Episodios

  • “Fly By” Part 2: Ben Katzner and Briana McDonald (Episode 74)

    “Fly By” Part 2: Ben Katzner and Briana McDonald (Episode 74)
    Apr 8 2024
    Kicking off part 2 of our “Fly By” show, host Ellie Dvorkin Dunn shares some fun facts about teenage pilot Elinor Smith before we hear the second set of true tales inspired by the story of “The Flying Flapper” from the archives of the Greater Astoria Historical Society.

    No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was on September 28, 2023, at Grove 34 in Astoria. Podcast introduction by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and features:

    • Like Me or Not by Ben Katzner, performed by Briana McDonald, directed by Erika Iverson
    • Macarons by Briana McDonald, performed by Ben Katzner, directed by Erika Iverson

    Donate here to support No, YOU Tell It!, and we’ll send you an electronic copy of Annie Shi’s zine, “The Flying Flapper,” that we gave out to the audience at the show so you can learn more about Elinor Smith and her historic 1928 flight under not one but four East River bridges – Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg … and Queensboro!

    Want a copy of Ben or Briana’s middle-grade books? Grab your copy and share it with the young readers in your life.

    • The Secrets of Stone Creek and more by Briana McDonald
    • Hello My Name is Poop by Ben Katzner
    SPECIAL THANKS

    No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was an OFFICIAL 2023 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT.

    The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

    This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.

    This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.
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    26 m
  • “Fly By” Part 1: Lowell Stephens and Robin Gelfenbien (Episode 73)

    “Fly By” Part 1: Lowell Stephens and Robin Gelfenbien (Episode 73)
    Mar 25 2024
    Have you ever heard of Elinor Smith? Our fall “Fly By” show was a fantastic way to learn about this teenage pilot who beat out Amelia Earhart for the title of “Best Woman Pilot in America” in 1930.

    For this special show, produced in partnership with the Greater Astoria Historical Society, we provided our storytellers with a visual prompt depicting Elinor Smith’s legendary 1928 flight under four East River bridges—Brooklyn, Manhattan, Williamsburg … and Queensboro!

    The animated image created by Queens artist Annie Shi inspired a modern-day story swap of a very different kind of airplane dare and a gutt-wrenching attempt to bridge the divide between father and son.



    Donate here to support No, YOU Tell It!, and we’ll send you an electronic copy of Annie’s zine, “The Flying Flapper,” that we gave out to the audience at the show so you can learn more about Elinor Smith and her historic flight.

    No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was hosted by Ellie Dvorkin Dunn on September 28, 2023, at Grove 34 in Astoria. Podcast introduction by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons and features:

    • Connecting Flights by Robin Gelfenbien, performed by Lowell Stephens, directed by Erika Iverson
    • Liquid Mercury by Lowell Stephens, performed by Robin Gelfenbien, directed by Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons

    SPECIAL THANKS

    No, YOU Tell It! “Fly By” was an OFFICIAL 2023 BROOKLYN BOOK FESTIVAL BOOKEND EVENT.

    The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

    This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.

    This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.
    Más Menos
    31 m
  • “Here & Gone” Part 2: Olena Jennings and Rosalie Chandler (Episode 72)

    “Here & Gone” Part 2: Olena Jennings and Rosalie Chandler (Episode 72)
    Jun 27 2023
    Did you know that two 16-foot-tall stainless-steel statues once stood atop the Astoria Pool locker rooms? Or that thousands of visitors to the 1964 World’s Fair in Queens signed a book that was included in the Westinghouse Time Capsule designed to endure for 5,000 years?

    Learn more about the storytellers and the Queens history from the archives of The Greater Astoria Historical Society that inspired this story swap from the second half of our “Here & Gone” show hosted by Ellie Dvorkin Dunn.

    My Book About Water by Olena Jennings, performed by Rosalie Chandler

    *Peace Through Understanding by Rosalie Chandler, performed by Olena Jennings

    *As Ellie noted during the show, we want to let you know that the latter story contains themes related to sexual assault.

    Stories directed by Erika Iverson. Plus, a special shoutout to Broadway Silk in Astoria!

