Destination Freedom Black Radio Days
Destination Freedom Black Radio Days presents highy produced orginal Audio Dramas and interviews with people who get stuff done. Produced and directed by award winner filmaker and radio host donnie l. betts. Co produced by audio wiz Maurice (aka Reese) Smith.
Featured guests, Lynn Nottage, Sharon Washington, Charles Wright, Allison Semmes, Idris Goodwin, Marla and Angela Gibbs to name a few.
Audio Dramas, A letter from Heaven to America from Emmett Till, The Voice of The Spirit is Clear
Destination Freedom (now branded Destination Freedom Black Radio Days, this program illuminates a largely unknown, but important chapter in the history of human rights and tells how radio played its part from the very beginning. That boundary-breaking program, Destination Freedom, dramatized the lives of great figures in African-American and other people of color past and present, continues in its spirit with all-new scripts. This series honors and expands on that theme of the orginioal series from Richard Durham.
1
Interview with Devon Goffman star Some Like Hot...
19 min
2
S3 EP24 Seven Coffins
Seven Coffins is a drama of abuse, trafficking, and also awareness. Told via poetry and dialogue. Listen in. Written by Confidence Zora Simone Omenai. Produced and directed by donnie l. betts for No Credits Productions, LLC..
31 min
3
S3 Ep23 Round Solstice
Playwright Nadiya Jackson of Round Solstice says, "The play was inspired by a compilation of poems I wrote referencing the relationship humans have with nature. Over time it became an experimental play adaptation of those poems where I explored the potential consequences of climate change in a more abstract way."
11 min
4
S3 Ep22 The Voice of The Spirit is Clear
Living on the streets Lashawn Hughes a young girl dim of sight and hard of hearing, she is homeless, and hopeless. Then that quiet voice her soul became stronger, louder, leading her spirit true and powerful. Now, all can see her, her strength, her mind, and her heart. The voice of the spirit is clear. This powerful drama has scenes of sexual abuse. Listener's discretion is advised. Written by Hugo Jon Sayles and produced and directed by donnie l. betts.
36 min
5
S3 Ep21 The Eclectic - Conversation with the Ch...
28 min
6
S3 Ep20 The Eclectic - Conversation with Attorn...
Attorney General of Minnestoa Keith Ellison who tried Derek Chauvin the killer of George Floyd
27 min
7
S3 Ep19 The Eclectic - Conversation with author...
Our guest is author and award-winning journalist Patti Hartigan. Her recent book August Wilson A Life is receiving praise from literary circles, theatre circles, and academic circles alike.
44 min
8
S3 EP18 Year in Review 2023
Destination Freedom Black Radio Days Year in Review 2023. Interviews with David Byrne, Lynn Nottage, and others, plus audio dramas. Enjoy.
9 min
9
S3 Ep17 The Eclectic - Conversation with artis...
Our guest is artist Allison Semmes. One of Allison latest achievements is that she is part of the Barry Manilow/Bruce Sussman musical Harmony. She portrays the artist and activist icon Josephine Baker.
19 min
10
S3 EP16 The Eclectic - Conversation with artis...
Sheryl McCallum. McCallum is a graduate of Denver South High School who found lasting success on Broadway playing several roles in Disney’s The Lion King.
29 min
11
S3 EP 15 The Eclectic - Rutha Mae Harris, activ...
In the summer of 1961, Rutha Mae Harris was home visiting her family after her first year at Florida A&M University. Protests had been erupting in Albany, her hometown, and Harris had to face a question that many young people involved in the struggle asked themselves – would she go back to school or stay and organize?
29 min
12
S3 EP14 The Eclectic - Report from the trial of...
Producer/Director donnie l. betts first hand report on the trial of Elijah McClain
8 min
13
S3 EP13 - The Difference
Live from the studios of KGNU in Boulder, Colorado, Destination Freedom Black Radio Days comes to you with The Difference by Peter Trinh. The Difference is a candid dive into racial dynamics and the chasm that grows between the perceived and global majority. Peering into the veiled, uncomfortable, underbelly of neo-supremacist ideology.
57 min
14
S3 EP12 The Eclectic - Lynn Nottage, two time P...
Our guest is Lynn Nottage. Ms. Nottage has received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice: in 2009 for her play Ruined, and in 2017 for her play Sweat. She is the first and the only woman to have won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama two times. Nottage is the recipient of a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship and was included in Time magazine's 2019 list of the 100 Most Influential People. On January 13, 2022 Lynn tweeted that she would have a comedy Clyde’s, and a musical MJ for which she wrote the book on Broadway at the same time. She also has an opera for the play Intimate Apparel. Her work is being produced by 24 different major theatres this season according to American Theatre Magazine. Her play "Clyde's" is the most produced play in 2023/24.
