Garry Wills, writer and historian, discusses his book "John Wayne's America: The Politics of Celebrity." He explores the popularity of John Wayne that took him from an actor and made him into an American symbol. He explores how the symbol of John Wayne is used by white male politicians to influence their decisions and how that affected the Vietnam War. Wills gives a biography of John Wayne, including the many influential people in his life such as his working partner, John Ford.

Interviewing the company of Free Street Too with Pat Henry, Free Street Theater founder and producer. Free Street Theater is an arts outreach organization that provides workshops in writing, theater, music and dance and stages performances for populations

Chicago playwright and actress Cindy Caponera discusses and acts out portions of her one-woman show "Against the Grain." Caponera’s show features three soliloquies delivered by different family members of a Chicago fireman in which themes of masculinity, labor rights, and family dynamics are explored. Studs plays "Ace in the Hole" - Johnny Mathis (1961).

Tallulah Bankhead thought she would become an aerialist when she grew up. At 16, after she saw some plays, Bankhead decided to go into acting. Bankhead never received any formal training and yet some experts in the theatre world called her “a natural”. In a surprise revelation, Bankhead said she does not attend the theatre as an audience member. She went on to say she likes to read books, watch television, and she loves her San Francisco Giants.

Author and journalist Tom Wolfe discusses his new book, "In Our Time," which focuses on the ever-changing culture and ethics of America. Drawing examples from his cartoons he discusses how the counterculture of the 1960s, TV evangelists, politicians, and actors are challenging mores and values of the American people.

Marcel Marceau, world renown mime, talks about when he performed in prisons in France, Germany, and Chicago, including death row inmates who he could not see. He also discusses moments where he met famous silent actors such as Charlie Chaplin, Harpo Marx, and Stan Laurel. They then discuss childhood and aging. Content Warning: This conversation has the presence of outdated, biased, offensive language. Rather than remove this content, we present it in the context of twentieth-century social history to acknowledge and learn from its impact and to inspire awareness and discussion.

Stage director Alan Schneider talks about his work with playwrights, Samuel Beckett and Edward Albee. Plays include "Waiting for Godot," "A Delicate Balance," and "Whose Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"