    Congratulations to Olena for receiving a Pushcart Prize for her translation with Oksana Lutsyshyna of Kateryna Kalytko’s collection Nobody Knows Us Here, and We Don’t Know Anyone from Lost Horse Press.

    Learn more about the Queens history highlights below. The narratives were written by storyteller Rosalie Chandler with special insights from Bob Singleton of The Greater Astoria Historical Society.

    • Westinghouse Time Capsule
    • North Beach
    • Astoria Pool Sentinels
    • The First Photocopy
    These four highlights also inspired the Queens “Here & Gone” artwork by Yelena Tylkina.

    **

    Special thanks to Rosalie Chandler, Bob Singleton, and Ava Vitali for helping us create these Queens “Here & Gone” highlights. The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

    This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.

    This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.
    Más Menos
    30 m
  • “Here & Gone” Part 1: Lakshmi Gandhi and Dan Jessup (Episode 71)

    “Here & Gone” Part 1: Lakshmi Gandhi and Dan Jessup (Episode 71)
    Jun 13 2023
    In the first half of our show, story partners Lakshmi Gandhi and Dan Jessup swap stories about the culture of mutual agitation that bonds Mets fans and a mid-life move to Astoria blocks away from where inventor, Chester Carlson, created the world’s first photocopy.

    These stories were directed by show host Ellie Dvorkin Dunn.

    For the first time, our “Here & Gone” storytellers’ modern-day true tales were inspired by Queens history from the archives of The Greater Astoria Historical Society.

    Learn more about how the word “ASTORIA was on the First Page of the Information Age,” and the other Queens history highlights

    • Westinghouse Time Capsule
    • North Beach
    • Astoria Pool Sentinels
    • The First Photocopy
    Inspired the Queens “Here & Gone” artwork by Yelena Tylkina and the night’s stories.

    **

    Special thanks to Rosalie Chandler, Bob Singleton, and Ava Vitali for helping us create these Queens “Here & Gone” highlights. The Greater Astoria Historical Society is the place to learn and celebrate Long Island City and its neighborhoods. Learn more at astorialic.org.

    This project is supported by funds from the New York State Council on the Arts, Statewide Community Regrants Program (formerly the Decentralization program) with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature, and administered by Flushing Town Hall.

    This project is made possible (in part) with public funds from the Queens Arts Fund, a re-grant program supported by New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council and administered by New York Foundation for the Arts.
    Más Menos
    30 m
  • Episode 70 – Punch Up (Part 2)

    Episode 70 – Punch Up (Part 2)
    Nov 22 2022
    Celebrating 10 years of No, YOU Tell It!, the second half of our “Punch Up” show starts with the story of a waitress getting a visit from a former co-worker who looks happier and healthier than seems possible. Trying to match her glow-up, she seeks out the same Shaman but finds the visit … less than inspiring.

    Enjoy “Shaman Says,” Written by Jenn Wehrung and performed by Aida Zilelian.

    Switching it up, our final story also starts in a bar, where an old frenemy creeps back into every corner of the narrator’s life, causing her to reflect on why some friends are better left in the past.

    “One Final Lesson” was written by Aida Zilelian and performed by Jenn Wehrung.


    Top left: Jenn Wehrung; Top right: Story partners Aida Zilelian and Jenn Wehrung; Bottom left: Ellie Dvorkin Dunn and Jenn Wehrun; Bottom right: Aida Zilelian
    This story swap was directed by our wonderful guest host for the evening, Ellie Dvorkin Dunn.

    You can also WATCH the full show live-streamed from Culture Lab, LIC. Or, watch “Punch Up” and other past shows on the NYTI YouTube channel.

    Returning as a Bookend Event for the Brooklyn Book Festival, our “Punch Up” show also celebrated the release of the No, YOU Tell It! Ten-Year Anthology from Palm Circle Press.

