Storytelling for the 21st century from Peabody Award-winning producer Lea Thau (former head of The Moth and Strangers). The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau onPatreon andSubstack, where you can also find the new work in its entirety, and where everything is ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member on both platforms, so come be a part of the community, or just listen along right here and follow along onFacebook andInstagram.
Hi friends, I’m back! New episodes start dropping Tuesday!
Also, heads-up: I’ll be changing the name of this podcast from Strangers to STORIES by Lea Thau on Monday. That hurts a little, I know – for me too – but I promise it’s not the end of Strangers. The plan is for STORIES by Lea Thau to be an umbrella for all my work, including Strangers, and I want to do a new season of that show next year.
But first we’ll kick off next week with episodes from my latest series, The Hopeful Locals.
If you can’t wait for the public release and would like to binge the first eight episodes of The Hopeful Locals right now, you can do so on Patreon, where you’ll also find 70 episodes of Strangers that are only available there, and much more.
If you can’t afford to pay, you can also join my Patreon community for free and get access to some new and old episodes without ads – Episode 1 of The Hopeful Locals is already up there!
If you have questions or comments, or perhaps a story you’d like to share, you can email me at stories@leathau.com or message me on Patreon, Facebook, Instagram, or Substack. My name on all those platforms is now STORIES by Lea Thau.
I look forward to spending a lot more time with you again, so please….don’t be strangers!
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
The Hopeful Locals #1: A Portrait of the Artist as a Middle-Aged Woman
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 • Duration 27:14
This is the prologue to my new series, The Hopeful Locals, and I hope you’ll enjoy it. The story continues on Friday.
Huge thanks to Dengue Fever, Paul’s band, for letting me use the recording from their live show at The Chapel. They have two very special showscoming up on May 15 and 16 at Gold Diggers in LA, a more intimate club than they normally play, and you can also find them in other cities this spring and summer. Big thanks to their drummer and my true love, Paul Dreux Smith, for making the music for this episode and mixing it.
Enormous gratitude to my associate producer, Vix Jensen, who has been my rock editorially, practically, and emotionally over the last year; my project editor, Christina Thyssen, who has helped give the stories shape and make them better; and our resident artist,Pernille Clifforth, who has illustrated this episode and every episode in the series. Also big thanks to Avi Odenheimer for making The Hopeful Locals logo.
And thanks to all my supporters on Patreon and Substackfor making my work possible, especially my Inner Circle. In the Inner Circle, we support each other’s creative work and commiserate about life through special meetings on Zoom and a private Discord. We’d love to have you if this sounds like fun, and I’m offering a discounted price on the upper tiers through the end of this month. , If nothing else, become a free subscriberon or and get invited to to celebrate our public launch.
The Hopeful Locals #2: On the Road Again
Friday, April 24, 2026 • Duration 22:14
This is Episode 2 of my series, The Hopeful Locals. It’s a direct continuation of Episode 1, so if you haven’t heard that, I’d go start there.
Huge thanks to my husband, Paul Dreux Smith, for making the music and mixing this episode, to my Associate Producer,Vix Jensen, for her help with the story, the production, the logistics – all of it – and to my Project Editor, Christina Thyssen, for always making my early drafts better.
Also big thanks to Avi Odenheimer for making the Hopeful Locals logo, and to Pernille Clifforth for making an original art piece for every installment in this series.
One of the greatest things about coming back to podcasting is that I get to work with such brilliant people. The other great thing is that I get to connect with you.
Endless gratitude to my paying subscribers for making my work possible. It means everything to me, and you can join us on Patreon or Substack. Prices go up May 1st, so join now to lock in maximum access at minimal cost and get a lot more content – without ads –and other great benefits. We'd love to have you, and the first eight episodes of The Hopeful Locals are up and ready for you to binge.
You can also sign up for my free newsletter on Patreon or Substack to get some public content without ads, plus invitations to our all-community hangouts.
Thank you for the warm reception during my first week back. A week ago today, I was honestly terrified of the launch, but you’ve made it feel like a good time and a warm bath, and I’m deeply thankful for that.
The Hopeful Locals #3: Erika
Monday, May 4, 2026 • Duration 39:43
This is Episode 3 of The Hopeful Locals for free subscribers (Episode 6 for paying subscribers).
And please consider supporting my work by becoming a paying subscriber on Patreon or Substack.
Thanks to theJust Transition Fund for connecting me with Erika. I directed a storytelling show for their partner convening, and Erika was one of the storytellers. If you’d like to hire me to direct a storytelling show, or teach a storytelling workshop, or help you craft your story, email me at stories@leathau.com.
Thanks, as always, to Paul Dreux Smith for making the music and mixing. Also big thanks to my Associate Producer, Vix Jensen, andmy Project Editor,Christina Thyssen, and toPernille Clifforth for illustrating the series, to for making logo, and to and for their input and support.
