Make-Believe
Every story is a crossroads. A diverse company of Chicago artists produces new audio dramas—recorded live—and stages freewheeling audience conversations about them. Led by Founder and Executive Producer Jeremy McCarter, Make-Believe shares suspenseful, moving, hilarious stories, and tries to discove… read more
All Episodes
Listening to Lake Song
October 12th, 2022
LAKE SONG makes its debut today on the Tribeca Audio Premieres podcast! Listen here.
Starting on October 13, listen to LAKE SONG on its own podcast feed.
Available everywhere, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google …
Trailer 2: Chicago Poets--Past, Present, Future
October 6th, 2022
Lake Song co-creator Nate Marshall talks about what Chicago poets have always done. . . and what they're *going* to do.
Lake Song, the epic new audio-drama series from Make-Believe Association, will debut October 12 as …
Trailer: Lake Song
September 30th, 2022
OFFICIAL SELECTION - Tribeca Festival Audio Premieres. It's 2098 and the Republic of Chicago has what the world needs: fresh water. But with new opportunities come new threats, especially for a pair of siblings on the …
Our Decameron: Shakespeare in Utopia
April 24th, 2020
Following the cancellation of Shakespeare in the Park, Oskar Eustis talks about a utopian story in one of Shakespeare's plays. A practical guide to …
Our Decameron: Lorraine Hansberry at the End of the World
April 16th, 2020
Can a new society arise from a cataclysm? Does humanity deserve a second chance? Chicago author and journalist Natalie Moore joins a virtual audience to explore utopia, dystopia, and the radical imagination while …
Our Decameron: The Tortoise, the Hare, and Will Leitch
April 1st, 2020
To tide us over until baseball returns, sportswriter Will Leitch breaks down the most famous athletic contest of all time, and a lively virtual audience debates its moral today.
…
Our Decameron: Chicken Little
March 24th, 2020
The sky might or might not be falling, but the story that gave rise to that phrase is everywhere. In episode two of our series inspired by Boccaccio, Stephanie Ybarra and a group of fascinating people from all over the …
Our Decameron: Zen in Seattle
March 17th, 2020
Inspired by Boccaccio, a new series of conversations in which we share a story and invite a fascinating person to talk about what it means. In episode one, Martin Edlund of Malaria No More interprets the Zen fable about …
City on Fire: Chicago Race Riot 1919
October 4th, 2019
A docudrama about the summer that ravaged a city--and remade it. Co-produced with WBEZ.
-------------------------------------------
CITY ON FIRE: CHICAGO RACE RIOT 1919
A co-production of WBEZ Chicago and …
Lost Books of the Odyssey
March 1st, 2019
Odysseus, the “man of twists and turns”, goes on five new adventures, portrayed by five amazing actors. Sing for our time, too.
To contact Make-Believe, email us at talk@makebelieve.fm
---------------
Lost Books of the …
Bruh Rabbit
February 7th, 2019
Brer Rabbit, the iconic trickster of African-American folklore, returns in new tales by the poet Nate Marshall: It’s a whole new briar patch now.
To …
Brava
January 15th, 2019
A brave girl's journey through a land of many monsters, adapted from a Mexican folktale by Nancy García Loza. Performed and recorded live in Chicago, …
Overture: Where Do Stories Come From?
January 10th, 2019
How can creative artists make each other more creative? As we count down to the release of Make-Believe's first audio drama, we talk with Monica …
Coming Soon: Brava
January 3rd, 2019
A preview of the first audio drama in our season of Grown Folks Fables, a Mexican folktale con música by Nancy García Loza. A brave girl faces many …
Overture: Why Talk About Stories?
December 13th, 2018
Michael Sandel, philosopher and showman, helps us prep for Season 1 by showing how it's done. Plus: the art of listening, upstaging Matt Damon, and the case of Grasshopper v. Ant.
Want to talk with us? We're at …
Coming Soon: Make-Believe
December 6th, 2018
Welcome to Make-Believe Association, a Chicago-based company producing new audio dramas--recorded live--and conversations about how stories shape our world. It's independent. It draws from the breadth of our vibrant …
Listen to Make-Believe
RadioPublic
A free podcast app for iPhone and Android
- User-created playlists and collections
- Download episodes while on WiFi to listen without using mobile data
- Stream podcast episodes without waiting for a download
- Queue episodes to create a personal continuous playlist
Connect with listeners
Podcasters use the RadioPublic listener relationship platform to build lasting connections with fans
Yes, let's begin connecting
Find new listeners
- A dedicated website for your podcast
- Web embed players designed to convert visitors to listeners in the RadioPublic apps for iPhone and Android
Understand your audience
- Capture listener activity with affinity scores
- Measure your promotional campaigns and integrate with Google and Facebook analytics
Engage your fanbase
- Deliver timely Calls To Action, including email acquistion for your mailing list
- Share exactly the right moment in an episode via text, email, and social media
Make money
- Tip and transfer funds directly to podcastsers
- Earn money for qualified plays in the RadioPublic apps with Paid Listens
Updated privacy policy: We have made some changes to our Privacy Policy. Please note that your continued use of the RadioPublic services following the posting of such changes will be deemed an acceptance of this update. Learn more.