The Found podcast series, according to press notes, will “explore personal stories of love, loss, hope, transformation and aspiration through the lens of lost and found notes combined with the power of humor and music.” The Found app will ”feature notes from the podcast, giving users a way to track them on a global map, pin finds to a timeline, invite friends to help piece the Found mysteries together, share inspirational notes on social media and upload new notes for consideration.”
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and This American Life contributor Davy Rothbart, who launched the Found brand in 2001, will host the series.
“I started Found as a D.I.Y. community art project — a simple way for people with natural curiosity and a sense of wonder to share the fascinating notes, letters, and photos they'd found with one another. It's been absolutely thrilling to see the way the project has exploded over the years, to books, tours, even a musical, and to discover so many kindred spirits who share my interest in other people's lives,” said Rothbart in a statement. “I couldn't be more excited to launch the Found Podcast, which twines my passions for radio storytelling with my love of found objects. Thanks for listening!”
Found, the musical from creators Hunter Bell, Lee Overtree and Eli Bolin that inspired the new podcast and app, will be seen this fall at the Philadelphia Theatre Company; performances begin in November.
“Since discovering Davy Rothbart’s grassroots storytelling, it’s been a remarkable journey ushering it from the pages of a magazine to the musical stage. When Killer described a podcast/app brand extension, my partners Benjamin Salka, Eva Price and I knew this was a natural next step in bringing it to a wider audience,” said Victoria Lang, a producer for Found, the musical. “We are excited to connect with a larger community to explore the endless supply of extraordinary stories of ordinary people hidden in plain sight in the world all around us. Who knows… they could wind up in our musical one day.”
Found features a book by Tony Award nominee Bell and Overtree and music and original lyrics by Bolin. “Found is an original musical based on scores of surprising and eccentric discarded notes and letters that have been 'found' in the real world by every-day people,” according to earlier press notes. “Inspired by actual events, the show follows Davy who, along with his two best friends, is lost and broke. When he finds a strangely revealing note on his windshield meant for someone else, it sparks an outlandish idea that finds him and his compatriots on a wild, comedic journey. This raucous and insightful new musical tells a story of ambition, betrayal and loyalty while celebrating the weirdness in all of us.”
The Found app will be available for download via the Apple AppStore and fans can interact with the Found podcast by way of Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @FOUNDpodcast.
