The Walls Close In

People finding themselves stuck in small spaces—an elevator, an attic, an orchestra pit—trying to make sense of their new surroundings. Prologue: Host Ira Glass talks to Jay Van Bavel, who recently found himself trapped in an elevator (in a very 2020 predicament). (7 minutes) The People Up the Stairs: A few weeks ago, Jessica and Moisés found themselves hiding in an attic. Reporter Kevin Sieff talks to them about how they got there. (26 minutes) Music of the Night after Night after Night: The musicians in the orchestra for Phantom of the Opera tell reporter Jay Caspian Kang about what it’s like to play the exact same music every single night—for decades—and how they’ve learned to make their peace with it. (22 minutes)