an award-winning investigative journalist who focuses on social justice and criminal justice. She's has written a book called Exoneree Diaries, which chronicles the stories of four exonerated individuals. We talk to her about that book, as well as the art of journalism, the difficulties of gaining the trust of her subjects, the challenges of the work and much more.

This is an interview that may surprise people close to Eric, or who've been reading the buzz around Audible's place in the audio space. You'll hear us delve into some audio nerd stuff, but this conversation is more about leadership, risk, worship, addiction and Iggy Pop. For those who don't know, Eric Nuzum is the Senior VP of Original Content Development at Audible. He's the boss man behind the new 'Channels' feature of Audible, which is sort of like a combination of HBO (highly curated programming) and Netflix's recommendation feature. They know what you like from your listening habits, makes shows around that data and humans are happy around the globe. There's art in audio, people, and we're here to tell you the who/what/where/why/how of it with our guest, rockstar executive Eric Nuzum.

This week, the guys invite Cleveland Dean & Bruno Surdo to the show to talk about "visual art," a categorization often hard to categorize. The two artists come from different backgrounds and create very different work, so we thought it would be interesting to put them in the same room for a half hour. Also, Tyler doesn't understand why busts cost $90,000, Don complains about Hamilton...again and we announce our summer tour!

Erin Kilmurray is the bad-ass director and choreographer behind Chicago's own The Fly Honey Show, produced by The Inconvenience. The show "collects a carefully curated main ensemble of dancers, musicians, actors, and performance artists and supports them in empowering their individuality through self expression." She's committed to promoting body and sex positivity through a feminine perspective. She's also committed to gathering a bunch of people around a really cool idea and making that shit happen. The guys also debrief Tyler's Beyonce concert experience and get insight from Erin on the spectacle of that show vs. what she does.

Is seeing theatre on a screen the same as going to the theatre? Most of us agree that it's not, but it's just not that simple. Tyler and Don went to see National Theatre Live's production of Hangment at Chicago's historic Music Box Theatre. They also talked to Drew Blau, Founder and Executive Director of the Chicago Film Archive of Performance, which recently announced an exciting partnership with the Chicago Public Library where you can go watch a number of Chicago theatre productions at the library. Let's dig in deep on a very specific arty topic, shall we?!

It’s all Taylor Mac this week! At any given Mac show there's singing, customs changes on stage (bare ass included), audience participation, as well as a high possibility of a make-out session. All of this is intentional-- it's smart, political, and funny. Tyler and Don talk with Mac about failure, theater in America, Drag queens in rural Tennessee, and what life's like offstage. Taylor who prefers the pronoun Judy is traveling the county work-shopping segments of A 24-hour Decade of Popular Music. The full 24-hour performance takes place this fall in New York. Mac is clear that the performance is not about pleasing the audience, but rather making them think, feel discomfort and be entertained. For Judy, it’s a good night if you’re bored one minute and moved to tears the next.

"Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue. Realize the strength, move on." - Henry Rollins General Admission is back with a new season! We've got so much planned for you guys so get those headphone ready, subscribe and share. For our first official episode back Don sits down with singer and storytelling powerhouse Henry Rollins and Chicago rock venue legend Joe Shanahan. Shanahan is the owner of Metro, a venue anchored within the Chicago music scene. In this episode you'll hear a discussion surrounding the relationship between bands and the venues that house them. Henry talks how his band needed venues like The Metro in order to make enough money for a Denny's Grand Slam breakfast and gas to make it to the next gig. Places like the Metro also need the bands and musicians so they can keep the lights on. It's a symbiotic relationship. This interview is part of an ongoing series of intimate conversation to be held at the Metro and sponsored by Dark Matter Coffee and Shure.

NOTE: THERE ARE SPOILERS CONTAINED IN THIS EPISODE. We're baaaaaaaaack! New, full episodes are coming in March, but we couldn't let that time go by without saying SOMETHING about Star Wars. Don Hall is a self-proclaimed Star Wars geek. Tyler Greene has never seen the films. (Well, he thinks he's seen Episode 1 but, unsurprisingly, he can't remember it). In this episode, we get to experience the films for the first time with Tyler and hear the guys' review of Episode 7: The Force Awakens.

As you may have heard, General Admission is parting ways with WBEZ. The guys will continue the show in some form with a different network in March, but before that time, they wanted to celebrate their time with WBEZ: it's been real, as the kids say. On this episode, you'll be treated to clips from Tyler & Don's favorite interviews, on-locations adventures & a highlight reel of moments where they completely lost their minds. This is an episode for super-fans & people interested in finding out more about the show (READ: "other network" mentioned above!). And for those that are curious why the two are parting ways, Ben Calhoun, WBEZ's Director of Programming, had this to say about the split: “I really appreciate the passion and energy that’s gone into General Admission, and the affection the show’s earned from its audience. But we’ve had to face the reality that the show isn’t sustainable for us. And so we had to make a difficult decision to bring the partnership to a close. That said, as much as ever, we a

This week, the guys talk to Bethany Thomas, a master vocalist from Chicago who performs regularly as a musical theatre performer but also in clubs, bars and backrooms all over town. Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a special announcement about the future of the show. This is an episode about how to prepare a song, what it takes to be a gigging musician and why artists never leave Chicago.

