The two women have been close for so long that when they engage in playful, give-and-take banter, it is reminiscent of Mickey and Judy.
Wexler, the writer, is an organizational dynamo. From the beginning, she gave Stoop its professionalism and polish.
Henkin is more relaxed and is a natural performer. She is comfortable on stage in front of a microphone, and at the radio show rehearsals, she has assumed the role of acting coach. From the beginning, she gave Stoop its easygoing, loopy charm.
As Wexler indicated, the two friends get lots of help. Aaron Henkin has broadcast connections, is the most knowledgeable about midcentury radio shows, and is the go-to guy for sound effects. Caleb Stine curated the music for the show, which includes performances by the folk band he fronts, Caleb Stine and the Brakemen, as well as singer-songwriter ellen cherry (who has forsaken capital letters), the spoken word/poetry group The Fifth L and country/rockabilly artist Arty Hill.
Everyone pitches in to recruit storytellers, who in the past have included such local luminaries as Mayor Sheila Dixon and David Simon, creator of The Wire, along with such folks as a genetic epidemiologist and a former funeral home employee.
The lineup for Baltimoored includes three different groups of headliners. On Thursday, Larry Doyle, a former writer for The Simpsons and the author of I Love You, Beth Cooper, will discuss his efforts to install central air conditioning in a century-old Mount Washington house. (A film of the same title based on Doyle's book opens in Baltimore the next day.)
On Friday, O'Malley will talk about the summer she spent campaigning for her father, former Maryland Attorney General J. Joseph Curran Jr.
During the final show on Saturday, Pryor will discuss touring Europe as a child, and Peters, who played Detective Lester Freeman on The Wire, will deliver an anecdote about ... something.
Jessica Henkin shrugs.
"We don't know what story Clarke is going to tell yet," she says. "It will be a surprise."
Stoop is full of such off-kilter little discoveries - including the extent to which the storytelling series has struck a chord with local audiences. Of the 21 shows produced to date, 19 have sold out.
"I think they should be bigger than they are," Pryor says. "Baltimore needs this."
Wexler looks off momentarily into the distance, and you can practically see her brain whirring, thinking of possible themes for future shows, beginning a mental list of guest speakers she'd like to invite.
"We'd like to do this again," she says, "maybe on a semiregular basis. It could take the form of a serialized radio show."
It seems the Stoop will keep stretching.
If you go
* Baltimoored: Summer in the City, A Live Radio Show will be performed at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Center Stage, 700 N. Calvert St. Tickets cost $20. Call 410-332-0033 or go to stoopstorytelling.com.
* Two hourlong segments culled from the three evenings will be broadcast on WYPR (88.1 FM) on The Signal at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, July 17 and at 12 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, July 24.
