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Storytelling is an incredibly powerful tool. Sharing our lived experiences with each other in the form of stories has the ability to change and grow everyday events into lessons that reach beyond the storytellers’ personal experience and connect us together into a community. Life and... is a new podcast centered on first-person, true experiences, created in partnership between the Lackawanna & Luzerne Medical Societies, Scranton Fringe, & Park Multimedia. Each season of this podcast will use personal storytelling to educate, entertain and engage the audience on a variety of unique topics. For the premiere season, this podcast will spotlight a few brave souls who have lived with substance misuse and wanted to share their true stories with our community. Please subscribe, review, and share this podcast across your own social media. This is LIFE AND... Substance Misuse. Executive Producer & Host: Tonyehn Verkitus Producer & Audio Engineer: Dan Kimbrough (of Park Multimedia) Co-Producers: Elizabeth Bohan & Conor Kelly O’Brien (of Scranton Fringe) Original music by DJ Williams Graphic design by Jess Meoni
Episodes
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
After a short hiatus, "Life and" is returning on all podcasting platforms!
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
Wednesday Apr 20, 2022
Life and - is a storytelling podcast centered on first-person, true experiences, created in partnership between the Luzerne Medical Societies, Scranton Fringe & Park Multimedia. Each episode features different storytellers telling their experiences, in their own words, as well as an engaging conversation between the storyteller and our host, Tonyehn Verkitus!
This season, we turn our spotlight onto a seemingly joyful, albeit very complex theme - celebration! The special guest for this, our finale of season 3, is Conor Kelly O'Brien. Conor is an actor, theatre-maker, and arts advocate. He has performed Off-Broadway, on stages across the country as well as a few small TV & film roles. His works as a playwright have seen several productions, both in the US and United Kingdom and he is a state-rostered artist within Pennsylvania where he serves as a resident artist & educator. He is the co-founder and Executive Director of the Scranton Fringe Festival as well as a proud member of the Dramatist Guild of America. You can learn more by visiting www.conorkellyobrien.com.
Please note, that this story touches upon the very real challenges of coming to terms with sexual or gender identity in your youth, including some abrasive language. A great resource to explore is the national nonprofit organization, The Trevor Project. Any listener that would benefit from this inclusive LGBTQ resource, or knows of someone who would should visit www.thetrevorproject.org for more information.
Wednesday Apr 13, 2022
Wednesday Apr 13, 2022
Life and - is a storytelling podcast centered on first-person, true experiences, created in partnership between the Luzerne Medical Societies, Scranton Fringe & Park Multimedia. Each episode features different storytellers telling their experiences, in their own words, as well as an engaging conversation between the storyteller and our host, Tonyehn Verkitus!
This season, we turn our spotlight onto a seemingly joyful, albeit very complex theme - celebration! Our special guest for this episode is David Hicks!
David Hicks was born and raised in New York and lived in Colorado for twenty years before moving to Scranton, Pennsylvania. He is the author of many short stories and the novel White Plains, which was named the #1 book by Colorado authors by Westword Magazine and was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award.
David has a Ph.D. from NYU and has taught at Pace University in New York, Marywood University in Scranton, and Regis University in Denver. He is the Director of Creative Writing at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. David is currently on a Fulbright Scholarship in the Czech Republic, teaching at Charles University in Prague.
Wednesday Apr 06, 2022
Wednesday Apr 06, 2022
Life and - is a storytelling podcast centered on first-person, true experiences, created in partnership between the Luzerne Medical Societies, Scranton Fringe & Park Multimedia. Each episode features different storytellers telling their experiences, in their own words, as well as an engaging conversation between the storyteller and our host, Tonyehn Verkitus!
This season, we turn our spotlight onto a seemingly joyful, albeit very complex theme - celebration!
Please note, this episode discusses, among many things, mental health and suicide ideation.
