As you take your seats in the theatre, the lights dim and a voice says “Please locate the nearest exits, turn off all cellular devices, and if you should wish to partake of hard candy during the performance, please Unwrap Your Candies Now…” and then the show begins! Ernie Manouse and Catherine Lu invite you into the world of the performing and visual arts, through conversations with the personalities who bring that world to life. Each episode of UYCN features lively conversations with colorful characters — helping the listener connect with the ideas and people who are shaping today’s pop culture landscape.
As you take your seats in the theatre, the lights dim and a voice says “Please locate the nearest exits, turn off all cellular devices, and if you should wish to partake of hard candy during the performance, please Unwrap Your Candies Now…” and then the show begins! Ernie Manouse and Catherine Lu invite you into the world of the performing and visual arts, through conversations with the personalities who bring that world to life. Each episode of UYCN features lively conversations with colorful characters — helping the listener connect with the ideas and people who are shaping today’s pop culture landscape.
In this episode of the podcast “Unwrap Your Candies Now,” Ernie Manouse chats with Mariah Lyttle, who stars as “Celie” in the North American-touring production of The Color Purple. Society for the Performing Arts presents the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical from January 3 – 4 at The Hobby Center.
Then, Catherine Lu features a sound portrait of Houston poet Francis T. Goodbeer. Produced originally for HPM’s Voices and Verses series, the segment explores Goodbeer’s love of poetry and her journey from retired nurse to published writer through Inprint’s Senior Memoir Workshop. She reads her poem “The Joy of Seniorhood.”
Share your comments, questions and ideas at UYCN@houstonpublicmedia.org.
Music used The Color Purple segment: "What About Love" from The Color Purple (2015 Broadway cast recording) and The Color Purple National Tour trailer
Music used in poetry segment: Valse Pour Maman (excerpt) by Alexandra Stréliski from Pianoscope, Annabel Lee (excerpt) by Edgar Allan Poe read by Basil Rathbone, Dies Irie (excerpt) by Kenji Bunch from Ahn Trio: Lullaby For My Favorite Insomniac, Romanze, op. 28, no. 2 (excerpt) by Robert Schumann from Timothy Hester: The Classical 91.7 Sessions and Hang on Little Tomato (excerpt) by Pink Martini from Hang on Little Tomato