Radiotopia Presents: We're Doing the Wiz

To celebrate the anniversary of Red for Revolution’s Radiotopia debut, we’re dropping a special bonus episode.  Join members of the cast and creative team as they revisit the story's earliest seeds, its unexpected turns, and the beautiful collaboration. 
You’ll also hear exclusive, unreleased audio scenes from the cutting‑room floor. Part reflection, part celebration, and part revelation, this episode invites listeners into the room where the revolution truly began.
Red for Revolution is created, written, and directed by Jana Naomi Smith with Musical Direction by Tammy L. Hall and Sound Design by Collin Gerald Thomas. Original Music by Tammy L.  Hall and Jana Naomi Smith and performed by Renée Wilson, Loretta Devine, and Jordan Hull featuring the Red for Revolution band, Tammy L. Hall on piano, Kofy Brown on electric Bass, Ruth Davies on acoustic Bass, Ruthie Price on drums, Kristen Strom on saxophone and flute, and Vicki Randle on percussion. Cover art by Shefon N. Taylor. The series is executive produced by Renée Wilson, Jana Naomi Smith, and Meta Mana Media with associate producers Jordan Hull, Adrian Snegg, and Vanessa E. Williams. All episodes produced by Liz McBee.
The Red for Revolution team would like to thank each person who helped bring this project to life. Please visit redforrevolution.com for the complete credit and gratitude list. For additional resources and to sign up for our newsletter, visit redforrevolution.com.
This audio drama was recorded under the SAG-AFTRA 2020 New Media Principal Performer Contract.
This episode includes interviews with 
Jana Naomi Smith 
Jordan Hull
Tammy L. Hall 
Liz McBee
Renée Wilson
Alimi Ballard
And features performances by:
adrienne maree brown as series sonic guide
Ashley J. Hobbs as additional narrations 
Renée Wilson as Lorraine Giovanni (1970s)
Rutina Wesley as Ella Ali (1970s)
Alimi Ballard as LeRoy (1970s)
Will Kachi (Volunteer 1970s)
Music Featured:
“Revolution”
Written by Jana Naomi Smith
Original Composition by Tammy L. Hall 
Performed by Renée Wilson and the Red For Revolution Band
Tammy Hall, pianist & music director
Kofy Brown, electric Bassist
Ruth Davies, acoustic Bassist
Ruthie Price, drummer
Vicki Randle, percussionist
Kristen Strom, saxophonist/flautist 
For Radiotopia Presents, Yooree Losordo is the Managing Producer. Audrey Mardavich is the Executive Producer. Red for Revolution is part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed that debuts limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices. 

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to September. Public media has had a rough summer. On July 18th, Congress passed the Rescissions Act of 2025, which eliminated $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Then on August 1st, CPB announced they would be winding down operations.

When folks talk about these cuts, they usually talk about the vital public services public media provides, such as emergency alerts. But we'd be remiss if we didn't also talk about how NPR is an audio storytelling powerhouse. Throughout the month, we've partnered with our friends at NPR to present four pieces that represent the breadth and depth of their incredible reporting.

We hope you enjoy.
****************************
Part 1: This weekend on The Sunday Story, NPR's Laura Sullivan examines how the nation is failing to rebuild after major storms in a way that will protect them from the next one. As climate-related storms become more frequent and severe, NPR and PBS FRONTLINE investigate the forces keeping communities from building resiliently, and the special interests that profit when communities don't. Despite billions in federal aid, outdated policies, weak building codes, and political resistance are putting lives and homes at continued risk.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to September. Public media has had a rough summer. On July 18th, Congress passed the Rescissions Act of 2025, which eliminated $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Then on August 1st, CPB announced they would be winding down operations.

When folks talk about these cuts, they usually talk about the vital public services public media provides, such as emergency alerts. But we'd be remiss if we didn't also talk about how NPR is an audio storytelling powerhouse. Throughout the month, we've partnered with our friends at NPR to present four pieces that represent the breadth and depth of their incredible reporting.

We hope you enjoy.
****************************
As AI infiltrates every aspect of our lives, who are some of the people behind this huge inflection point? In this special three-part series, you'll hear from the people predicting and shaping our tech future. Host Manoush Zomorodi reports on the latest and revisits her favorite conversations with the minds crafting the digital world we live in today: what they've gotten right — and wrong — and where they think we're headed next. Part 1 features futurist Ray Kurzweil and counterculture icon Stewart Brand.

TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to September. Public media has had a rough summer. On July 18th, Congress passed the Rescissions Act of 2025, which eliminated $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Then on August 1st, CPB announced they would be winding down operations.

When folks talk about these cuts, they usually talk about the vital public services public media provides, such as emergency alerts. But we'd be remiss if we didn't also talk about how NPR is an audio storytelling powerhouse. Throughout the month, we've partnered with our friends at NPR to present four pieces that represent the breadth and depth of their incredible reporting.

We hope you enjoy.
****************************
Dinosaurs, Carl Sagan, and nuclear war. There was a moment in the not-so-distant past when we learned what drove the dinosaurs extinct — and that discovery, made during the Cold War, may have helped save humans from the same fate. In this episode, we'll take a journey from prehistoric times to the nuclear age and explore how humans contend with fears of the end.
To access bonus episodes and listen to Throughline sponsor-free, subscribe to Throughline+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org/throughline.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Welcome to September. Public media has had a rough summer. On July 18th, Congress passed the Rescissions Act of 2025, which eliminated $1.1 billion in funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Then on August 1st, CPB announced they would be winding down operations.

When folks talk about these cuts, they usually talk about the vital public services public media provides, such as emergency alerts. But we'd be remiss if we didn't also talk about how NPR is an audio storytelling powerhouse. Throughout the month, we've partnered with our friends at NPR to present four pieces that represent the breadth and depth of their incredible reporting.

We hope you enjoy.
****************************
In the mid-1980s, an OBGYN in Brazil noticed that far fewer pregnant women at his hospital were dying from abortion complications. It wasn't a coincidence.

Brazilian women had made a discovery that allowed them to safely have abortions at home, despite the country's abortion restrictions. That discovery eventually spread across the globe.

Embedded+ supporters get first access and sponsor-free listening for every Embedded series. Sign up at plus.npr.org/embedded.

Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices