Best Exist Theatre Podcasts (2025)

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Pt 2 | Architect Frank Gehry on how to exit life 54:09

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14h ago54:09

54:09

There’s a constant mantra Frank Gehry would always hear from his mentors who have since died – “Don’t you dare ever stop working.” It’s a sentiment he lived by right until his death at 96. In fact his last major cultural building, the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi, will open in 2026. So how does his fierce, creative drive square with his mortality? In an ex…

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Ep423 - Christian Cowan: Dressing Lady Gaga at Eighteen with Super Glue and Sequins 43:27

1d ago43:27

43:27

Christian Cowan’s journey to the top of the fashion world is anything but traditional. He opens up about applying to Central Saint Martins with a literal soup can instead of a standard portfolio and explains how a childhood obsession with insects helped him understand high fashion structures. He also shares the wild story of receiving a commission …

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Pt 1 | The architecture that brought Frank Gehry to tears 54:09

21h ago54:09

54:09

Rebel architect Frank Gehry believed architecture IS art. He strived to evoke emotion in every design. Last Friday, Gehry died at 96 but he never stopped creating. In 2017, IDEAS producer Mary Lynk had a rare opportunity to spend two days with Gehry at his LA studio. Their wide-ranging conversation covers many aspects of his life and career, includ…

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Jesus Wasn’t Born in Bethlehem or a Stable (And That Changes Everything) 34:55

3d ago34:55

34:55

Turns out the Christmas story you defend like it’s a court transcript doesn’t even work on its own historical terms. In part one, we take apart Nazareth, Bethlehem, and the Roman census Luke uses to move Jesus across the map—spoiler: historians aren’t impressed. In part two, we go underground into caves, kataluma, and the version of Jesus’ birth th…

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The best — and worst — ideas of the last six decades 53:58

2d ago53:58

53:58

Sometimes the universe hands us a gift. Over the past year, our podcast listeners spent a total of 526,915 hours listening to our program. That's 21,954.8 days and that translates to 60 years of listening to us. So what better way to mark IDEAS' 60th year then to look back on the highlights and lowlights of the past six decades. To give you a hint …

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Ep422 - Kevin Del Aguila: The Actor Who Accidentally Became Everything 53:49

5d ago53:49

53:49

Kevin Del Aguila has one of those careers that feels impossible on paper but makes perfect sense once you hear him talk about it. He shares how acting and writing grew side by side almost accidentally, from staging one-acts with unemployed friends to becoming the secret ingredient that finally unlocked Altar Boyz. Kevin opens up about years of temp…

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How IDEAS saved a listener from sending a regrettable email 54:08

3d ago54:08

54:08

"IDEAS is often a surprise" says Cathy Pike. It's why she's been a longtime listener. To our delight, IDEAS was there for her just at the right time. After listening to an episode about Friedrich Nietzsche and his philosophy about "the art of passing by," Cathy says she decided not to send an email that she realized she would have regretted. "The p…

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CBC Massey Lecturers reveal how the talks changed them 54:15

5d ago54:15

54:15

This podcast features an all-star, and bestselling, lineup of CBC Massey Lecturers from the past decade: Payam Akhavan (2017) and the police officer who pulled over to the side of the road to keep listening; Sally Armstrong (2019) and the women’s rights groups listening to her talks in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and China; Ron Deibert (2020) and his c…

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The time when a guest said, "I love you!" 54:09

5d ago54:09

54:09

That's not something you expect to hear in an interview. But the Harvard historian and author of All That She Carried, Tiya Miles did not hesitate to say these words to IDEAS host, Nahlah Ayed. What prompted the bold statement comes down to a question — seemingly for Miles the perfect one to ask. Their conversation resonated with many listeners, in…

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Ep421 - Gabrielle Nevaeh: Flying From All That Into the Upside Down 55:08

8d ago55:08

55:08

Gabrielle Nevaeh’s journey to Stranger Things: The First Shadow feels like a real-time coming-of-age story. In our conversation, she opens up about growing up painfully shy in Florida, discovering acting at a performing arts school, and then making the leap to Los Angeles at just twelve years old with nothing but six suitcases and a dream. From nav…

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How an IDEAS episode on traffic changed a doctor's practice 54:09

