Radio Free Rhinecliff  
The Summer I Got Close

Episode 1: The Summer I Got Close

Summer of 1980. I'm trying out for my first musical in Palmdale, California.

Show notes

Welcome to Big & Salty, a podcast of stories by me, Chris Wells, told before a live audience. Many of the stories I’ll be sharing were written for The Secret City, a secular church of art I founded in New York City in 2007. The first season will be 12 episodes with a new episode every two weeks. Graphic: Cathy James and Anni Poppen

School just got out for the summer. I'm a gay teenager growing up in the Mojave desert when two friends invite me to try out for the musical over at the Palmdale Cultural Center.

What song will I sing? Will I be asked to dance? And what's up with all the strange characters attracted to community theater?

Recorded before a live audience at Morton Memorial Library in Rhinecliff, New York

Produced by Chris Wells and Matty Rosenberg @ radiofreerhinecliff.org Graphics by Cathy James and Anni Poppen Music by Fred Cassidy

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