    Here’s how to check out ALL THE THINGS:

    • Click here for the full “Punch Up” Program.
    • Follow @noyoutellit on Insta for upcoming fun.
    • Don’t forget to check out Ellie’s fabulous podcast Circling the Drain, to have fun learning about all things perimenopause. (Who knew?)
    Más Menos
    35 m
  • Episode 69 – Punch Up (Part 1)

    Episode 69 – Punch Up (Part 1)
    Nov 15 2022
    Lose yourself in school-age nostalgia in our first story, “Confection Resolution,” written by Matt Storrs and performed by Maria Rubio, which finds our hero fighting the same childhood foe … three times.

    Switching it up, “The Great Unknowns,” written by Maria Rubio and performed by Matt Storrs, follows an exhausted nurse in the middle of the global pandemic who carves out time for herself with a surfing lesson.


    Top left: Matt Storrs; Top right: Maria Rubio; Bottom left: Ellie Dvorkin Dunn interviews storyteller Matt Storrs
    Huge thank you to alum and guest host Ellie Dvorkin Dunn! Give a listen as she punches up the evening with her warmth and humor.

    Returning as a Bookend Event for the Brooklyn Book Festival, our “Punch Up” show also celebrated the release of the No, YOU Tell It! Ten-Year Anthology from Palm Circle Press.

    You can also WATCH the full show live-streamed from Culture Lab, LIC. Or, watch “Punch Up,” and other past shows on the NYTI YouTube channel.

    Here’s how to check out ALL THE THINGS that Ellie mentions in the show:

    • Click here for the full “Punch Up” Program.
    • Follow @noyoutellit on Insta for upcoming fun.
    • Don’t forget to check out Ellie’s fabulous podcast Circling the Drain, to have fun learning about all things perimenopause. (Who knew?)
    Más Menos
    38 m
  • Episode 68 – Legacy Anthology Reboot

    Episode 68 – Legacy Anthology Reboot
    Aug 23 2022
    In anticipation of our forthcoming ten-year anthology from Palm Circle Press, we are flashing back to 2014 when we participated in The Brick’s Comic Book Theater Festival in Brooklyn.

    For this show, we tried something new. Usually, we give our storytellers a theme to inspire their true tales. This time, we only provided the theme “Legacy” to comic artist Sha-Née Williams and asked her to interpret it into a visual prompt. Then we gave this image to our storytellers without the word “Legacy” or any further context.

    After they completed their first drafts, Sha-Née joined our story meetings and drew unique illustrations for each of their true tales. In spite of the fact that we didn’t share the theme, our storytellers ended up thinking about the personal legacies we leave behind. Give a listen to the results and don’t forget to follow us on Insta @noyoutellit to check out more of Sha-Née’s “Legacy” artwork


    Top left: Sha-Née Williams and Nicole Greevy with “Nerd: The Next Generation” artwork. Bottom right: E. James Ford with “League of Absence” artwork by Sha-Née Williams.
    Stories were performed live on June 8th, 2014 at The Brick:

    “League of Absence” written by E. James Ford and performed by Nicole Greevy.

    “Nerd: The Next Generation”  written by Nicole Greevy and performed by E. James Ford.
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    34 m
  • Episode 67 – No Regrets Anthology Reboot

    Episode 67 – No Regrets Anthology Reboot
    Aug 16 2022
    As we’re readying the release of our ten-year anthology this fall from Palm Circle Press, we’re rebooting some of the podcasts with improved audio so you can listen while you read.

    Here’s our first ever tri-flip at Fairleigh Dickinson’s MFA in Creative Writing summer residency, featuring stories by Letisia Cruz, Tazio Ruffilo, and Heather Lang-Cassera.


    Original artwork by Letisia Cruz inspired by her performance of Tazio Ruffilo’s story, “In Spite of Ourselves”
    Keep an eye out for these No Regrets stories in the anthology, along with a special introduction from series creator, Kelly Jean Fitzsimmons, describing how this FDU show represents one of the core values of our series: Cooperation over Competition.  

    NO REGRETS performed on August 14th, 2016

    Fairleigh Dickinson University | New Jersey

    “The First Tattoo” written by Letisia Cruz and performed by Heather Lang-Cassera

    “In Spite of Ourselves” written by Tazio Ruffilo and performed by Letisia Cruz

    “A Midwestern Purgatory” written by Heather Lang-Cassera and performed by Tazio Ruffilo
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    42 m