On this episode of the podcast, Amanda Head is joined by filmmakers, New York Times bestselling authors, and playwrights Phelim McAleer and Ann McElhinney to discuss their stage production “October 7,” premiering at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at 7:30PM.

The play documents the 2023 terror attack in Israel through verbatim testimony from survivors — stories of faith, resilience, and defiance in the face of unimaginable brutality. McAleer and McElhinney explain why telling these stories has come at a cost, from boycotts and venue refusals to open hostility in Ireland, where anti-Israel sentiment has made staging the production an uphill battle.

The pair breakdown why “October 7” matters now, how firsthand accounts cut through propaganda, and why bringing these voices to audiences, especially on college campuses, is essential to countering false narratives and historical erasure.