The Hopeful Locals #5: Visionaries of The Wind River, Part 2
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 • Duration 36:30
The hope holds strong in this second episode about people working for change on the Wind River Reservation.
We have a COMMUNITY HANGOUT, open to all FREE & PAID members, TOMORROW:
Thursday, May 21: 11:30am PT – 12:30pm MT - 1:30pm CT – 2:30pm ET – 7:30pm GMT – 20:30 CET – 4:30am (Fri) AEST.
Become a FREE member on Patreon or Substackto join, and to see photos from this episode.
Or become a paid member and join our t
The Hopeful Locals #4: Visionaries of the Wind River, Part 1
Tuesday, May 12, 2026 • Duration 45:46
This is Episode 4 of The Hopeful Locals(Episode 7 if you’re a paying subscriber and get bonus episodes!).
You’re getting this episode ad-free because the people in it deserve not to be interrupted by ads, I feel. If you agree with that and would like to support my work, you can join us at 'STORIES by Lea Thau' on Patreon and Substack, where you’ll find all my new work and the entire Strangers archive.
I also want to thank theJust Transition Fund for introducing me to Erika. They’re the only philanthropic initiative focused on coal community transition in the U.S., working to create economic opportunities for the frontline workers and communities hardest hit by the transition away from coal.
Huge thanks to my Associate Producer,Vix Jensen, to Paul Dreux Smith for making the music and mixing, to our resident artist and illustrator , to my project editor,, to our production intern , and a special thanks this week to for her help.
The Hopeful Locals #7: John
Wednesday, June 3, 2026 • Duration 45:28
This is Episode 7 of the Hopeful Locals, but this installment can also stand alone. Today you’re going to meet John Doyle, and I’m going to let him tell most of the story, because I like the way he tells it. John has had an interesting life, and he tells his story in the same warm, frank, meandering way that he seems to approach most things.
He lives and works in the town of Crow Agency, and it’s small enough that the only directions he gave me to his office were to “drive through town and look for the pink house.” Inside, I found John, surrounded by machines and samples that related to his scientific research, and I found a story of hope, resilience, and reconciliation, beyond what I’d imagined – and beyond what I, myself, can muster, even on my best days.
Big thanks to John Doyle for sharing his story. He’s getting ready to retire fromLittle Big Horn Collegewhere he’s served as Principal Investigator and Project Coordinator for theCrow Water Quality Project and several environmental health grant research initiatives. He also works closely with Montana State University and with the Crow Environmental Health Steering Committee, which he co-founded. John serves on the Board of the local non-profit,Plenty Doors, which he helped start. They’re a native CDFI, supporting new businesses on the reservation, and they run a number of great programs, including a workforce development program and an program, where the youth learn from the elders and benefit from their cultural knowledge and wisdom.
The Hopeful Locals #6: Cowboy Country
Wednesday, May 27, 2026 • Duration 23:59
As L.A. burns behind me, I drive deeper into cowboy country through Wyoming to Montana, trying to untangle the many contradictions of the country I call home.
This is Episode 6 of The Hopeful Locals, and it is in loving memory of Crawford White Eagle.
Big thanks to Jackie White, for letting me visit with her. Jackie's husband, Crawford White Eagle was a ceremonial leader and one of the Northern Arapaho’s Four Old Men. He worked tirelessly for preservation of the tribe’s language and culture, and he helped establish the Northern Arapaho endowment for tribal students at the University of Wyoming, where he also received an honorary doctorate. Crawford served his country in the Vietnam War and was twice wounded in combat, receiving a Purple Heart and many other medals for his service. He was also a master jewelry maker and silversmith.
Thanks to Paul Dreux Smith, for making the music and mixing this episode, and to my Associate Producer,Vix Jensen, for her help with this story and many other things. Also big thanks toPernille Clifforth for illustrating the series, and to Heather Kitching for her support.
Lauren Passell of Podcast The Newsletteralso created the newsletters where you can find all sorts of awesome , and. Enjoy them all!
Summer of Strangers: Unconditional
Thursday, July 16, 2026 • Duration 42:27
This is a story of mothers, love, regret, and redemption, and of secrets from many years past that cast long shadows into our lives. It’s about how Deborah Jiang-Stein came to be pulled over by two highway patrolmen at 19 years-old, with a trunkload of dope, a .38 revolver, and a 10” switch blade. That was only the beginning of her long journey towards what she was looking for.
This story is a Strangers rerun from 2015, followed by a little catch-up with Deborah. It's the first installment of our Summer of Strangers where we revisit some of our favorite stories from that show. All the stories we’ve picked for the series relate in some way to the American experience, as we take a close look at the country that just turned 250, through the personal stories of some of its people.
If you’d like to see pictures that go with this episode, you can find them in these free, public posts on Patreon or Substack where you can also sign up for our free newsletter.
Thanks to our storyteller, Deborah Jiang-Stein, author of the memoir Prison Baby, and the story collection and founder & CEO of the .