48 min
15
S3 EP11 The Eclectic - Conversation about Junet...
June 19th is host donnie l. betts birthday. Born and raised in east Texas he reached out to others that were born on this day and are not from Texas and asked their thoughts on this day - retired Judge Vallera Johnson and marketing rep Danielle Brooks.
32 min
16
S3 EP10 The Eclectic - Conversation with multi-...
Join me producer donnie l. betts for my conversation with SHARON WASHINGTON (Co-Book Writer) "New York New York" Tony nominee. A proud Native New Yorker with her family living in Manhattan since 1835, Sharon is celebrating over 30 years as an actor. She is thrilled to continue her collaboration with this incredible creative team who she worked with on The Scottsboro Boys musical—this time as a writer.
45 min
17
S3 EP9 Grave Diggers Handicap, The Story of Isa...
Folks may be familiar with the fine clothes, big hats, and of course the fast horses. But did you know the first 10 winners of the Derby were Black? The first 3 time winner was Issac Murphy. Many consider Murphy the greatest American jockey of all time. By his own account, Murphy won 44% of his races. Racing historians can only verify 34.5% from the era, but it's likely that some of Murphy's races were not documented. Either way, Murphy set a standard that no other jockey has come close to matching. Consider that Eddie Arcaro, recognized as the greatest U.S. jockey of the 20th Century, had a winning percentage of only 22%. Murphy was the first jockey inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1956. Next up on Destination Freedom one of my favorite audio dramas from our series - THE GRAVE DIGGERS HANDICAP, The Story of Isaac Murphy.
31 min
18
S3 EP8 The Eclectic - Conversation with Marla a...
Marla Gibbs (born Margaret Theresa Bradley; June 14, 1931) is an American actress, singer, comedian, activist, writer, and television producer whose career spans seven decades. Gibbs is known for her role as George Jefferson's maid, Florence Johnston, in the CBS sitcom The Jeffersons (1975–1985), for which she received five nominations for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series. She is a legend, an icon, and a lovely human being. Angela Gibbs: Writer/ Director/Acting Coach. Currently featured in Not Dead Yet on ABC and Hulu. And she used to rock the screen in Hacks. Her most famous roles include Doris Jackson in Straight Outta Compton and Barbara Cochran in The People v. OJ Simpson. She has also appeared in hit American shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, S.W.A.T, Suits, and NCIS: Los Angeles. He portrayed Randall Pierce mother of the last season of This Is Us.
54 min
19
S3 EP7 I AM, an audio drama written by Kenya Fa...
“I Am” was written by Kenya Fashaw and directed by donnie l. betts. Mimi and Jabari are in love however will Mimi's insane jealousy spoil the young lovers' quest for a beautiful life together? Mimi might need a little help from an unexpected source. Let’s find out in this episode of Destination Freedom Black Radio Days.
18 min
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S3 EP6 Cages, an audio drama written by Kenya F...
After a global race war the year is 2071. We find a world full of life chips, skin sealers and the beige nation. The world has tried to eliminate all the dark people. There are no traces of dark skinned people ,or are there?
28 min
21
S3 EP5 The Eclectic - Interview with Co-Creato...
Next on the Eclectic, the amazing David Byrne!
33 min
22
S3 EP4 The Eclectic - Interview with Director ...
Andrew Scoville is a NYC-based, Chicago-born theater director and creator of original work. He Specializes in immersive layouts, technological landscapes, and hybrid-genre theater-making with an emphasis on integrating science ideas into theatrical experiences.
26 min
23
S3 Ep3 The Eclectic- Conversation with Produce...
Host donnie betts is joined by Charlie Miller, the Executive Director & Curator of Off-Center and part of the Denver Center for the Performing Arts Executive Team.
25 min
24
S3 Ep 2 The Tale of Stackalee: The Live Concert
As a follow up to S3 Ep1, this episode features a concert by Lionel Young, Roy Hightower, and Otis Taylor recorded live directly following the audio drama The Tale of Stackalee.
32 min
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S3 Ep 1 The Tale of Stackalee
In this episode we hear Richard Dunham take on this larger-than-life figure. Stackalee or Stagger Lee is filled with the amazing blues soundscape from Lionel Young, Roy Hightower, and Otis Taylor.
31 min