WILL-AM

WILL AM 580 Live Stream

Full Schedule
a woman in a white shirt with heart-shaped polka dots holds a pink puppet with a blue dress talking to a young girl wearing a beige t-shirt; a man in a navy windblazer with the University of Illinois orange block-I logo sits in front of double green doors on an urban stoop next to a pink puppet wearing a teal dress
Leslie Carrara-Rudolph by Bebeto Matthews/AP • Paul Rudolph courtesy himself

The 21st Show

Abby Cadabby’s puppeteer is married to a guy from Normal, Illinois. Here’s how they got to Sesame Street.

He's a Normal, Illinois native who went to U. of I. and ended up writing music for Sesame Street.

She's the puppeteer behind Abby Cadabby — and she just won an Emmy for it.

They also happen to be married.

Composer Paul Rudolph and puppeteer Leslie Carrara-Rudolph joined The 21st Show to talk about what makes Abby special, how to write music for Muppets, making instruments from found objects, and how puppetry can reach children who've been through tough times.

Listen
a montage featuring Scott Solomon, a white man with a short beard wearing a navy bowling shirt with gold accents, sitting in front of bookcases and next to the binocular eyepieces of a telescope; the cover of
Portrait: Jeff Fitlow/Rice University • Book: MIT Press • Background: NASA

The 21st Show

Do humans have a future on Mars?

It’s the official policy of the U.S. government to work toward putting people on Mars. Debates about that usually focus on cost and national priorities. Less considered is what life on Mars would do to the people who go there.

That, however, is the subject of a new book by scientist Scott Solomon. It’s called Becoming Martian: How Living in Space Will Change Our Bodies and Minds. Solomon was raised in Champaign, attended University High in Urbana, and earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Listen
A collage that includes a photo of author Shelby Van Pelt (a white woman with brown hair, wearing a navy blue outfit), and the cover of the book (which features a watercolor painting of bright orange octopus on the ocean floor)
Courtesy of Shelby Van Pelt and Bloomsbury Publishing

The 21st Show

Illinois author Shelby Van Pelt on the smash success of ‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’

Born and raised in the Pacific Northwest, novelist Shelby Van Pelt now makes her home in Wheaton, Illinois. Her debut novel, "Remarkably Bright Creatures," has been a huge hit, reportedly selling more than two million copies. It's also been made into a movie by Netflix. We'll talk with Van Pelt about her life and work.

Listen
Illinois Arts Council Agency

These programs are partially sponsored by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.