In this episode, we wrap up The Hopeful Localsand preview our SUMMER of STRANGERS with a Strangersstory that has been offline since 2014.
The SUMMER of STRANGERS officially kicks off July 15. Comment on Patreon, Substack,Facebook or Instagram as to which Strangers stories you most want us to rerun or follow up on!
Or leave a review wherever you’re listening right now to let us know!
To whet your appetites and tide you over until kick-off, we’re taking three episodes from the Strangers archive each weekand making them available right here in your public feed.
We’re NOT reposting these at the top of the feed, so they will be under their original publication dates, and each set of episodes will only be available for ONE WEEK, so make sure you’re subscribed and that you listen to or download the episodes while they’re unlocked.
This week we’re featuring the series Two Men and a Baby, which ran from 2014 to 2017, and the episodes will be available until July 2nd. Start with the first one,Two Men and a Baby, then , and !
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
The next episode drops May 4th. Until then, dare I say….don’t be strangers:)
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
We’re looking for a summer intern. If you think that might be you email us at stories@leathau.com and tell us a little bit about yourself — your interests, relevant skills, and availability. Position can be remote.
Thanks to our sponsors, Tink Media, a woman-founded, gender-inclusive podcast growth and discovery company, and Podcast The Newsletter, which is a weekly roundup of the best things in podcasting from Lauren Passell. If you like my work, I think you’ll like the things Lauren writes about.
And thanks to the Just Transition Fund for introducing me to Erika, and for supporting communities like hers and helping organizations like The Wind River Development Fund secure the grant funding they need to make a real difference.
As always, I’m grateful to my associate producer, Vix Jensen for all her help, to Paul Dreux Smith, for making the music and mixing, and to Pernille Clifforth for illustrating this series. Also big thanks to my project editor, Christina Thyssen, and to Heather Kitching and Jen Alevizos for their help.
Last but not least, thanks to all of you for listening. If you like what we do, please rate and perhaps review the show wherever you listen to podcasts. It helps our rankings!
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks to Paul Dreux Smith for making the music and mixing, and to my Associate Producer, Vix Jensen, for her help with this story and so many other things. Also thanks to my project editor,Christina Thyssen, and toPernille Clifforth for illustrating this series. A special thanks to Heather Kitching and Jen Alevizos for their help this month.
If you'd like to see photos for John's storyand all the stories we share, become a FREE newsletter subscriber on PatreonorSubstack, or join my community on Facebook andInstagram. If you'd like to support my work, you can also become a paying subscriber and get invited to mymember hangout in Copenhagen on June 25, our monthlycommunity hangs on Zoom, our member-only Discord, our Episode Debriefs, AND you'll getlots ofbonus episodes.
You can email us anytime at stories@leathau.com. We love hearing from you!
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
Thanks to Paul Dreux Smith for making the music for the new parts of this episode and for helping me mix. Big thanks, as always, to my associate producerVix Jensen, and to our interns, Crab Saylor Hochsprung-Cotrell andAviva Barry, as well as to Heather Kitching.
We’d love to hear what you think of this story, and of this series, and of life in America.
If you have anything to say, send a voice memo to stories@leathau.com and we might use it on the show, or just send us a regular email.
If you’d like to help make our work possible and access another 80 Strangers episodes like the one you just heard, and much more, become a paying subscriber on Patreon or Substack.
Thanks for listening…and don’t be strangers:)
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
But hey, if you want access to the entire Strangers archive today and want to help make my new work possible, become a paying subscriber today on Patreon or Substack.
Big thanks to Holly Rothschild for sharing her story. She and her husband, Luke Rothschild, and cellist Joseph Harvey, co-founded the genre-bending super-group,String Theory. Based in Los Angeles, they’re a hybrid performance ensemble, consisting of musicians and dancers, and combining architectural harp installations, original music, dance, and projections. Holly is also a choreographer and dancer, and she’s the artistic director of the dance & performance installation company, Bipedal Herd, which she founded.
Holly’s story was originally produced with support fromKCRW’s Independent Producer Project.
Thanks to my love, Paul Dreux Smith for making the music and mixing, and to his band,Dengue Fever, for letting me play the song you heard in the outro. It’s called Tooth & Nail and it’s from the album Venus on Earth.
Deep gratitude to my Associate Producer,Vix Jensen, for her help kicking off the summer series and producing The Hopeful Locals, and to the newest member of the team, our summer intern, Crab Saylor Hochsprung-Cottrell.
Also thanks to my project editor,Christina Thyssen, and toPernille Clifforth for illustrating The Hopeful Locals so beautifully. A special thanks to Heather Kitching and Sunny Jen Adrian for their help.
The entire back catalogue of Strangers can be found at STORIES by Lea Thau on Patreon and Substack, where you can also find my new work in its entirety, all of it ad-free. You can join as a free or paid member, so come be part of my community! Or follow my new work in my new public feed, STORIES by Lea Thau, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
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