This is Provo

After some brief apologies for being absent for three months, Kelli shares an interview with three members of Provo Pride: Tosh, Mario, and Jessica.A lot of people in Provo don't even realize that Provo has a Pride organization, but Tosh, Mario, and Jessica discuss the origins of the organization and the Provo Pride Festival and how it has grown over the last five years. Mario shares his experience of coming out to his parents, and how Provo Pride can be beneficial to those in the LGBTQ community. They also discuss some of the events put on by Provo Pride and how anyone can get involved in the organization. And they even share why they like living in Provo, despite the fact that Provo often gets a bad reputation among the LGBTQ community.

Love theater but tired of seeing the same musicals performed over and over again?Taylor Jack Nelson and Kacey Spadafora are the co-founders and artistic directors of An Other Theater Company. They are out to change the way that people in Utah County think about theater, and this is manifest in everything from their location to their types of shows they put on. On today's episode, Taylor and Kacey share their vision to bring to the Provo stage the types of shows that usually aren't performed in Utah County. They talk about what it was like to start the theater company in 2017, their previous and upcoming shows, and the success they've had so far. They also focus on their current show, Angels in America, and why this show is such an incredible work of art.

Kelli takes an episode to talk about the origins of the podcast and what it's been like to host This is Provo during the last year. She also talks about the two most meaningful things that have happened in her life largely due to the podcast--getting a boyfriend and launching an improv comedy career.

Provo is one of the most service-oriented cities in the Utah and even the country! It's fantastic how much volunteer service goes on in our town.In this episode, we met with three local nonprofits to discuss their organizations and how you can get involved. You'll hear from Michaelann Bradley of United Way, who gives some insight into volunteering as a whole and the mission of United Way. Colin interviews Kathy Givens from Circles, a program at the Community Action Services & Food Bank, to hear more about their program and how community members can help. Finally, Brent Crane from the Provo Food and Care Coalition talks about the increase in homelessness in Utah County and how the Food and Care Coalition is working to combat homelessness by providing services and opportunities here in Provo.

Our last episode in our music series is a little bit different. You've heard from local bands in Provo, but what if you want to get out and make your own music?That's what Heart & Seoul Karaoke is here for! In today's episode, Kelli interviews the owners of the new Center Street establishment to find out about their inspiration for opening Heart & Seoul Karaoke and to convince listeners that ANYONE can have fun singing karaoke. Listener warnings: A) Sarcasm levels may reach a 7 at times during this interview.B) You will undoubtedly find yourself wanting to head to karaoke immediately after listening.

The third episode in our feature on the Provo music scene.What does it really take to make it as musicians in Provo? The members of the band The Backview Heights share how they got their start, what it's like to collaborate and play with other artists in Provo, and even dish on which of their members would be most likely to pull a Zayn and leave the band to start a solo career.

Continuing our series on the music scene in Provo, Kelli interviews Brandon Kitterman from the Provo-based band Fictionist. He talks about joining the band and their progress through the years, gives advice to up-and-coming musicians, shares some tour catastrophes, and even gives a peek into his Spotify playlist.

This episode kicks off a series focusing on the unique music scene of Provo.Kelli interviews Justin Hackworth and Sarah Wiley, two of the original creators of the Provo Rooftop Concert Series. They discuss the genesis of the concert series and share what it was like to get it running. Unsurprisingly, there's a lot more work that goes on behind the scenes--hear about some of the difficulties they encountered and still continue to face.Aspiring musicians will also get a glimpse into what it takes to get invited to the Rooftop stage.

If you like a good ghost story, this episode is for you.Ever wonder if Provo is haunted? Derek Jacobs, the owner of Pedal Provo Ghost Tours, would respond with a resounding YES. He joins us to discuss his business, which takes riders on tours around Provo to check out some of its haunted locations. He and Kelli share their own personal encounters with ghosts and talk about some of the more haunted spots in Provo.

Remember back in Episode 1, where we asked residents of Provo to describe their city in one word?Well, no one used the word "diverse."That's because Provo is not known for its diversity. From the outside (or even the inside), it appears to be pretty homogeneous racially, culturally, and religiously.On today's episode, we're featuring three individuals who don't quite fit "the mold" of Provo. Candace, Rainer, and Alfonso share their experiences of living in Provo-- from having little girls stare to not being able to find an open restaurant on Sundays-- as well as some advice when encountering people of different backgrounds.