Writing Samples
SL-1 Nuclear Disaster (Podcast Script Excerpt)
In October of 1959—just over a year before the SL-1 explosion—20-year-old US Army soldier Jack Byrnes ran across a gravelly road toward a waiting bus. It was his first day working as a nuclear reactor operator at the National Reactor Testing Station in Idaho Falls. If he missed this bus, he’d be late to the job. And as a soldier he knew—lateness was never an option. Jack climbed onto the bus and grabbed an empty seat near the front. He was barely out of breath despite the hundred-meter dash to get here. Jack smirked to himself. The hell of basic training was still paying off three years after he finished it. The bus rumbled through the dry, brown Lost River Desert. Jack pulled out his wallet. He thumbed through the bills and cards to find a picture of a petite, smiling woman holding an apple-cheeked toddler. Jack grinned at the faces of his wife Arlene and son Jackie looking back at him. He liked a reminder of the reasons he made the choices he made. And this perfect little family was the best possible reason for him to do anything. Jack met Arlene back in high school. His main focus in those days was finding anything that could give him a rush—fast cars, downhill skiing, chasing girls. But that all changed when he met Arlene. Jack was still just a kid. But he knew that Arlene was the person he wanted to spend his life with. So he decided to grow up as fast as he possibly could. He lied about his age to join the army at seventeen. Two years later, he married 18-year-old Arlene, and they had Jackie. Jack wasn’t even 20 years old, but he had a wife and son to support. He vowed that everything he did from that point on would be for their benefit. Jack looked out the window at the bland landscape dotted with volcanic rocks and tumbleweed. The desert scenery wasn’t exactly putting on a show. Then, a gigantic cylinder that was part of the NRTS compound came into view in the distance. Finally, a view to get excited about. Jack could hardly believe his good fortune that his application to work there had been accepted. NRTS had been created by the Atomic Energy Commission for the purpose of nuclear experimentation. Working there would be like working in the future. In the 14 years since the end of World War II, America had been basking in idealism and optimism, excited by the potential in everything. Jack was no different. He believed in the promise that nuclear energy was the cure-all to a lot of the world’s biggest problems. And if he aced working on the big league, cutting-edge machinery at an army reactor, he could write his own ticket in the commercial nuclear industry. Jack heard a sneeze and turned his head to look. He did a double take at the sight of a man he recognized. Jack combed his brain to remember the name of this familiar young man with a rectangular face. Then it came to him. This was Dick Legg. Jack didn’t know Dick that well. He’d seen him around and knew he was a navy man. Jack figured it must be Dick’s first day at the NRTS too. He made a mental note to formally introduce himself once they started working together. Jack stepped off the bus in the NRTS parking lot and walked toward the chain link fence surrounding the compound. Jack was assigned to the SL-1 reactor, a three-story metal silo that was 39 feet wide and 48 feet high. Jack’s face fell when he saw it up close. It wasn’t the palace of the Emerald City, that was for sure. The reactor looked more like a grain silo on a farm than the shining future of nuclear energy he’d envisioned. SL-1 was built just a year and a half ago and was the smallest of all 20 reactors on the compound. It was a prototype for portable reactors that the army thought could power military radar stations in the Arctic Circle. Jack let out a deep breath. Instead of having the power of a thousand lightning storms at his fingertips, he would be dealing with a machine that could barely heat his bath water. Jack lined up with his fellow trainees outside the SL-1 reactor. He glanced over at Dick Legg standing three men to his left. He wondered if the navy man was as disappointed in his new assignment as he was. The training instructor started talking about the company’s policy on taking breaks, and Jack tuned out for a bit. He collected his thoughts. So the SL-1 reactor was not the big, exciting assignment he thought it would be. That didn’t mean there wasn’t still an opportunity here. Jack reminded himself that his goal was to make it into commercial nuclear energy, and above all, earn the kind of living that would provide security for his family. Jack looked up at the sad, mini reactor in front of him. He could still work hard, prove himself and reach those goals. It just might take a little longer than he’d thought.
Asylum Application Narrative (Legal Advocacy)
I had a good life in Peru. We–my partner and I, along with our son and daughter –were financially stable and happy in our work and at school. We would have never considered leaving the home we loved until a dangerous man threatened our lives and safety. During the pandemic, I hired a man to renovate our kitchen. In July of 2020 while he was working in our home, that man sexually assaulted my 9 year old daughter. I called the police and the man was arrested. After I testified against this man in court, I began to get threatening messages on WhatsApp. He sent photos of himself with other dangerous men he’d met in prison. They threatened to find and kill me. This man has connections to a dangerous gang called Los Choneros. In retaliation for pressing charges against him, the gang terrorized me and my family. They drove by our home on motorcycles and shot at our house–striking my partner in the neck. We left that house, but they continued to drive by and terrorize us. Two of our family members who stayed behind were killed. The police arrested this man for what he did to my daughter, but they would not protect us beyond that. It’s well known in my country that the police take bribes from the gangs, and often, they work with the gangs. I have first hand knowledge of this. When I was giving my report to the police in private, information I gave in my statement made it back to the man who hurt my daughter. He would have no way of knowing things I told the police had the police not told him. Because of direct threats from this man and the gang, and because the police refused to help or protect us, I knew we were no longer safe in Peru. We had no choice but to leave. I know my family and I would be killed if we were to return to Peru. Asylum in the United States is our only chance for survival.
