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Ira Glass, the creator, producer and host of the genre-defining program This American Life, will appear at 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at Santa Barbara’s Granada Theatre as part of UCSB Arts & Lectures series.
One of America’s most compelling storytellers, Glass captivates nearly 4 million listeners every week on public radio. He also is editorial advisor to the podcasts Serial and S-Town,
Onstage at the Granada, Glass, who was named Time magazine’s Best Radio Host in America, will mix stories live using audio clips, music and video, providing a unique look into his creative process, and revealing what it takes to weave a great story.
Glass created This American Life in 1995 in Chicago; it went national in early 1996. Under his editorial direction, the program has won the highest honors for broadcasting and journalistic excellence, including five Peabody awards, the duPont-Columbia, the Edward R. Murrow and the Overseas Press Club.
This American Life is heard each week by more than 2.2 million listeners on more than 500 public radio stations in the U.S., Australia and Canada, with another 2.5 million downloading each podcast.
A television adaptation of This American Life ran on Showtime for two seasons in 2007 and 2008, winning three Emmys.
Glass and the staff of This American Life created the program Serial, which has more than 10 million iTunes downloads each episode. He is also one of the producers of Mike Birbiglia’s film Don’t Think Twice, and produced and co-wrote Birbiglia’s first film Sleepwalk with Me.
Glass began his career as an intern at National Public Radio’s network headquarters in Washington, D.C., in 1978, when he was 19. Over the years, he worked on nearly every NPR network news program and held virtually every production job in NPR’s Washington headquarters.
He has been a tape-cutter, newscast writer, desk assistant, editor, reporter and producer. He has filled in as host of Talk of the Nation and Weekend All Things Considered.
Event sponsors for the Granada show are Suzi and Glen Serbin. Media sponsors: KCLU 102.3 FM (88.3 FM Ventura) and Santa Barbara Independent. Wine sponsor: Casa Dumetz Wines.
Tickets are $35-$50 for the general public, $19 for UCSB students, with valid student ID. A limited quantity of $100 tickets include an artist meet-and-greet reception. A Granada facility fee will be added to each ticket price.
For tickets and more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures, 893-3535, or visit www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu; or contact The Granada, 899-2222, or granadasb.org.
— Caitlin O’Hara for UCSB Arts & Lectures.