9d ago54:09

54:09

Not many people like to think about traffic but Joanna Oda says this very topic on IDEAS in 2005 permanently changed the way she views medical care as a doctor. "It helped me understand how things that make sense for you as an individual contribute to a collective problem." She adds, the episode introduced her to the idea that one car has a big imp…

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Theatre Kids and the Pope: Origins and Legends of the Christmas Tree 21:42

10d ago21:42

21:42

Forget the “it’s pagan” nonsense. The Christmas tree’s story is far wilder: a pope’s missionary memo, a bishop with an axe, medieval theater kids hauling evergreens onstage, and Victorian influencers turning it viral. We dig into how this mash-up of pagans, priests, and actors became the most hopeful ritual of winter. patreon.com/skepticpastor Host…

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How music transports the Afghan diaspora to their homeland 54:08

7d ago54:08

54:08

For Afghans, listening to a traditional song can bring them back "home." In 2021, when the Taliban seized power again in Afghanistan, orchestras disbanded and musicians fled for their lives. They brought with them their distinctive and storied music, embedded with notes hailing from classical music from Iran and India. IDEAS takes a journey to Afgh…

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Why cities are targeted in wartime (updated) 54:07

8d ago54:07

54:07

In 2022, IDEAS explored how the brutal strategy called "urbicide" — the intentional killing of a city — is used in war to destroy residents' sense of home and belonging. This podcast revisits the original story and includes a brief update from architect Ammar Azzouz. Since the collapse of the Assad regime last year, he has returned to Homs, Syria, …

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Why hospitals stopped being hospitable 54:08

14d ago54:08

54:08

Hospitality — and hospitals. Two words that share a root, but whose meanings often seem at odds with each other. IDEAS traces the historical roots of hospitals, the tension between hospitality and discipline that has defined hospitals throughout their history, and what it means to create a hospitable hospital in the 21st century. *This is the third…

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How guest-host power dynamics shape migration 54:08

15d ago54:08

54:08

In ancient Greece, hospitality (or xenia) was seen as a sacred moral imperative. Someone who defied the obligations placed on both host and guest risked the wrath of the gods, or even outright war. Today, the word xenia has largely fallen out of use, but its opposite, xenophobia, has been a driving factor in contemporary politics for years. IDEAS e…

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Ep420 - Kimiko Glenn: Hang Out Forever and the Art of Being Unapologetically You 58:44

15d ago58:44

58:44

Kimiko Glenn brings a mix of honesty, humor, and delightful chaos to this conversation, opening up about the vulnerable journey behind her new single Hang Out Forever and why the music video takes such a hilariously dark turn. She talks about songwriting as her personal diary, how she finally found the courage to share it publicly, and why creative…

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Can you ever truly return home again? 54:08

16d ago54:08

54:08

At age 11, writer Andrew Lam fled Vietnam during the Fall of Saigon. Nearly 45 years later, he returned to a radically different city. He believes "you will be cursed with longing" if you continue to search for the feeling of home you had in the past. At a time when more people have been forcibly displaced from their homes than at any other time in…

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Revelation Isn’t About the Future or Microchips 43:35

17d ago43:35

43:35

Forget barcodes, microchips, and rapture charts. Revelation isn’t predicting the end of the world—it’s resisting it. We break down the Beast, 666, the four horsemen of the apocalypse and how this apocalyptic fever dream was really underground political poetry written by oppressed people under Roman rule. patreon.com/skepticpastor Hosted by Simpleca…

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Massey Lecture Part 5 | A human rights agenda for Canada 1:02:53

19d ago1:02:53

1:02:53

In more than 40 years on the front lines of international human rights Alex Neve has heard Canada described as ‘the land of human rights’ — and seen the profound ways Canada has failed to uphold universal human rights, both at home and abroad. In his final Massey Lecture, he lays out his vision for a way forward.…

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Massey Lecture Part 4 | How people power makes human rights real 1:09:08

20d ago1:09:08

1:09:08

Eleanor Roosevelt once said that universal human rights begin in “small places, close to home — so close and so small that they cannot be seen on any map of the world.” In his fourth Massey Lecture, Alex Neve reflects on moments when people power won the day. *Read this article to learn about the "most powerful" moment in Alex Neve's 40-year-career…

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Massey Lecture Part 3 | Human rights don’t have to be earned 1:04:42

