All of Chicago read (should have read!) Arthur Miller’s The Crucible this past Fall as part of the Chicago Public Library’s One Book One, Chicago citywide reading program. Chicago Public Radio’s Third Coast International Audio Festival was thrilled to collaborate with the Library and Steppenwolf Theatre Company for a program that asked, through performance and audio documentary, what does it mean to be American? And how has that idea has shifted over time? The evening included a selection of unforgettable short audio documentaries exploring everything from what Americans today say they’d live and die for to the story of one man’s childhood, growing up as the son of a blacklisted screen writer.

The Third Coast International Audio Festival was created by Chicago Public Radio in 2000 to support producers and other artists creating audio documentary and feature work of all styles and to bring this fresh and vital work to audiences throughout the world.

Recorded Wednesday, October 10, 2007 at Steppenwolf Garage.