photo credit Amanda Peterson Back in April of this year, Tell Us Something traveled to Butte, America to bring Tell Us Something to an enthusiastic group of listeners at The Covellite Theatre. Founder and Executive Director Marc Moss shared a story about the first time we held a Tell Us Something event in Butte, which was at The Covellite. The first time in Butte, back in 2019, Marc had to buy time because the evening’s first storyteller, Pat, was late. Listen as Marc shares that story, which is...
Jul 10, 2025•22 min
The Trail Listening Post – Trail Lunchbox: Marc Moss (June 25, 2025) On today’s episode of The Trail Listening Post, we bring you a live in-studio conversation from the Trail Lunchbox on Trail 103.3 FM. Host Mike Smith sits down with Marc Moss, the founder and host of Tell Us Something, Missoula’s beloved live storytelling event series. Marc shared the story behind the event’s signature theme song, the art on this year’s poster, and why Tell Us Something doesn’t announce its storytellers in adva...
Jun 26, 2025•12 min
Jesse Ballard and her family are stranded in the Kenyan desert where they faced danger, dehydration, and exhaustion. Come along with Jesse on a wild adventure filled with unforgettable memories in a story she calls “The Best Walker”. 📷 kmr studios Jesse Ballard is a perinatal care coordinator who moonlights as an actor and a birth doula. She lives in Missoula with her husband, 2 kids and 2 cats. In our next story, Betsy Funk hikes with her adult daughter Kelsey in Glacier National Park on what ...
Oct 04, 2024•40 min
In our first story, listen to James Crosby share his disastrous sailing camp experiences and life-changing moments as a lifeguard. James shares his journey of self-discovery and resilience and discovers how a seemingly simple act of kindness led him to find his true calling and inspire others along the way in a story he calls “Too Big to Sail”. 📷kmr studios The oldest and tallest among dozens of first cousins, James Crosby oddly and infuriatingly found himself outmatched in many backyard sports...
Sep 28, 2024•54 min
Michelle Reilly finds herself homeless in 10th grade in a challenge that begins a lifetime of challenges. After earning a PhD despite her alcohol use disorder, she struggles to overcome addiction and finds unexpected hope in an online ad. Sensitive listeners, please note that Michelle’s story contains mentions of suicidal thoughts and the her father contemplating suicide, which may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care of yourselves. Michelle calls her story “Heroic Measures”. 📷 D...
Aug 01, 2024•52 min
In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Going Home”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on June 11, 2024, as part of the opening Missoula Pride events. In our first story, Kiki Hubbard, her mother and her grandmother are on a plane returning back to the United States from former Yugoslavia after a trip tracing their ancestry. The grandmother, a strong immigrant who fled war and violen...
Jul 26, 2024•56 min
What happens when the things we hold dear start to crumble? Join us as our first storyteller faces a heartbreaking choice: let go of her family legacy or fight for a piece of the past while making a discovery about nonperminance in herself. And facing loss isn’t just about places, our next storyteller defies death itself, a therapist grapples with a hidden truth while our final storyteller navigates an unlikely love friendship running out on the trails. In this episode of the Tell Us Something p...
May 09, 2024•58 min
A mother and daughter in Belize work together to navigate the challenges of entering the country with an expired passport, a determined diver confronts the depths of the ocean swimming against sudden swells and learns some harrowing news the next day when she returns to the water. An artist wrestles with self-doubt and the meaning of success. And a woman on a wilderness adventure faces a grizzly bear encounter, wolves and swarming bees on her ordeal to get out and help with a family emergency. I...
Apr 23, 2024•1 hr 1 min
Our first storyteller is Erin Scoles, a mother, who watches in shock as a terrifying avalanche buries her young son. Strangers and community come together in Missoula to save lives amid chaos. Erin calls her story “Found”. Erin Scoles is grateful to have lived such a full life. She’s given birth to 5 children, hitchhiked across the country, lived in a school bus before it was cool, endured huge loss, and loved big. She’s most proud of her Irish heritage and how badass & compassionate her kid...
Dec 26, 2023•57 min
In this episode of the podcast, a child, traveling alone, encounters hotel trouble, a young woman begins her healing journey thanks to a sexual assault victim’s advocate, a woman recovering from open heart surgery finds respite with a gruff nurse and post-avalanche, Missoula unites. Four storytellers share their true personal stories on the theme “The Kindness of Strangers”. Their stories were recorded live in person in front of a sold-out crowd on December 06, 2023, at The Wilma in Missoula, MT...