21d ago1:04:42

1:04:42

Our inherent human rights belong to us from the moment we are born. There is nothing we need to do to earn them, and they are supposed to apply to us until the day we die. But in his third Massey Lecture, Alex Neve argues the powerful have made human rights a ‘club.’ Visit cbc.ca/masseys for more on this lecture series.…

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Ep419 - Nathan Lee Graham: The Working Actor’s Working Actor 53:33

22d ago53:33

53:33

This conversation with Nathan Lee Graham goes deeper than expected, mixing sharp humor with real insight into a career built on consistency, curiosity, and craft. He reflects on growing up between St. Louis and Los Angeles, navigating a childhood shaped by divorce, experimental schools, and parents who understood early on that the arts were his hom…

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Massey Lecture Part 2 | The six years that remade human rights 1:03:31

22d ago1:03:31

1:03:31

The ideals behind the concept of human rights — such as the sacredness of life, reciprocity, justice and fairness — have millennia-old histories. After the carnage of the Second World War and the Holocaust, these ideas took a new legal form. In his second Massey Lecture, Alex Neve considers six dizzying years that laid out a blueprint for a new wor…

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Massey Lecture Part 1 | Renewing the promise of human rights 1:04:22

23d ago1:04:22

1:04:22

Universality is the core promise of human rights: these rights extend to everyone, everywhere. But above all else, this is where we have failed. In his first CBC Massey Lecture, Alex Neve explores how to ensure the “lifeboat” of human rights is seaworthy for everyone. Visit cbc.ca/masseys for more details about this lecture series.…

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Deconstructing without Losing Faith (kind of) 42:49

24d ago42:49

42:49

Ever been told that if you stop believing one thing, Jesus unfriends you? Yeah… same. In this episode, we unmask the “literalist playing field” that we didn't realize we were playing on, talk about why deconstruction isn’t the spiritual apocalypse your youth pastor warned you about, and even discover that Paul's writings are part pagan. We’ll walk …

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The people who inspire Alex Neve to fight for human rights 54:08

27d ago54:08

54:08

When he was eight, 2025 CBC Massey Lecturer Alex Neve watched his mother fight for daycare in Alberta. It’s shaped how he thinks about human rights. Ahead of his Massey Lectures next week, Neve shares the pivotal moments in his life that led to his human rights advocacy — and shines a light on the chorus of people he carries with him.…

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Buttons give the illusion of power but hide the consequences 54:08

27d ago54:08

54:08

Whether mechanical or digital, a button delivers the promise of power — but it's far from simple. The small and mighty technology has a riveting history, a story of control, power, freedom and oppression. From the podcast Media Objects, this episode traces the evolution of the button, and asks what happens when every command is reduced to a single …

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How overlooked veterans make history in their own words 54:09

28d ago54:09

54:09

There’s history, and then there’s oral history. And when it comes to the impacts of war on those who fight them — oral history opens doors to the past that would otherwise stay firmly shut. Michael Petrou, an historian with the Canadian War Museum, argues oral history is especially valuable because it allows us to hear from people "whose voices are…

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1946 and the Bible’s Big Gay Mistranslation (and How to Handle the Haters) 43:01

28d ago43:01

43:01

This one is equal parts history lesson and how-to. We talk about how to respond to homophobic people and have a big announcement about where you can view the movie. The director, Rocky, breaks down the 1946 “homosexual” mistranslation, the grind of getting the film to actual humans, and the spiritual discipline of not feeding the trolls—while still…

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Why Canadian veterans are conflicted about Remembrance Day 54:08

29d ago54:08

54:08

Remembrance Day. Every year we are called on to remember, to reflect on the sacrifices of those who fought in Canada’s wars. Veterans of those wars have a conflicted relationship with Remembrance Day: sometimes their own acts of remembrance include official ceremonies, while others avoid them altogether. *This the second and last of a two-part seri…

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Ep418 - Nasia Thomas & Casimar Valles: The Haus Is Where Where Kids Go and Grow 43:16

29d ago43:16

43:16

Two artists with big hearts take center stage to talk about building a true home for kids in the South Bronx. Casimar Valles shares how The Haus of Performing Arts grew from an uncle’s dream into a community hub that picks students up after school, feeds them, and lets them stand up and create instead of being told to sit still. Broadway powerhouse…