Padma Lakshmi on "Taste the Nation" (Voiceover Copy)
Being yourself isn’t always easy. And in a city like Las Vegas where people come to be anything but themselves, it’s even harder. Imagine coming to the U.S. as a Thai immigrant, hoping to build a life but unsure how you’ll ever fit in while still holding on to your identity. Is food the secret to doing both? By now, Thai food has gone mainstream in America. Chicken satay, sticky rice, and spring rolls are as familiar as a burger and fries. But ask 100 people what they order off a Thai menu, and you’re probably going to hear one dish more than the rest. Eating Pad Thai is like getting a hug from an old friend. It's warm and familiar–the perfect blend of sweet, sour and salty, accented by the occasional crunch. I've eaten Pad Thai hundreds of times. But do I really know what I'm eating?
Donnie Wahlberg on "Very Scary People" (Voiceover Copy)
In the late two thousands, women of Cleveland, Ohio were vanishing one by one from a neighborhood that had fallen on hard times. These women were mothers, sisters, and daughters. But to the authorities charged with investigating their disappearances, they were just case numbers. Statistics. Ignored members of a forgotten community. Could their disappearances be classified as an unfortunate coincidence? Or was there a crazed killer stalking the neighborhood wearing the cloak of the everyman? A sadist whose gentle demeanor lured vulnerable women into his house, only to ambush them with rage and deadly violence. This is part one of “The Devil Inside”.
Even the Royals Podcast (Titles and Descriptions)
“Weddings and Witchcraft”
Catherine de Medici was Queen of France for nearly 30 years, in a time so volatile it made the French Revolution feel like a street fair. In part one of this three-part series, Catherine is an Italian orphan who marries into French royalty. But her new hubby has a side piece and if Catherine can’t figure out how to compete, she might get kicked to le curb. Catherine will need every trick in the book to secure her place in court–charm, deception and maybe even a little witchcraft.
“King of Hearts”
African Prince Seretse Khama was supposed to become the next king of the Bangwato tribe in present day Botswana. But when, in the 1940s, he falls in love with a white British woman, their relationship sparks an international scandal. Powerful nations try to tear the couple apart and the crisis threatens Seretse’s crown. But he’s determined to be with the woman he loves and become the leader he was born to be–no matter how hard his enemies fight to bring him down.
Broadway’s Underclass (Published Article Excerpt)
“I came to see Patti LuPone,” Ruth from New Jersey tells me, her voice devoid of any humor. It’s a Sunday afternoon outside of the St. James Theater, where Gypsy has been leveling audiences for months. I’m trying to find out why people are coming to see a nearly 50 year old musical about a pushy stage mother at the height of the vaudeville era, and now that I said it, I think I just answered my own question. But Ruth has other reasons. “If Patti weren’t in it, I’d want my money back.” Ruth may not know it, but she’d be able to get that refund if Ms. LuPone didn’t take the stage, thanks to “nonappearance insurance.” It guarantees that Ruth will see the legendary Patti LuPone belt out “Rose’s Turn”, and if she doesn’t, the producers have to pony up. Nonappearance insurance isn’t new, but the caveat is that it only applies when that star’s name appears above the title on the marquee and in the program. Patti’s does. But if there’s a production of A Doll’s House next season starring Meryl Streep and the marquee says “A Doll’s House starring Meryl Streep”, no refunds. (But let’s be real, that would never happen.) Ruth from New Jersey is just being honest, and she certainly isn’t alone. Most of the people I speak to are all geared up for Patti-palooza, and they’ll be pissing razors if her understudy performs instead. Some are even concerned that I’m not a writer at all, and this is all just a clever way for the producers to tell the audience that they’re going to see–gasp–the understudy. I assure them–practically swearing in blood–that I’m not the bearer of bad news and they’ll absolutely be hearing Patti LuPone asking Mr. Goldstone how he likes them eggrolls very soon. Clearly, to this crowd, the understudy going on is the worst that could happen. But this crowd is the rule, not the exception. Jamie LaVerdiere had the experience of being the original understudy for Leo Bloom, Matthew Broderick’s role in The Producers. The first time Jamie went on for Mr. Broderick? The second night of previews. Broderick had been sick during out of town tryouts, so Jamie was thrown into the fire face first. When the announcement was made that Ferris Bueller did, in fact, take a day off, Jamie turned off the speaker in his dressing room to keep from hearing the crowd’s reaction. He walked to the stage for his cue, his focus steely. While standing in the wings, a crew member said to him, “They really let you have it. Don’t let it get to you.” Before Jamie had the chance to process, it was time to make his entrance. Jamie opened his mouth to say his first line. At that exact moment, the door to the theater swung open and a taxi outside honked its horn. Then (like he needed another “then”) there was heavy mic feedback once the horn stopped. The cards were stacked against him, but when he was finally able to speak his line, the audience erupted into cheers.messa He had won them over just by surviving through all that, and went on as Leo for the next week. “It was surreal. Suddenly I was the celebrity and after the show each night, people screamed for me and wanted my autograph outside the stage door.” But a week later, it was over. Broderick was back, and Jamie turned back into a pumpkin–waiting in the dark wings for the next time he’d be called up to the big leagues. “It’s like going from the eye of the storm to just watching The Weather Channel,” he muses.