Dec 20, 2023•54 min
Our first storyteller is Ben Catton, a tall man in Chile who tries to connect with a Deaf grandmother, culminating in the around a parakeet cage. Ben calls his story “Periquitos” 📷Donal Lakatua Ben Catton is Missoula born and raised but spent the majority of his adult life elsewhere, orbiting to Wyoming, Idaho, Wisconsin, Alaska, and Chile. In the midst of those orbits, he studied at the University of Montana to become a teacher and he has taught high school English and Spanish. Currently, he’s...
Oct 11, 2023•51 min
Our first story comes to us from Chris Hallberg who shares his story in which Dr. Steve, an American doctor, gives a Salvadoran patient a pizza cutter as a gift. The patient returns with a plastic baggie full of poop and a neon orange pizza cutter inside. Chris calls his story Pizza Cutter Medicine”. 📷Donal Lakatua Chris Hallberg is a family medicine doctor who’s worked with patients in rural Alaska, Montana, the Caribbean, and Central America. He enjoys cooking, making music with friends, and ...
Oct 05, 2023•49 min
This episode of the podcast features an interview with Rick White who shared his story in front of a sold-out crowd live at The Wilma on December 10, 2019. It was the last in-person Tell Us Something event before COVID struck. The theme was “Tipping Point”. When I talked with Rick, we talked about the story that he told at The Wilma, about podcasting, his writing, his artist residency, and about storytelling. Rick’s story, which I play after the interview, is called “Mister”. 📷kmr studios Read ...
Aug 23, 2023•53 min
Charlene Brett takes her 2 children and 2 golden retrievers into the backcountry for a backpacking weekend and survives a terrible overnight thunderstorm. Charlene calls her story “A Backcountry Weekend Adventure”. Charlene Brett is a K-5 teacher in the Bitterroot Valley and has been teaching music for 14 years. She is a fan of the great outdoors and enjoys escaping into various high-mountain lakes in both Montana and Idaho in the summer to fly fish. When not backpacking with her family (or her ...
Aug 17, 2023•37 min
Our first story comes to us from Stephen Tucker. Stephen Tucker accidentally learns who his favorite cat is when his apartment complex catches fire. Stephen calls his story Midnight Mayhem. Thanks for listening. Stephen Tucker is a third-grade teacher in the Bitterroot Valley with ten years of experience. As a teacher, he has a passion for science, technology, and coaching Lego Robotics. He is a lover of the outdoors and enjoys hiking and spending his days on the lake with his paddleboard. When ...
Aug 11, 2023•47 min
Our first story comes to us from Devin Carpenter, who shares a verbal love letter to his grandmother, who taught him to be a good neighbor and to be bold. He calls his story “Mimi on my Shoulder”. 📷kmr studio Devin Carpenter is a Cali-Rado-Tanan who has lived in Pennsylvania and New York and is joined tonight by his Mom, Patty, and his Dad, Jeff…who do not know he is about to tell this story. Growing up on a military base and moving throughout his life has greatly influenced the way Devin sees ...
Aug 03, 2023•57 min
Our First story comes to us from Katie Condon. Katie shares her story about an unlikely neighborly friendship. It’s an ode to neighbors, to Fran the dog, and to the community. Katie calls her story “The Bologna House”. Katie Condon 📷kmr studio Katie Condon is a humanitarian at heart. She believes in the connection of all things. Katie is a lover of art and the simple beautiful things this life has to offer. Our next story comes to us from Reid Reimers. Reid Reimers is recognized for his Montana...
Jul 27, 2023•56 min
Our first storyteller is Jim Harte. Jim has always loved film, ever since he was a boy. When the distributors forget to send the second reel of “Wild in the Streets”. Jim gets creative in the way that he avoids giving refunds. Jim calls his story “More Than a Movie” 📷 kmr studios Jim Harte has worked in the film business for 45 years. He was raised in New Jersey and majored in Drama at Ithaca College in Ithaca NY before moving to Manhattan where he received a BFA in Film and Television at New Y...
