Once Upon a Time in Havana

How can an island, only 90 miles from the U.S. coast, feel so far away? Award-winning audio storyteller and second-generation Cuban-American Lisette Alvarez guides you through their journey as the first person in their family to return to Cuba after 70 years, all within the context of U.S.-Cuba geopolitical history. This 12-episode true story is released in advance of an upcoming fictional spy thriller audio drama: HAVANA SYNDROME.

Last refreshed: August 15th, 2025 at 11:38 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

Episode 11: Stormchaser [Series Finale]

A winding, whirling wrap up and the beginning of something new. Thank you so much for listening. It means so much. You can continue the journey on the brand new HAVANA SYNDROME podcast feed - now available to subscribe to on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, etc. If you liked what you have heard, please consider rating and reviewing on your podcast app. It really helps! You can find the first clue on our website: havanasyndromepodcast.com. Clip credit goes to HAVANA, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, I Love ...

Oct 31, 2024•13 min

Episode 10: Love the Bomb

In which Cuba holds the title of closest we got to world-ending shenanigans. Clip credit goes to "Dr Strangelove: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb". Credit for music goes to Blue Dot Sessions. Support the Artist Residency Fund. Learn more about the HAVANA SYNDROME series at havana-syndrome.net Sign up for the latest updates on our newsletter or follow us on Instagram and TikTok ! Join us for our lives on Fridays at 12PM ET! Episode Transcripts...

Oct 26, 2024•20 min

Episode 9: The Haunting

The aftermath and emotional fallout of my trip to Cuba. Please note that this episode references historical violent crime and personal mental health struggles. Clip credit goes to Disney's Encanto, and MONSTERS and THE MENENDEZ BROTHERS on Netflix. Credit for music goes to Blue Dot Sessions. Support the Artist Residency Fund. Learn more about the HAVANA SYNDROME series at havana-syndrome.net Sign up for the latest updates on our newsletter or follow us on Instagram and TikTok ! Join us for our l...

Oct 10, 2024•17 min

Episode 8: Intelligence Failure

It's the final day in Cuba, what could possibly go wrong? Credit to clip goes to "The WASP Network", a Netflix orignial movie. Credit for music goes to Blue Dot Sessions. Support the Artist Residency Fund. Learn more about the HAVANA SYNDROME series at havana-syndrome.net Sign up for the latest updates on our newsletter or follow us on Instagram and TikTok ! Join us for our live tomorrow at 12PM ET! Episode Transcripts...

Oct 03, 2024•15 min

Episode 7: Small Acts of Resistance

A beautiful beach day turns out to be a lot more complicated than it seems. Clip attributions to the following films and TV shows: Star Wars' Andor, The Mask, Scarface, Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, and Our Man and the Sea. Credit for music goes to Blue Dot Sessions and the unnamed band in an unnamed bar in Havana. Support the Artist Residency Fund. Learn more about the HAVANA SYNDROME series at havana-syndrome.net Sign up for the latest updates on our newsletter or follow us on I...

Sep 26, 2024•22 min

Episode 6: 2+2=5

On this episode, we hit the streets of Havana to try to understand the tenuous truth of the Cuban experience. Attributions to the BBC, WPTV news and MGM's Our Man in Havana . Credit for music goes to Blue Dot Sessions. Support the Artist Residency Fund. Learn more about the HAVANA SYNDROME series at havana-syndrome.net Sign up for the latest updates on our newsletter or follow us on Instagram and TikTok ! Join us for our live tomorrow, Fri Sept 20th at 12PM ET! Episode Transcripts...

Sep 19, 2024•20 min

Episode 5: The Sacred Tree

We finally figure out what this whole sacred tree thing is about on my tour with Beyond Roots, and the connection between African descendents in Cuba, the United States, and beyond. A huge thanks to Beyond Roots, you can book your experience in Cuba with them on their website beyondroots.net or follow them on Instagram @beyondroots. Attributions to Democracy Now! for the Assata Shakur and Fidel Castro/Nelson Mandela clips, and THE BIG CIGAR on Apple TV. Credit for music goes to Blue Dot Sessions...

Sep 12, 2024•24 min

Episode 4: Malecón, Mafia, and Molasses

I conduct a pre-Revolution history lesson and share my first moments of being in Cuba. Finally. Credit for the archival clips to 1776 and the Godfather II. Credit for music goes to Freesound.org and Blue Dot Sessions. Support the Artist Residency Fund. Learn more about the HAVANA SYNDROME series at havana-syndrome.net Sign up for the latest updates on our newsletter or follow us on Instagram and TikTok ! Episode Transcripts...

Sep 05, 2024•20 min

Episode 3: The Judgement of Solomon

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Elián González international custody crisis. In this episode, I run through airports with a hope and a prayer that I can get to Cuba without international incident. Content warning: this episode contains potentially distressing clips from the INS raid to take Elián into custody. Credit for the archival clips to C-SPAN, CNN, ABC, and the Dave Chapelle Show. Credit for music goes to FreeMusicArchive and Blue Dot Sessions. Support the Artist Residency Fun...

Aug 29, 2024•22 min

Episode 2: Sin Eater

A little bit about my family history in the context of the "Miami Cuban" political bloc, including history of the revolution, Bay of Pigs, Watergate, and more. Thanks to the C-SPAN library plus HBO trailers for WHITE HOUSE PLUMBERS and THE SYMPATHIZER for additional material. Creative commons music featured from freesound.org, and Blue Dot Sessions. Support the Artist Residency Fund. Learn more about the HAVANA SYNDROME series at havana-syndrome.net Sign up for the latest updates on our newslett...

Aug 22, 2024•12 min

Episode 1: 60 Years. 3 Days.

How can an island, only 90 miles from the U.S. southeastern coast, feel so far away? Lisette Alvarez guides you through their journey as the first person in their family to return to Cuba after over 60 years, all within the context of U.S.-Cuba geopolitical history. This 12-episode true story is released just in time for the anniversaries of two major U.S.- Cuba events: the 10th anniversary of the reopening of the U.S. embassy in Havana, and the 25th anniversary of the Elián González crisis. The...

Aug 15, 2024•14 min

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