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43
November 22, 1996

Faustian Bargains

Inspired by a spate of new Chicago stage adaptations of the Faust story, This American Life brings you stories of people who made a deal with the devil.
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  • Transcript
Act One

Dangerous Minds

LuAnne Johnson is a teacher who sold her story to Hollywood and saw it made into the film and TV series Dangerous Minds, in which a character named LuAnne Johnson does things the real LuAnne believes are unethical and silly. (15 minutes)

By

Ira Glass
Act Two

The Undiscovered Country

Found tape of a conversation about bringing back the dead. (11 minutes)

By

Ira Glass
Act Three

Voyager

Alix Spiegel tells the story of her friend Jayna, who made a Faustian bargain at 11 years old. (12 minutes)

By

Alix Spiegel
Act Four

Carmen Becomes Faust

Carmen Delzell on a deal she made with the devil when she turned 30. (14 minutes)

By

Carmen Delzell
Act Five

First Contact

Daniel Pinkwater reads his children's picture book Devil in the Drain. (4 minutes)

By

Daniel Pinkwater

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Nov. 21, 1997

Harold

The story of Harold Washington and the white backlash that was set off when he became Chicago's first black mayor.

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Lissa Yellow Bird searches for missing people. She's great at it. But then, her niece goes missing.

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This American Life is produced in collaboration with WBEZ Chicago and delivered to stations by PRX The Public Radio Exchange.

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