Jan 17, 2023•46 min
Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “It’s the Little Things”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of a sold-out crowd on December 15, 2022 at The Wilma in Missoula, MT. Our first story comes to us from Ean Kessler. Ean wrestles with himself and his relationship to his father, whom he barely knows. Ean calls his story “Shaken Ground”. 📷 kmr studios Ean Miles Kessler is a playwright, theater artist, and storyteller, originally hailing from the East Coast...
Jan 13, 2023•41 min
This episode of the podcast was recorded in front of a live audience on July 8, 2010 at The PEAS Farm in Missoula, MT at an event that predates Tell Us Something. Missoula residents Jeremy N. Smith and Josh Slotnick hosted the event, which they called “Eat our Words”. 5 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “Leaving Home”. Jeremy Smith recently reached out to me because one of those storytellers recently passed away. John Engen has graced the Tell Us Something stage twice, a...
Dec 08, 2022•12 min
This episode of the podcast was recorded in front of a live audience on August 31, 2022 in Black Rock City at Center Camp at the Burning Man event. 5 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “Waking Dreams”. Today we hear from three of those storytellers. Jack Butler was raised in Kentucky, and found the outdoors and forests to be a great playground. He developed a love of reading at an early age and would lose himself in the adventures and stories. Jack spent 6 years in the mi...
Nov 01, 2022•33 min
Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Letting Go”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of over 900 listeners on September 27, 2022 at The Dennison in Missoula, MT. Our first story comes to us from Kate Wilburn. Kate loves wood and woodworking. She learned the craft of timber framing 40 years ago, collected materials for a timber frame house, hauled them around for 30 years, and is now ready to let them go. Kate calls her story “Dovetail: A Love Story”. K...
Oct 26, 2022•50 min
Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Letting Go”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of over 900 listeners on September 27, 2022 at The Dennison in Missoula, MT. Our first story comes to us from Susan Shenker. A chance meeting with a stranger in a car wash waiting room leads to a (consensual) ogling of breasts, a feeling up, and much-needed information for Susan on her journey of deciding about breast reconstruction after surviving breast cancer. Susan...
Oct 23, 2022•44 min
Joseph Grady talks about Native spaces, acting, art and storytelling. Thanks to Sierra Tai-Brownlee for sharing her podcast Impactful Experiences with Sierra Tai-Brownlee.
Sep 19, 2022•35 min
Rachel Bemis shares her impactful experience of finally deciding to become a teacher after a fulfilling career in other sectors. Sierra Tai-Brownlee, former Tell Us Something Board member, interviews Rachel for her podcast ” https://www.tellussomething.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/0TUS012-014-Meet-the-Board-Rachel-Bemis.mp3 .
Sep 12, 2022•26 min
Tell Us Something Board Secretary Sarah FitzGerald reflects on the impactful experience of volunteering for a Jesuit organization in St. Louis, Missouri.
Sep 05, 2022•39 min
Tell Us Something Board member Jason Sloat sits down with former Board member Sierra Tai-Brownlee on her podcast Impactful Experiences with Sierra Tai-Brownlee . Jason recalls his impactful experience of visiting Missoula with a buddy and calling an old professor from a payphone – a phone call that changed his life trajectory.
Aug 29, 2022•33 min
Jason Forges talks about listening to himself, the disconnect that an urban dweller feels from nature and creativity.
Aug 22, 2022•25 min
This episode of the Tell Us Something podcast was recorded live in person, in front of a sold-out crowd on June 27, 2022, in Bonner Park, in Missoula, MT. Four storytellers share their true personal stories live without notes on the theme “Didn’t See That Coming”. Our first story comes to us from Katie Garding. Some bad decisions on a New Years Even lead to a wrongful conviction and 10 years in prison for Katie Garding. Katie calls her story “The Paths We Take”. Thanks, Katie. Katie Garding is a...
Jul 21, 2022•34 min
This episode of the Tell Us Something podcast was recorded live in person, in front of a sold-out crowd on June 27, 2022, in Bonner Park, in Missoula, MT. Four storytellers share their true personal stories live without notes on the theme “Didn’t See That Coming”. Our first story comes to us from Rae Scott Rae takes us on a hike up Waterworks Hill in Missoula, MT, where they finally find the mother they’ve always wanted. Rae calls their story “Good Mom Hunting”. Rae Scott is a theatre nerd throu...
Jul 11, 2022•47 min
