WPR and WPT celebrated 100 years of public broadcasting with a “grand finale” live event at Madison’s Overture Center on Saturday, October 14. It was a night of stories, music, conversation and more, emceed by Ari Shapiro, host of NPR’s All Things Considered.
More than 1,400 fans heard how stories have the power to inform and inspire our lives and the world around us. They heard personal stories of Wisconsin, learned how reporters and producers craft the stories you love, they saw WPR’s history come alive in special animations by WPT, and joined in a live Let’s Sing finale.
Our Special Guests Included:
- Ari Shapiro, All Things Considered Host
- Brian Reed, S-Town Creator/Host and This American Life Senior Producer
- Kate Archer Kent, The Morning Show Host
- Anne Strainchamps, To the Best of Our Knowledge Host
- Dr. Jonathan Overby, Higher Ground Host
- Kimberly Blaeser, 2015-2016 Wisconsin Poet Laureate
- Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Storyteller and The Moth StorySLAM Host
- Alyson Chavez, Storyteller
- Isaiah Furquan, Storyteller
- Bill Siemering, NPR’s First Program Director and MacArthur Genius Grant Recipient
- Max Garland, 2013-2014 Wisconsin Poet Laureate
- Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra Members
- Madison Youth Choir
- Deja Mason, Soloist
- Elijah Edwards, Soloist
Special thanks to all of our performers, stage crew and Sarah Marty, Executive Producer and Director of The Power of Story. And to our house band, Mark Wurzelbacher, Ben Ferris and Michael Koszewski.
Special thanks to our event sponsors:
