Why does Christmas bring out the ghosts?

This hour, we dig into the world of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, and the Victorian obsession with spiritualism that shaped so many holiday tales.

We also explore two Connecticut productions of A Christmas Carol to see how performers keep this annual tradition fresh.

GUESTS:
Wesley Broulik: producing artistic director, Times Fool Company
Cynthia Rider: managing director, Hartford Stage 
Emma Gerstein: assistant manager of interpretation & living history coordinator, The Mark Twain House & Museum

Why does Christmas bring out the ghosts?
This hour, we dig into the world of Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, and the Victorian obsession with spiritualism that shaped so many holiday tales.
We also explore two Connecticut productions of&nbsp;A Christmas Carol&nbsp;to see how performers keep this annual tradition fresh.
GUESTS:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://wesleybroulik.net/">Wesley Broulik</a>:&nbsp;producing artistic director,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.timesfool.org/">Times Fool Company</a></li>
<li>Cynthia Rider:&nbsp;managing director,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hartfordstage.org/">Hartford Stage</a>&nbsp;</li>
<li>Emma Gerstein:&nbsp;assistant manager of interpretation &amp; living history coordinator,&nbsp;<a href="https://marktwainhouse.org/">The Mark Twain House &amp; Museum</a></li>
</ul>

Produced by Connecticut Public, 'Where We Live' puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

Where We Live is a call-in talk show about who we are in Connecticut and our place in the world.

Where We Live

Produced by Connecticut Public, '<a href="https://www.ctpublic.org/show/where-we-live/about">Where We Live'</a> puts Connecticut in context. Host Catherine Shen brings us fascinating, informed, in-depth conversations and stories beyond news headlines.  We start local, but we take time to explore domestic and international issues and consider how they impact us personally and here at home.

The ghostly side of Christmas

Cat Shen has been hosting Where We Live long enough for the show to use a fork, and yet very little is known about her. In this hour, technical producer and partner-in-mischief Dylan Reyes sits down with Cat to get the inside scoop on the reporter turned host.

The pair discuss some of their favorite songs, defining life moments and what it means to be the face of a show that's celebrating 20 years on Connecticut Public Radio in 2026.

MUSIC FEATURED (in order):


Milk Tea — Yuji Ohno (ft. Akari Dritschler


Happy Happy Christmas — Drax (commonly known as it is a mystery)


Complicated — Avril Lavigne


Magpie — Peach Pit


The Moon Represents My Heart — Teresa Teng (鄧麗君 — Deng Lee Jun)


Uprising — Muse


Mr. Resetti — insaneintherainmusic


Ganja Smugglin — The Expendables


Goofy Goober Rock — Tom Rothrock


I'm Yours — Jason Mraz


Sparkle (movie version) — RADWIMPS

Or, find it all in this playlist!

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts,Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Cat Shen has been hosting Where We Live long enough for the show to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/act-early/milestones/3-years.html">use a fork</a>, and yet very little is known about her. In this hour, technical producer and partner-in-mischief Dylan Reyes sits down with Cat to get the inside scoop on the reporter turned host.
The pair discuss some of their favorite songs, defining life moments and what it means to be the face of a show that's celebrating 20 years on Connecticut Public Radio in 2026.
MUSIC FEATURED (in order):
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://youtu.be/5B3DgK88YJw">Milk Tea</a> &mdash; Yuji Ohno (ft. Akari Dritschler
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://youtu.be/HR41nFMREBE">Happy Happy Christmas</a> &mdash; Drax (commonly known as <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq3abPnEEGE">it is a mystery</a>)
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NPBIwQyPWE">Complicated</a> &mdash; Avril Lavigne
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKyWzW9WXic">Magpie</a> &mdash; Peach Pit
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv_cEeDlop0">The Moon Represents My Heart</a> &mdash; Teresa Teng (鄧麗君 &mdash; Deng Lee Jun)
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KQmps-Sog">Uprising</a> &mdash; Muse
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K-J3yjvZ60U">Mr. Resetti</a> &mdash; insaneintherainmusic
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZCGD_tXAX4">Ganja Smugglin</a> &mdash; The Expendables
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCPDVVLUw-4">Goofy Goober Rock</a> &mdash; Tom Rothrock
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkHTsc9PU2A">I'm Yours</a> &mdash; Jason Mraz
</li>
<li>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-pHfPJGatgE">Sparkle (movie version)</a> &mdash; RADWIMPS
</li>
</ul>
Or, find it all in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLc3X27YI7uvCBfICRmOzmVwzyT1uqx0BC">this playlist</a>!
Where We Live is available on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-wheelhouse/id1123069986">Apple Podcasts,</a> <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdTqFfVu8e6TKMa5lWXsI">Spotify</a>, <a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvYWMwYmU5NjktZDdkZi00NjBjLWE2NmMtYTZmOTAwZTFlYmQxLzI1M2YwNjY4LTA0NjMtNGFiNC04ZWIzLWE5ZmIwMDRjOTdlNy8wOTUwNDBkZS1hZjMyLTQ1Y2UtOTkwZi1hOWZiMDA0Yzk3ZjUvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M">Google Podcasts</a>, <a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dd73c297-450d-4ea5-bb0b-64131d617ee0/the-wheelhouse">Amazon Music</a>, <a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/The-Wheelhouse-p1207903/?topicId=264709829">TuneIn</a>, <a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-wheelhouse-connecticut-public-radio-mxksbjc_iJI/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Music and memories: A game of musical chairs with host Catherine Shen

Connecticut native and bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert’s new memoir, "All the Way to the River," tells the story of her late partner, Rayya Elias.