On this episode, the guys talk to traveling photographer Gene Pembroke. Tyler stumbled across Gene's booth at a local art fair and insisted that he come on the show. They talk about how he gets the money to travel the world and take photos, which takes precedent (photos or travel), and what compels a photographer to snap a shot. This is an episode about photography, traveling, going off the grid, creating, living life and letting life present the photos.

This week, Tyler and Don speak with Collaboraction Theatre's Anthony Moseley about his part in the invention of Crime Scene, a performance project about gun violence in Chicago. The guys also talk about what it's like to have a family as an artist and how mentoring young people works for Anthony. This episode is about changing society with art, responding to unfolding history and balancing family with work.

On this episode, Tyler and Don talk with the amazing stand-up comic Adam Burke and wrestling royalty Colt Cabana. Our hosts get the guys to open up about the similarities and differences between their chosen paths and what it takes to be a performer in careers full of risk and great potential. This is an episode about intersections, the journey to find where you fit, and the passion for your craft.

On this episode, Tyler & Don talk to George Dawes Green, the founder of the storytelling organization The Moth. Years ago, George told stories with his friends on a porch in Georgia where moths would flock in and out of the porch light. That image was the inspiration for a storytelling organization that George started in New York later in life. He's no longer "in charge" in the traditional sense, but he travels the world as an ambassador for the organization and helps shape new programs like the most recent high school StorySLAM program. This is an episode about stories, the art of the raconteur, Georgia, Wanda Bullard, entrepreneurship and the best way to sustain something that you start. Oh, and this is our season finale. Do us a favor...share the show with your friends and get them to subscribe!

On this episode, Tyler and Don take a roadtrip to Naperville, Illinois to witness an author reading with FIGHT CLUB master Chuck Palahniuk. But what's an author reading have to do with art or, especially, performance?! In Chuck's world, author readings aren't your normal "corner of a back room in a bookstore" affair. For him, they're much more palpable with beach balls, bags of candy and 1st Edition leather-bound versions of his books. The guys got the chance talk to Chuck in his hotel room before the reading about Fight Club 2, as well as his new collection of short stories and the impending musical version of Fight Club currently being workshopped by David Fincher & Trent Rezor...in consultation with Julie Taymor! This is an episode about novels, author readings, violent love stories, the Marriot, Dan Brown's Holy Grail and more!

This week, Tyler takes a trip down memory lane and introduces the nuances of professional wrestling to Don. He brings along Wrestling Superfan Jeff Trainor to help him along the way. The three watching WrestleMania III (1986), followed by WrestleMania XXXI (2015) and then debrief live at PodSlam 2015, General Admission's very first live podcast taping. At the end of the taping, Don and Tyler welcome guest Erica Nicole Clark, daughter of actor & legendary WWF superstar Mr. T. This is an episode about wrestling, childhood, the art of sport, the Hulk Hogan you never knew, ladder matches and so much more.

Jane Saks uses art to make social change. She's a cultural producer, activist and organizer who has been raIsin' hell since she can remember. Jane started a new production company called Project& and she joins us to talk about that, plus growing up in Chicago, her career at Columbia College and much, much more. This is an episode about art, activism, politics, coming out, queer narratives, Sweet Tea, photography and changing the world.

We welcome the Executive Producer of Netherrealm Studios, Shaun Himmerick, to the show this week. He's the man behind organizing the Mortal Kombat franchise, as well as Injustice and other games for the Chicago studio. We find out what it's like to be the final filter for these games before they get the approval to release, an important (but oftentimes unexplored) part of the artistic process. This is an episode about fighting games, the intersection of business & art, evolution, how to win and, of course, fatalities.

Summer blockbusters are upon us! On this episode, the hosts of WBEZ's popular film podcast Filmspotting join Don & Tyler to talk about the summer blockbuster genre and then all four share their individual "Top 3 Summer Blockbusters of All Time." Yes, it is THAT epic. This is an episode about summer, Tom Cruise, popcorn flicks, sharks, Disney and more!

This week, we welcome sex-advice columnist Dan Savage to the show! You might not know it, but Dan's also a playwright, theatre director and coordinator of an dirty movie festival. We talk to Dan about his column, activism and how it has changed over the years, as well as the art of pornography and his new play Miracle, a musical starring Helen Keller...in drag. We also dig deep into the It Gets Better Project to find out about how a simple web video changed an entire culture. This is an episode about sex, activist, art, pornography and, of course, Helen Keller. PHOTO CREDIT: (2012) LaRae Lobdell.