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Event Program
THUR, MAY 23
Produced in cooperation with LabX
Due to a scheduling conflict, Phoebe Robinson will no longer be appearing at this event.
Chris Duffy is a comedian, television writer, and radio/podcast host. Chris currently hosts TED’s hit podcast How to Be a Better Human. He has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC News, NPR, and National Geographic Explorer. Chris wrote for both seasons of Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas on HBO, executive produced by John Oliver. He’s the creator/host of the streaming game show Wrong Answers Only, where three comedians try to guess what a leading scientist does all day, in partnership with LabX at the National Academy of Sciences. He has performed live in venues as big as a sold-out Lincoln Center and as small as a walk-in closet (also sold out). Chris is both a former fifth grade teacher and a former fifth grade student. He is currently writing a nonfiction book about humor for Doubleday.
Chris Duffy is a comedian, television writer, and radio/podcast host. Chris currently hosts TED’s hit podcast How to Be a Better Human. He has appeared on Good Morning America, ABC News, NPR, and National Geographic Explorer. Chris wrote for both seasons of Wyatt Cenac's Problem Areas on HBO, executive produced by John Oliver. He’s the creator/host of the streaming game show Wrong Answers Only, where three comedians try to guess what a leading scientist does all day, in partnership with LabX at the National Academy of Sciences. He has performed live in venues as big as a sold-out Lincoln Center and as small as a walk-in closet (also sold out). Chris is both a former fifth grade teacher and a former fifth grade student. He is currently writing a nonfiction book about humor for Doubleday.
Marie Faustin is a New York–based comedian and actress well known for her storytelling skills, lightning-fast crowd work, and ability to turn a bad date into a good story. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, GQ, The Guardian, MTV, VH1, BET, and Comedy Central. Faustin is currently hosting a dating game show called Why Are You Single? and trying to figure out WTF is wrong with us all.
Marie Faustin is a New York–based comedian and actress well known for her storytelling skills, lightning-fast crowd work, and ability to turn a bad date into a good story. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, GQ, The Guardian, MTV, VH1, BET, and Comedy Central. Faustin is currently hosting a dating game show called Why Are You Single? and trying to figure out WTF is wrong with us all.
Josh Gondelman is a writer and comedian who incubated in Boston before moving to New York City, where he currently lives and recently worked as the head writer and an executive producer for Desus & Mero on Showtime. Gondelman also contributed to the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which was a thrill for both him and his parents. Prior to that, he spent five years at Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, first as a web producer and then as a staff writer, where he earned four Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and three WGA Awards. His 2022 debut stand-up special People Pleaser was produced by Comedy Dynamics and is available to stream now.
Josh Gondelman is a writer and comedian who incubated in Boston before moving to New York City, where he currently lives and recently worked as the head writer and an executive producer for Desus & Mero on Showtime. Gondelman also contributed to the final season of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, which was a thrill for both him and his parents. Prior to that, he spent five years at Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, first as a web producer and then as a staff writer, where he earned four Emmy Awards, two Peabody Awards, and three WGA Awards. His 2022 debut stand-up special People Pleaser was produced by Comedy Dynamics and is available to stream now.
Alison Leiby is a writer and comedian based in New York. She has written for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Life & Beth, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, and many other television shows. Her stand-up hour, Oh God, A Show About Abortion, ran off-Broadway with multiple extensions at the Cherry Lane Theater and had a run at The Kennedy Center. Her stand-up has appeared on Comedy Central and she opens on the road for Ilana Glazer. With her friend Halle Kiefer, Leiby is the co-host of the podcast Ruined, which was one of Time magazine's ten best podcasts of 2022.
Alison Leiby is a writer and comedian based in New York. She has written for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Life & Beth, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper, and many other television shows. Her stand-up hour, Oh God, A Show About Abortion, ran off-Broadway with multiple extensions at the Cherry Lane Theater and had a run at The Kennedy Center. Her stand-up has appeared on Comedy Central and she opens on the road for Ilana Glazer. With her friend Halle Kiefer, Leiby is the co-host of the podcast Ruined, which was one of Time magazine's ten best podcasts of 2022.
Jessica Ware is an Associate Curator and the current Division Chair in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Ware’s research focuses on the evolution of behavioral and physiological adaptations in insects, with an emphasis on how these occur in dragonflies, damselflies, termites, cockroaches, and mantises. Her research group focuses on evolutionary history to inform their work on reproductive, social, and flight behaviors in insects.
Jessica Ware is an Associate Curator and the current Division Chair in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology at the American Museum of Natural History. Dr. Ware’s research focuses on the evolution of behavioral and physiological adaptations in insects, with an emphasis on how these occur in dragonflies, damselflies, termites, cockroaches, and mantises. Her research group focuses on evolutionary history to inform their work on reproductive, social, and flight behaviors in insects.
LabX is a public engagement testbed at the National Academy of Sciences that boldly experiments with a variety of creative––sometimes even unorthodox––approaches designed to reach diverse audiences. The National Academy of Sciences is a private, non-profit society of distinguished scholars. Established by an Act of Congress, signed by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, the NAS is charged with providing independent, objective advice to the nation on matters related to science and technology.
This program is made possible thanks to the generous support of Susan Bay Nimoy, Estate of Douglas M. Matheson, Seedlings Foundation, Howard Gilman Foundation, MacMillan Family Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Blanchette Hooker Rockefeller Fund, Charina Endowment Fund, The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, PECO Foundation, Coastal Community Foundation of South Carolina, Mustang Foundation, Michael Tuch Foundation, Jody and John Arnhold and the Arnhold Foundation, The Grodzins Fund, and The Isambard Kingdom Brunel Society of North America.
This program is also made possible with public funds from the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Kathy Hochul and the New York State Legislature.
Symphony Space thanks our generous supporters, including our Board of Directors, Producers Circle, and members, who make our programs possible with their annual support.
Symphony Space Staff
Kathy Landau Executive Director
Peg Wreen Managing Director
Isaiah Sheffer*
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1990)
Artistic Director (1990-2010)
Founding Artistic Director (2010-2012)
Allan Miller
Co-Founder and Co-Artistic Director (1978-1990)
Jennifer Brennan Director of Literary Programs
Drew Richardson Lead Producer of Literary Programs
Vivienne Woodward Producer of Literary Programs
Mary Shimkin Director of Broadcast & Literary Initiatives
Matthew Love Consultant for Literary Programs
Magdalene Wrobleski Literary Assistant
*in memoriam
LabX Staff
Ann Merchant Director
Keri Stoever Associate Director
Nawar Nemeh Marketing & Social Media Manager