11/01 FEST OF THE BEST
Part I: Best of the Best Live Tapings
Every year at Third Coast, we put together a special radio broadcast featuring all the winners of the Third Coast/RHDF Competition, known as Best of the Best. Grab your coffee & join us Sunday morning for a live taping of two Best of the Best behind-scenes conversations with the producers who created two of this year’s winning pieces.
For the past 15 years, Best of the Best has been hosted by the one-and-only Gwen Macsai. This year, she’s off working on a new project: Rising to the Challenge, from Illinois Public Media. Palace Shaw joins us this year the host of Best of the Best, and as your live interviewer tomorrow!
LIVE TAPINGS SCHEDULE
8:30 am to 10:00 am CT
Alison Behringer of "Not This Again" (Bodies)
with Palace Shaw
12:30 PM to 1:30 PM CT
Dr. Janina Jeff & Sam Ridell of "Dat Rona"
(In Those Genes) with Palace Shaw
Part II: Fest of the Best Interview Relay
Okay, so — you’ve heard of running a marathon. We’re not doing that. We are talking a marathon.
With some of our favorite audio producers, human beings & former winners of the Third Coast/RHDF Competition, we’ll create an uninterrupted stream of conversation over nearly three hours.
You can tune in any time for any (or all!) of these eight discrete interviews, featuring nine brilliant audio people, in just one virtual event.
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HOW IT WORKS
We’ll start with two people in-conversation: one interviewer, and one interviewer. (It will be pretty casual, and tea/snacks are welcome.) After 20 minutes, the interviewer will pass-the-baton to the interviewee, and bid their farewell.
Then, the interviewee becomes the interviewer, with a brand-new interviewee. After another 20 minutes, the baton is passed again, and the cycle repeats itself.
And what will these talented folks be talking about? Whatever they want. (Suggested prompts include: most favorite things, how to persist in creating work in these times, what gets them most fired up, favorite foods, and a list of “first date” questions they can fall back on at any time!)
… which brings us to: the lineup! Here is your lineup of speakers for our first-ever Fest of the Best Marathon Interview (we encourage you to dig into their past work in our Producer Index.)
Come dwell with us in the power & inspiration of audio storytelling.
Fest of the Best is powered by 20 years of Third Coast’s annual Competition, supported and made possible since its inception by the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
Throughout the day, we’ll celebrate the brand-new winners of the 2020 Third Coast/Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Competition and welcome some of the most brilliant makers, thinkers, producers & journalists from the last two decades of this Competition to join us.
Fest of the Best unfolds in three parts. Read on to discover — and maker sure to stop by the Winners' Gallery, open all day.
The 2020 Third Coast/RHDF Fest of the Best Day wouldn't be possible without support from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation.
FEST OF THE BEST INTERVIEW RELAY SCHEDULE
2:00 pm CT
Marianne McCune & Veralyn Williams
2:20 pm CT
Veralyn Williams & Emily Kwong
2:40 pm CT
Emily Kwong & John Biewen
3:00 pm CT
John Biewen & Natalie Kestecher
3:20 pm CT
Natalie Kestecher & Rachel Matlow
3:40 pm CT
Rachel Matlow & Laura Starecheski
4:00 pm CT
Laura Starecheski & Tobin Low
4:20 pm CT
Tobin Low & Sayre Quevedo
Part III: Toast to the Winners & Dance Party!
This year’s interpretation of our annual Third Coast/RHDF Awards Ceremony will be:
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On Zoom!
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A bit shorter & snappier!
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Full of the same power, love & excitement we always offer the Third Coast/RHDF Competition winners!
Plus, winners’ acceptance speeches & a giant dance party… because what would the last night of Third Coast programming be without it!
AWARDS CELEBRATION SCHEDULE
5:00 pm CT
Red Carpet
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Wear your finest — whatever that might mean for you in quarantine.
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5:30 pm CT
Award Winners’ Toast (BYO Champagne)
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A screening of all the 2020 Third Coast/RHDF Winners' acceptance speeches!
6:30 pm CT
Dance Party
featuring DJ Ashleyanne Krigbaum
For real, we expect you to get in the groove with us. Nothing can stop radio producers from having a dance party, not even a global pandemic!