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The Next Big Thing
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Willard Asylum (Blue Chevigny)Who Had the Keys
The story of an asylum for the mentally ill, and the town that grew up around it. Also, Sam Waterston’s recreation, on location, of Abraham Lincoln’s famous Cooper Union speech. And the band Barbez, crossing genres and boroughs.
The Dog Has Spoken
The California company Genetic Savings and Clone has already cloned pet cats. We consult with an opinion-maker named Lulu on whether or not dogs should be next. Translation provided by Lulu’s owner, Daniel Pinkwater
Holding Forth at Cooper Union
On February 27, 1860, Abraham Lincoln gave a speech at Cooper Union’s Great Hall that captivated his audience. Were such a speech - filled with details of constitutional history – given today, would it have had such an effect? Harold Holzer, author of Lincoln at Cooper Union: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President, dared actor Sam Waterston (who has portrayed Lincoln before) to find out, by reading the speech once, in its entirety, before a live audience. We check in with Holzer and Waterston at Cooper Union, a few hours before the crowd shows up. Produced by Julie Subrin.
Back in Willard
When Willard Asylum was first built in upstate New York in 1869, there was no one around to say "not in my backyard." Rather, the town of Willard grew up around the institution. And then, over the course of the next century, the lives of those who lived "inside" and those who lived "outside" became utterly intertwined. The hospital is closed now, but the recent discovery of 400 suitcases belonging to some of its patients has stirred up a lot of memories, as Next Big Thing contributor Blue Chevigny has discovered. Produced by Amanda Aronczyk.
» Click on picture for a larger image of some items found at the Willard Asylum(Blue Chevigny)
» More on an exhibit of the found suitcases at the New York State Museum.
Rhyming in the Ring
Everyone has their methods when it comes to perfecting a skill. Tony Pellegrino is no different. Now in his sixties, he's been boxing at Gleason's Gym in Brooklyn for the past fourteen years, and he uses a rather surprising technique to master the fancy footwork. Produced by Jamie York.
Band with Van (and Theremin)
Dean Olsher takes a ride through the streets of New York in a battered tour bus along with the members of Barbez , a local, unconventional cabaret band. Along the way, they talk about leaks, day jobs, and the shaky economics of independent music. Produced by Amanda Aronczyk.
» Visit the barbez website
Glory of the Seas
Writer David Cale brings us another one of his fictional scenarios about little moments with big repercussions in the lives of ordinary people. This time we meet Judith Feldman on a boat, in the Atlantic Ocean, and in love. Judith is played by actress Laura Esterman. Produced by Emily Botein.