NPR To Feature Well-Known Names For An "Open-Mic" With The Morning Edition

June 17, 2009 12:50 p.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (CNS) - National Public Radio has a new series starting this week that will give some well-known names a chance to create a story of their choice for the Morning Edition. This "Open Mic" Series will let the guests who are usually the interviewee become the interviewer and ask the questions.

The new format will allow writers, directors, composers and artists to explore a subject that they are curious about or a subject that is close to them. Designer Jonathan Adler, memoirist Simon Doonan, Broadway composer Lin-Manuel Miranda and author Neil Gaiman are the first guests slated to appear. Each will pitch an idea and work with the Morning Edition team to make it happen.

Adler will air on June 18, along with his husband Doonan, to discuss their fathers and the way their relationship with their fathers affected their gay lifestyle and their differences in growing up in an accepting vs. non-accepting household.

Miranda, creator of the Tony-winning musical "In the Heights," will air in late June. He will discuss the songwriting process as it starts from the very beginning. He will be sitting down with John Kander, the legendary composer of "Chicago" and "Cabaret," and Tom Kitt, the composer of musical "Next to Normal," to discuss the song writing process.

In July, author Neil Gaiman, writer of "American Gods," "Stardust" and "The Graveyard Book" will be featured. He will discuss the rebirth of audiobooks, how they almost faded away but saw a revival with the iPod and iPhone.

For more information and airtimes, go to www.npr.org.