Karien Polley is a South African storyteller and author of the new audio drama, Out of the Shadow: The Peace Trees of Hiroshima.
A professionally trained dramatist, Karien has spent her career immersed in media and humanitarian efforts. For the last 5 years she’s been writing audio dramas that are charged by history and celebrate the human spirit. Her latest work explores the lives of Hiroshima’s survivors in a poetic interlude that leaves listeners filled with hope for what comes after a great tragedy.
Karien graduated from the University of Stellenbosch and Pretoria with a degree in drama and went on to work in film, television, and radio. But it was her time as a fundraiser and workshop facilitator for NGOs assisting people living with HIV and AIDS that truly enriched her life.
A life long storyteller, she has vivid memories of bedtime stories shared with siblings, playing endless outdoors games, and conjuring up all manner of imaginary worlds.
Growing up before television and screens, you could say that Karien understands the radio and podcast medium better than most.
She wrote her first radio drama “VAN DIE VLEES” (in Afrikaans, her mother tongue) for Radio Sonder Grense. From there, Karien has moved from commissioned pieces to producing her own audio dramas, which are broadcasted locally. Some of her most prolific works are also available here. And she is now also facilitating workshops for audio script writing. Seeing her realise the dream to be of service, while continuing to inspire and transform her listeners with soulful narratives.