If any of our listeners, or someone you know, is in need of help - a fantastic resource is the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. You can reach this lifeline by calling 1-800-273-8255 or by visiting www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.
Monica Simon is a writer, artist, and web content creator from Scranton, Pa. She believes in the power of empathy and love which are transmitted through the power of storytelling. She enjoys catching live music, painting, and chasing her bunny around the living room. She aspires to grow old and look back at her life with amusement about what a ride it was!
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Wednesday Mar 30, 2022
Life and - is a storytelling podcast centered on first-person, true experiences, created in partnership between the Luzerne Medical Societies, Scranton Fringe & Park Multimedia. Each episode features different storytellers telling their experiences, in their own words, as well as an engaging conversation between the storyteller and our host, Tonyehn Verkitus!
This season, we turn our spotlight onto a seemingly joyful, albeit very complex theme - celebration!
In this episode, we are thrilled to feature Amber Viola!
Amber Viola graduated from North Pocono high school and enlisted in the United States Navy, serving honorably for eight years. While in the military, she advanced to the rank of Gunner’s Mate Second Class and was a Naval Military Training Instructor and a Department of Defense Victim Advocate. While serving as a Victim Advocate, Amber realized that she wanted to spend her life serving people and her community. She received her bachelor's degree in social work from Marywood University and is currently working towards her master's degree. Amber served as the Human Resources Director for the city of Scranton and sits on multiple boards. She is the Commander of the Gouldsboro American Legion and a mother to five-year-old Jacquelyn Viola. She is a community activist and an advocate for those who cannot advocate for themselves. Please note this episode discusses intimate health concerns including antenatal care.
Life and... is produced by Tonyehn Verkitus, Dan Kimbrough, Elizabeth Bohan & Conor Kelly O'Brien. Graphics by Jess Meoni & original music by DJ Williams.
Wednesday Mar 23, 2022
Wednesday Mar 23, 2022
This season, we turn our spotlight onto a seemingly joyful, albeit very complex theme - celebration!
The storyteller for this, our premiere episode of Life and Celebration is Mandy Pennington! Mandy Pennington is a writer, marketer, teacher, and speaker. By day, she is the Director of Digital Strategy at Wilkes University. By night, she is a student in the Maslow Family Graduate Program in Creative Writing. She is proud to be a member of the theatre community in Northeastern Pennsylvania as a founding member of the New Vintage Ensemble and a frequent volunteer with the Scranton Fringe Festival. She lives in Scranton, PA with her husband, Brent, and two mischievous cats. You can follow her on Twitter @mandybpenn.
Produced by Tonyehn Verkitus, Dan Kimbrough, Elizabeth Bohan & Conor Kelly O'Brien. Graphics by Jess Meoni & original music by DJ Williams.
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Wednesday Jun 09, 2021
Life and - is a storytelling podcast centered on first-person, true experiences, created in partnership between the Lackawanna & Luzerne Medical Societies, Scranton Fringe & Park Multimedia.
Each episode features different storytellers telling their experiences, in their own words, as well as an engaging conversation between the storyteller and our host, Tonyehn Verkitus!
This season, we turn our focus to another all too common experience that, given current circumstances, is more relevant than ever -- isolation.
The storyteller for this episode is Keith Williams. Keith Williams is the Advocacy and Outreach Coordinator for the Mycil Center for Independent Living. Keith is a graduate of the University of Scranton and King's College. He is the chair of the Lackawanna County Disability Action Committee, whose mission is to advise policymakers regarding the accessibility of county facilities and programs for people with disabilities, resulting in a more inclusive community. Keith shares his perspective about the isolation, and inclusion, that affect people with any kind of disability in today's society.
Wednesday May 12, 2021
Wednesday May 12, 2021
The storyteller for this episode is Simone Daniel. Simone is a Temple University graduate, an award-winning theatre and filmmaker, and while based in New York City, is an active member of the Northeast Pennsylvania arts community.