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Not a war story. This is about what comes after for veterans 54:08

30d ago54:08

54:08

Even when wars end, they go on — transforming the people who fought them, their families, and even society. A former war correspondent interviewed more than 200 veterans of all of Canada’s wars for an online oral history project by The Canadian War Museum. The focus is not so much on preserving memories of their combat experiences, but to reflect o…

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Tower of Babel vs. Linguistics: What Really Happened to Our Languages? 49:12

1M ago49:12

49:12

If you still think the Tower of Babel explains why Spanish exists, this episode might hurt your feelings. Jeremy and linguist Gabby break down how languages actually evolved, why “proper” English is just colonization in disguise, and how Babel’s real message might be about human pride, not divine punishment. Spoiler: God wasn’t mad at skyscrapers. …

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What it takes to become a ruthless tyrant 54:08

1M ago54:08

54:08

Look back about 3,000 years and you will find the playbook on authoritarianism remains pretty much the same as it is today. Back in the 5th century BCE, when Herodotus travelled the ancient world gathering stories, he became an expert in would-be tyrants. His tome, The History, shared vivid descriptions of autocratic and tyrannical rulers. Herodotu…

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First historian Herodotus knew the power of story 54:09

1M ago54:09

54:09

For someone who died more than 2,400 years ago, Herodotus's voice is still very much alive. "He knows the way [a good story] can elevate but also corrupt and destroy our thinking," says professor Lindsay Mahon Rathnam in this IDEAS episode. The ancient Greek writer observed different cultures first-hand, while capturing the stories they share in an…

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Hope lies in knowing that "we've changed the world before” 54:39

1M ago54:39

54:39

Political analyst Rachel Maddow and author/activist Rebecca Solnit are sharp observers of Trump 2.0. They both share a common ground: opposition to anti-democratic actions taken by the second administration of U.S. President Trump, and where those actions are taking America, if not the world. The two American writers spoke with Nahlah Ayed about th…

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The Theology of Algorithms (and Why Church is Boring) 50:13

1M ago50:13

50:13

If you think church has to happen in a building, brace yourself. There's no need to stream a guy in a guitar and a video of people sitting in pews... because that isn't community. In this podcast the tables are flipped and Jeremy is interviewed on the theology of algorithms, how to deal with social media comments and answers the question, "what is …

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How mind-bending theories could solve mysteries in physics 54:39

1M ago54:39

54:39

Physics has been full of astonishing discoveries over the past century. But they open up even bigger mysteries that scientists are working feverishly to explain. What is dark energy? And why is the expansion of the universe accelerating? In public talks at the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics in Waterloo, Ontario, two prominent physicist…

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Ep417 - Phillip Johnson Richardson: Mental Health, Identity, and the Work 48:31

1M ago48:31

48:31

We go deep with Phillip Johnson Richardson on the real stuff behind a Broadway glow up. He opens up about being a young Black man showing vulnerability onstage, the pressure to be perfect, and how identity, belonging, and mental health shape the work. We talk about choosing when to step away, the cost of staying, and the tools he uses to keep his c…

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To fix America's caste system, acknowledge it exists: author 54:08

1M ago54:08

54:08

The true story of America is that it was built on a caste system comparable to India’s, says Pulitzer-prize-winning American journalist Isabel Wilkerson. The author argues that it's key to recognize the roots of the U.S. caste "structure" as she calls it, to understand why conflicts relating to race and class persist. Wilkerson delivered the 2025 B…

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No Historical Evidence that Jesus Existed? 40:00

1M ago40:00

40:00

No, we don’t have Jesus’ mugshot from a Roman archive. Also no, that’s not how ancient history works. We track the real markers: Paul’s letters, Gospel tradition layers, two grumpy non-Christians (Josephus and Tacitus) who mention him, and archaeology that matches the story’s stage. Then we run the historian playbook—embarrassment, dissimilarity, c…

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Mexican fiction turns drug kingpins into vicious vampires 54:08

1M ago54:08

54:08

There’s a burgeoning genre of fiction coming from Mexico — stories that merge socio-political history and the impact of drug-related violence with fantastical stories of eerie ghosts, zombies, and monstrous cannibals. IDEAS explores dozens of gothic, horror and crime fiction novels. *This episode is part of our ongoing series, IDEAS from the Trench…