Joanna Sokol’s life as a paramedic took her to three different counties: the casinos and trailer parks of the Nevada desert, the cozy beach town of Santa Cruz, and, eventually, the crowded tenements of San Francisco’s Tenderloin district.There are no clear villains or heroes in Sokol’s world, only a group of patients and medics who are doing their best in a deeply broken system. She tells many stories of that time in the new book, “A Real Emergency: Stories from the Ambulance.”
Jul 14, 2025•17 min
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Senior Fellow, Bard Center for Civic Engagement Jim Ketterer, Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Robert Pondiscio, and Political Consultant and lobbyist Libby Post.
Jul 14, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Each weekday morning, The Roundtable's Joe Donahue is joined by various experts, journalists, educators, and commentators to discuss current events. On Roundtable Panel: The Week in Review, we feature your favorite panelists discussing news items from the previous week.
Jul 12, 2025•1 hr
This week's Book Picks comes from Suzanna Hermans of Oblong Books in Rhinebeck and Millerton, New York and Lily Bartels from Open Door Bookstore in Schenectady, New York.
Jul 11, 2025•26 min
Comedian, actor, television writer, author, and musician Paul Reiser is one of Hollywood’s most prolific creatives and voted by Comedy Central as one of the top 100 comedians of all time. He performs sold out stand ups and venues nationwide. He will be at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington Massachusetts on July 25th.
Jul 11, 2025•18 min
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Joseph Palamountain Jr. Chair in Government at Skidmore College Beau Breslin, Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College Malia DuMont, and Semi-retired, Editor at large/columnist/editorial writer, Times Union Jay Jochnowitz.
Jul 11, 2025•1 hr 20 min
Jul 10, 2025•36 min
Hudson Valley Shakespeare in Garrison, New York wouldn’t be what it is without putting a Shakespeare work or two on its feet in the season under the tent. This summer, HVS presents “The Comedy of Errors” - a classic of mistaken identity and giddy mayhem.Ryan Quinn directs “The Comedy of Errors” for Hudson Valley Shakespeare and he joins us.
Jul 10, 2025•11 min
Kurt Rhodes and Nance Williamson star as Horace Vandergelder and Dolly Gallagher-Levi in “The Matchmaker” by Thornton Wilder at Hudson Valley Shakespeare in Garrison, New York through August 3.
Jul 10, 2025•16 min
Here is what The New York Times says about the work presented at Bard SummerScape. They say it is “A hothouse for the creation of uncompromising, cross-disciplinary hits.”Bard SummerScape returns this year with an ambitious and genre-spanning festival of the arts. Through August 17th, the Fisher Center at Bard will be abuzz with opera, dance, music, and Spiegeltent revelry. Then comes the 35th Bard Music Festival on August 8–10 and 14–17.
Jul 10, 2025•15 min
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are public policy and communications expert Theresa Bourgeois, Former Vice President for Editorial Development at the New York Press Association Judy Patrick, and Associate Professor of Government at Dutchess Community College and since 2023, she has been President of the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley Dr. Karin Riedl.
Jul 10, 2025•1 hr 16 min
WAM Theatre’s Fresh Takes Play Reading Series presents ground-breaking stories that are imaginative and thoughtful explorations of complex issues affecting women and girls. This Sunday, July 13 at Ventfort Hall in Lenox, Massachusetts, WAM presents “Alien Girls” by Amy Berryman. The reading is directed by WAM’s Artistic Director Genée Coreno and will have performances at both 2 and 7 p.m.
Jul 09, 2025•11 min
The Klezmatics, Eleanor Reissa, Joanne Borts, and Michael Winograd are among the internationally acclaimed performers taking the stage at Yidstock: The Festival of New Yiddish Music, returning to the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, Massachusetts, this Thursday through Sunday.
Jul 09, 2025•14 min
From July 13 through August 29, Music Haven will offer ten varied and dazzling concerts; a celebrated local music festival; an annual, eagerly anticipated Blues BBQ; and a three-part film series exploring even more aspects of music. To tell us more, we welcome Producing Artistic Director Mona Golub.
Jul 09, 2025•15 min
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College Robert Brigham, Dean of the College of Emergency Preparedness, Homeland Security and Cybersecurity at the University at Albany Robert Griffin, and CEO of The Business Council of New York State Heather Mulligan.
Jul 09, 2025•1 hr 22 min
Western New England University political science professor Tim Vercellotti speaks with WAMC's Ian Pickus on "The Congressional Corner" July 8.
