A space for slow listening, MELLOW DRAMA is an ever-unfolding radio conversation between writers across time and place. Like eating a pithy orange with a lover friend, we come together to pull language apart, get juice on our fingers, and feed each other. Hosted by shania-mark twain and DJ Oh Boy–just a couple of slow-mo homos who want to arrive with you.

Penny Vieregge: born December 8, 1928. Resident of Big Sur, CA. Widow. 3 biological children, 2 grandchildren, 2 great grandsons. She and her husband Paul raised 27 foster children. Lover of the spoken word – particularly poetry- both structured and free form. Currently a member of ‘Overlapping Halos’ a trio of voice, violin, alchemical crystal bowls devoted to sharing the poetry of the Persian poet Shams-ud-din Muhammad Hafiz as rendered by Daniel Ladinsky in his book The Gift. Former American Red Cross disaster worker, Red Cross volunteer EMT- Ambulance in Big Sur, Founder and Commander of the Big Sur Cliff Rescue Unit, sings baritone in Whole Hearted Chorus and Monterey County Gospel Choir, An educator in pre-school First Aid and Emergency Behavior plus Kindergarten Prep at Park School located at Esalen Institute. Also a practicing Catholic and practicing Taoist. Currently involved in embracing an aging, ailing body while living in a log cabin in a canyon.

As an educator my motto comes from an e.e.cummings poem:
“I would rather learn from one bird how to sing
Then teach ten thousand stars
How not to dance.”

Solomon Dorsey is a bassist, singer, songwriter and producer whose creative curiosity has led to collaborations with jazz luminaries such as Jose James, Teri Lynn Carrington and Lakecia Benjamin and songwriters including Amos Lee, KT Tunstall and Kesha. Currently performing with the dynamic indie pop/folk band Lucius in support of their new album “Second Nature ” Solomon has also enjoyed creating orchestral arrangements for and performing with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Vienna Staatsoper, Indianapolis Symphony, LA Philharmonic and Seattle Symphony Orchestra. An avid supporter of education and diplomacy, he has participated as a clinician and educator with Carnegie Hall’s Cultural Exchange program and was also named a Cultural Ambassador by the US Department of State presenting concerts and masterclasses in Greece, Kosovo, Turkey, Mexico, Macedonia, Russia and India.

TC Tolbert (he/him/hey grrrl) is a trans and genderqueer monkey-goat who lives in Tucson, AZ where s/he is the current Poet Laureate. Publications include Gephyromania (Ahsahta Press, 2014/Nightboat Books, 2022) and five chapbooks including The Quiet Practices, winner of the 2023 Chad Walsh Chapbook Prize at Beloit Poetry Journal. TC is co-editor (along with Trace Peterson) of Troubling the Line: Trans and Genderqueer Poetry and Poetics (Nightboat Books 2013).