World Channel Features its First Compelling Story in American Sign Language in STORIES FROM THE STAGE

The award-winning WORLD Channel original series Stories from the Stage, hosted by Wes Hazard and Theresa Okokon, will premiere its 100th episode on Monday, April 25, at 9:30 p.m. ET (8:30 p.m. CT). WORLD Channel will also release behind-the-scenes exclusives and special features, including a playlist of past stories as it counts down to the 100th episode, One Way or Another.

This milestone episode features Brandon Kazen-Maddox, a BIPOC, non-binary, third-generation native user of ASL relaying in words and American sign language an encounter with a police officer that illustrates the reality of people living with disabilities. Sara Kaminski confronts her worst fear when it threatens the life of her young daughter. And Jeff Belanger must summit Mt. Kilimanjaro to reconnect with a loved one.

New episodes of the series will be broadcast every Monday in April at 9:30 p.m. ET (8:30pm CT) on WORLD Channel and stream at worldchannel.org and on the Facebook, YouTube and PBS apps.

"This month we celebrate five years of extraordinary storytellers who have shared the most personal narratives illuminating what we all have in common while celebrating our differences," said Liz Cheng, General Manager for Television at GBH in Boston and the national public media channel, WORLD. Cheng is co-creator and co-executive producer of the series with Patricia Alvarado Núñez.

"Our three talented storytellers in our 100th episode come from disparate walks of life, yet their stories of being different, facing fears and mourning a loved one will resonate with all audiences," said Alvarado Nuñez, who is also an executive producer at GBH and WORLD Channel. "By courageously sharing their stories, our storytellers hope to build greater understanding and bridge divides."

Premiering in October 2017 and now in its fifth season, the series has presented a rich array of first timers and experienced storytellers from a variety of ages, backgrounds, circumstances, orientations and communities, including immigrants and refugees. These stories put a human face on contemporary social issues, such as confronting racism and cultural differences, coming of age, the LGBTQ+ experience, understanding cognitive disabilities, surviving war and more.

Storytellers hail from across the United States and five continents. Notable storytellers include critically acclaimed songwriters Melissa Ferret and Jeffrey Foucault, award-winning investigative journalists Phillip Martin and David Filipov, activist the Rev. Mariama White Hammond, GoodNewsMovement.com founder Michelle Figueroa and award-winning comedian, writer and host Gastor Almonte, whose humorous tale of a late-night run for ice cream for his pregnant wife earned the series a Webby Award for Best Individual Performance.

Over the years, WORLD Channel has also partnered with Houston Public Media; KCTS-TV (Seattle); WGBY-TV (Springfield, Massachusetts); and WCTE-TV, Upper Cumberland PBS (Cookeville, Tennessee) to identify and bring to the stage local multicultural stories and tellers firmly rooted in their state's culture, history, heritage and everyday life.

Audiences can view Stories from the Stage on WORLD Channel and worldchannel.org. Complete episodes, individual stories and exclusive digital content can also be viewed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, on the WORLD YouTube Channel and via the PBS app. Follow #SFTS100 on social media. The series can also be experienced in podcast format with Stories from the Stage: The Podcast bringing deep dives, interviews and more with series highlights selected by series co-creators and podcast co-hosts Alvarado Núñez and Liz Cheng. Stories from the Stage is presented by Boston-based WORLD Channel in collaboration with GBH Events.

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