The two began as fast friends, then fell in love. But as they faced tragedy together, their shared struggles with addiction put them on a collision course with catastrophe.

This hour, Gilbert joins us to talk about Rayya — “the love of her life” — and what she discovered about herself, about love, and about the sanctity of truth in writing this deeply personal memoir.

Guest:


Elizabeth Gilbert: author of the new memoir, "All the Way to the River." She is also the author of several other bestselling novels including "Eat, Pray, Love" and "City of Girls."

This episode originally aired on Sep. 11, 2025.

Where We Live is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, TuneIn, Listen Notes, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

Connecticut native and bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert&rsquo;s new memoir, "All the Way to the River," tells the story of her late partner, Rayya Elias.
The two began as fast friends, then fell in love. But as they faced tragedy together, their shared struggles with addiction put them on a collision course with catastrophe.
This hour, Gilbert joins us to talk about Rayya &mdash; &ldquo;the love of her life&rdquo; &mdash; and what she discovered about herself, about love, and about the sanctity of truth in writing this deeply personal memoir.
Guest:
<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://www.elizabethgilbert.com/">Elizabeth Gilbert</a>: author of the new memoir, "<a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/all-the-way-to-the-river-love-loss-and-liberation-elizabeth-gilbert/22214319?ean=9780593540985&amp;next=t">All the Way to the River</a>."&nbsp;She is also the author of several other bestselling novels including "Eat, Pray, Love" and "City of Girls."
</li>
</ul>
This episode originally aired on Sep. 11, 2025.
Where We Live is available on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/podcast/the-wheelhouse/id1123069986">Apple Podcasts,</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/0rdTqFfVu8e6TKMa5lWXsI">Spotify</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cub21ueWNvbnRlbnQuY29tL2QvcGxheWxpc3QvYWMwYmU5NjktZDdkZi00NjBjLWE2NmMtYTZmOTAwZTFlYmQxLzI1M2YwNjY4LTA0NjMtNGFiNC04ZWIzLWE5ZmIwMDRjOTdlNy8wOTUwNDBkZS1hZjMyLTQ1Y2UtOTkwZi1hOWZiMDA0Yzk3ZjUvcG9kY2FzdC5yc3M">Google Podcasts</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/dd73c297-450d-4ea5-bb0b-64131d617ee0/the-wheelhouse">Amazon Music</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://tunein.com/podcasts/Government/The-Wheelhouse-p1207903/?topicId=264709829">TuneIn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.listennotes.com/podcasts/the-wheelhouse-connecticut-public-radio-mxksbjc_iJI/">Listen Notes</a>, or wherever you get your podcasts. Subscribe and never miss an episode.

CT native Elizabeth Gilbert reflects on love and loss in new memoir 'All the Way to the River'

From a mass shooting in Australia that left 15 people dead, to a shooting at Brown University that killed two students, the world has been rocked by gun violence at the end of 2025.

In the U.S., 125 people die from a gun injury, and more than 200 people are shot and wounded each day, according to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety. In Connecticut, there were at least 339 incidents of gun violence this year.

The outpouring of shock and grief following the shootings was expected and understandable.

But what is it like for young people to live with the constant fear of guns in their environments or the threat of mass shootings?

Guests:
Nelba Márquez-Greene: Mother of Ana Grace, killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. Community Scholar, Yale School of Public Health. 
Renee Beavers: Hospital violence intervention specialist (HVIP), Connecticut Children’s.
Stacey Mayer: Director of Advocacy, Policy & Outreach at CT Against Gun Violence.
Malini Parikh: Student, Hopkins School, New Haven. President of the CT Against Gun Violence Youth Council.

From a mass shooting in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/12/17/nx-s1-5646519/funerals-begin-for-victims-of-bondi-beach-mass-shooting">Australia</a>&nbsp;that left 15 people dead, to a shooting at Brown University that killed two students, the world has been rocked by gun violence at the end of 2025.
In the U.S., 125 people die from a gun injury, and more than 200 people are shot and wounded each day, according to the nonprofit Everytown for Gun Safety. In Connecticut, there were at least 339 incidents of gun violence this year.
The outpouring of shock and grief following the shootings was expected and understandable.
But what is it like for young people to live with the constant fear of guns in their environments or the threat of mass shootings?
Guests:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://ysph.yale.edu/profile/nelba-marquez-greene/">Nelba M&aacute;rquez-Greene</a>: Mother of Ana Grace, killed in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012. Community Scholar, Yale School of Public Health.&nbsp;</li>
<li><a href="https://www.connecticutchildrens.org/advancing-kids/breaking-cycle-violence">Renee Beavers</a>: Hospital violence intervention specialist (HVIP), Connecticut Children&rsquo;s.</li>
<li>Stacey Mayer: Director of Advocacy, Policy &amp; Outreach at&nbsp;<a href="https://cagv.org/about-us/">CT Against Gun Violence.</a></li>
<li><a href="https://cga.ct.gov/2025/eddata/TMY/2025HB-07077-R000303-Parikh,%20Malini,%20President%20of%20CAGV%20Youth%20Council-Connecticut%20Against%20Gun%20Violence-Supports-TMY.PDF">Malini Parikh</a>: Student, Hopkins School, New Haven. President of the CT Against Gun Violence Youth Council.</li>
</ul>

The ghostly side of Christmas

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