Future of StoryTelling (FoST)

To mark the release of David Byrne’s new book, SLEEPING BEAUTIES, we’re revisiting our conversation with him from the FoST archives. A legendary musician, storyteller, and lead singer of Talking Heads, Byrne reflects on the creation of his immersive theatrical project, Theater of the Mind, the relationship between art and science, and why some ideas demand entirely new forms. He also discusses the value of creative experimentation, getting outside your comfort zone, and how shared experiences can actually change the way we see ourselves and the world.
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Michael Simonelli
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to David Byrne, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

David Rockwell is the founder and president of Rockwell Group, the acclaimed architecture and design firm helping shape how we experience space, food, theater, and culture. Whether it's redefining modern luxury dining through the design of the Nobu restaurants, or creating signature work in boutique hospitality through the W Hotels, David is a visionary for architects and storytellers across the board. In the theater realm, David has designed Broadway sets for hit shows including Hairspray and She Loves Me, winning him a Tony Award amongst several nominations in scenic design.
In this episode, David joins Charlie Melcher to explore the intersection of architecture, theater, hospitality, and storytelling. He discusses how an early love of community theater shaped his approach to design, why uncertainty is essential to the creative process, and how his team searches for the “emotional DNA” at the heart of every project.
The conversation features a live Q&A with members of the FoST Explorers Club.
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Michael Simonelli
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to David Rockwell, Branden Torres, Lena Kim, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman, and the FoST Explorers.

Bob Rogers is a pioneer of immersive storytelling and the founder of BRC Imagination Arts, the renowned strategic design and production agency behind experiences like the Johnnie Walker Princes Street Experience, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library, and the Las Vegas Raiders Allegiant Stadium Tour, to name a few. His new book, DEEP STORY, distills more than four decades of experience creating transformative visitor experiences for brands, museums, cultural institutions, and theme parks. Today on the FoST Podcast, Bob shares his deep story philosophy, and what it means to put the guest at the center of the story, create experiences that move people, and use storytelling to inspire change.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
To request an invitation to the FoST Explorers Club London trip, visit https://bit.ly/4wPk1eX.

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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Bob Rogers, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Could generative AI unlock a new era of storytelling in video games?
Ubisoft, the gaming company behind some of the best-selling open-world franchises like Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry is exploring this very question.
Yves Jacquier founded the Ubisoft La Forge lab in 2016 to bring game creators together with academic researchers. At La Forge, they work to envision and prototype emerging technologies with the ambitious goal of enabling more interactive, responsive, and transformative gaming experiences. In this episode, we speak with Yves about how generative AI could reshape the player experience, the limitations of large language models, the promise of world models, and why human-centric design will remain essential to the future of storytelling.
To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 
To request an invitation to the FoST Explorers Club London trip, visit https://form.jotform.com/262284711554155.
To get your copy of Charlie’s book, The Future of Storytelling, visit thefutureofstorytelling.com/home.
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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Michael Simonelli
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli
With special thanks to Yves Jacquier, Madison Brown, Lor Simpson, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, and Megan Worman.

Jeffrey Seller is the legendary Broadway producer behind shows like Rent, Hamilton, In the Heights, and more. His shows have won a combined 22 Tony Awards, including four for Best Musical, and he's the only producer to have mounted two shows that went on to win the Pulitzer Prize. Last year, Jeffrey published his autobiography, Theater Kid, an honest and moving reflection on his path to finding his place on Broadway, as well as an invaluable source of wisdom for anyone interested in building a business in a creative field. We’re revisiting this conversation today — Jeffrey shares openly about his journey to finding himself in theater, stories of his creative collaboration with artistic powerhouses like Jonathan Larson and Lin-Manuel Miranda, his philosophy of good producing, and more.

To learn more, visit our website at fost.org. 

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© 2026 Future of StoryTelling, Corp.

Produced by Future of StoryTelling, Corp.
124 West 13th Street
New York, NY 10011
Founder and CEO, Charles Melcher
Director, Carolyn Merriman
Assistant Producer, Tsuki Carlson

in collaboration with Charts & Leisure
Founder, Jason Oberholtzer
Producer, Meghal Janardan
Editor, Garrett Crowe 
Mix and Music, Michael Simonelli

With special thanks to Jeffrey Seller, Madison Brown, David Gray, Bonnie Eldon, Eitan Wolf, and Megan Worman.