Jul 08, 2025•30 min
Tonight, through July 27, Barrington Stage Company presents the World Premiere of the new musical “FUZZY.” Directed by Ellie Heyman, “FUZZY” features Music and Lyrics by Will Van Dyke and Book and Lyrics by Jeff Talbott.Fuzzy, a furry little puppet, stands at a crossroads in life when his mother calls in need. Returning to his small hometown, a quick visit becomes more than anyone expected.Tony Award nominee John Cariani star as The Human, Cass Morgan plays The Actress and Teddy Yudain is The Pu...
Jul 08, 2025•13 min
Now through July 26, The Berkshire Theatre Group presents The Berkeley Repertory Theatre Production of “Out of Character,” a personal and moving solo play written and performed by Tony Award winner Ari’el Stachel. The show is running on the Larry Vaber Stage at BTG’s Unicorn Theatre in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.
Jul 08, 2025•16 min
At the center of this Williamstown Theatre Festival season, or “W71,” is the inaugural Creative Collective, a new collaborative leadership model, led by Tony Award nominee and Pulitzer Prize Winner Jeremy O. Harris.W71 will feature a multi-disciplinary investigation and celebration of playwright Tennessee Williams.Williams’ “Camino Real” will run Saturday, July 19 to Sunday, August 3 on Williamstown’s MainStage with Pamela Anderson as ‘Marguerite,’ Whitney Peak as ‘Esmerelda,’ and Emmy Award win...
Jul 08, 2025•17 min
Arts and culture are one of the most vibrant sectors of the Berkshire County economy. As a result, the leaders of 10 arts and culture institutions from across Berkshire County have convened the Berkshire Arts and Culture Alliance (BACA) to advocate for economic, tourism, and infrastructure needs of the arts and culture organizations in the county. We welcome representatives from six of the 10 organizations to make up our panel this morning.
Jul 08, 2025•1 hr 24 min
Adirondack Theatre Festival Producing Artistic Director Miriam Weisfeld joins us with a preview of ATF's remaining shows this season.
Jul 07, 2025•10 min
The New York City Ballet will be at SPAC in Saratoga Springs from July 9th -12th. We get a preview of this week’s performances from New York City Ballet Artistic Director Jonathan Stafford.
Jul 07, 2025•9 min
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Former U.S. Army officer and State Department Diplomat who taught at Bard College for six years and is now a Senior Fellow at Bard's Center for Civic Engagement Ambassador Frederic Hof, Political Consultant and lobbyist Libby Post, and Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at Vassar Catherine Tan.
Jul 07, 2025•1 hr 18 min
Each weekday morning, The Roundtable's Joe Donahue is joined by various experts, journalists, educators, and commentators to discuss current events. On Roundtable Panel: The Week in Review, we feature your favorite panelists discussing news items from the previous week.
Jul 05, 2025•1 hr
This summer’s Manchester Music Festival will celebrate the connections between literature, poetry, song, and music with events at the Southern Vermont Arts Center and the Manchester Community Library July 10 – August 7.Philip Setzer, violinist and founding member of the world-renowned Emerson Quartet, is the Artistic Director of The Manchester Music Festival and he joins us.
Jul 03, 2025•14 min
In the book "The Spirit of Philadelphia," former Congressman Chris Gibson explores the concept of the social state and its potential for renewal in contemporary society. Joe Donahue spoke with Chris Gibson in a WAMC on the Road event at Kinderhook Books in Kinderhook, New York on June 18, 2025. Find out about Gibson's future book events here.
Jul 03, 2025•32 min
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are Chief of Staff and Vice President for Strategy and Policy at Bard College Malia DuMont, Tetherless World Professor of Computer, Web and Cognitive Sciences at RPI Jim Hendler, Executive Director of The Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York Nic Rangel, and Wall Street Investment Banker Mark Wittman.
Jul 03, 2025•1 hr 30 min
The new book “The Baddest Man: The Making of Mike Tyson” by best-selling author Mark Kriegel is a story about fame, race, greed, criminality, trauma, and the creation of the most feared and mesmerizing fighter in the history of boxing. In a life that included incarceration and molestation, booze, coke, the death of a child, and perhaps the most treacherous fame Mike Tyson has nevertheless survived. Decades removed from his short lived prime we are still very interested in Mike Tyson.
Jul 02, 2025•25 min
In the new children’s book “Marianne the Maker” Kelly Corrigan and her daughter Claire Corrigan Lichty make the case for making. Which just might just be the antidote to the current epidemic of depression and anxiety that is facing so many children today.
Jul 02, 2025•14 min
The Roundtable Panel: a daily open discussion of issues in the news and beyond. Today's panelists are public policy and communications expert Theresa Bourgeois, Professor of History and International Relations at Vassar College Robert Brigham, and Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute Robert Pondiscio.
Jul 02, 2025•1 hr 21 min