The Reproduction Business (Press Release)
New York, NY – Assisted Reproductive Technology, or ART, is the miracle discovery that many couples and families had been waiting for. One advancement in this field is the now familiar idea of surrogacy. However, were you aware that surrogacy, like tech support, has now been added to the list of things we outsource overseas? Made in India is an upcoming documentary that looks at this kind of outsourcing and the effects it has on the families looking to conceive as well as the surrogates in India. The film is co-produced/directed by Rebecca Haimowitz and Vaishali Sinha, filmmakers who are just two of the speakers who will be dissecting the difficult issues surrounding the politics of reproduction at this year’s conference at the Barnard Center for Research on Women. The Barnard Center for Research on Women will gather academics in the fields of science, law, and the arts to discuss assisted reproductive technology (ART) at the 34rd Annual Scholar & Feminist Conference at Barnard College on February 28th. This year’s conference, The Politics of Reproduction: New Technologies of Life, will address the social, economic and political repercussions of ART on a global level. ART is in high demand among people who don’t fall into what are considered “traditional” familial categories—blended families, LGBTQ+ families, or couples who choose to conceive later in life. It’s a life saver to those with low fertility, families looking to adopt, and people concerned about passing genetic diseases and disabilities on to their children. But the need for outside conception assistance and the use of ART has created a “baby business”—one that is not very regulated and raises tricky social and ethical questions. Since ART can test for genetic illness, should we be trying to create “perfect” humans? How can we be certain that the “baby business” is accessible to all—including marginalized communities? These questions don’t have easy answers, but they will be addressed and dissected by the distinguished guests and speakers at the Politics of Reproduction Conference. The Politics of Reproduction Conference will include four panel discussions, focusing on artistic and technological movements in reproduction, marginalization and exclusivity in ART practices, and global dimensions. There will be four speakers in each panel, and they include: Lori Andrews - distinguished law professor at Chicago-Kent College of Law, director of the Institute for Science, Law, and Technology at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and the author of the novels Immunity and The Silent Assassin David Eng - professor of English and comparative literature at the University of Pennsylvania and author of The Feeling of Kinship: Queer Liberalism and the Racialization of Intimacy and Racial Castration: Managing Masculinity in Asian America Loretta Ross - national coordinator and founding member of SisterSong, a reproductive justice collective. She has also testified before the US Congress, the United Nations, and the FDA on women’s health and civil rights issues, and has appeared as a commentator on Good Morning America, CNN, and BET For more information, call the Barnard Center for Research on Women at 212.854.2067, email bcrw@barnard.edu or visit bcrw.barnard.edu.
Soundtrack Series Subscriber Update (Email Campaign)
Hi Lexi, Question: Am I the only one who liked Barbra Streisand’s cover of David Bowie’s Life on Mars? Answer: Probably. We all have a few guilty pleasures when it comes to the music we like. I bet if I asked you right now what’s up next on your Spotify, you’d think twice before admitting it’s Nickelback. We usually keep that kind of thing to ourselves and don’t feel compelled to reveal our most “embarrassing” musical tastes or defend why we love what we love. Until now. On Thursday, March 27th, 8PM at the Gallery at Le Poisson Rouge, we confess to all of it. We’re telling stories about our cringiest, most unpopular tastes in music–whether that’s loving Vanilla Ice or hating Bob Dylan. Featuring hot takes and full throated defenses of Creed, Amy Grant and more from Mike Daisey, Michele Carlo, John Asante, Sharon Spell and Jia Jung. Tickets are $5 HERE and at the door. See you there! -The Soundtrack Series Team THE SOUNDTRACK SERIES is a monthly dose of stories fueled by songs that has been featured in the New York Times, BUST, NY1, and Above & Beyond in The New Yorker. It’s a Critic’s Pick in Time Out New York, and included among the “Best Things to Do in NYC” by CBS News New York. Every month, guest storytellers tell the hilarious or heart-wrenching memories sparked by a song from their past. There’s the song, the story behind the song, and the story inspired by the song. We’re the third one.