Audible Engages and Inspires Audiences at SXSW 2026

Over the weekend, we returned to Austin, Texas, to showcase Audible’s imaginative and immersive content at SXSW and highlight the power of audio as a medium for creative expression. The springtime weather was perfect for connecting with creators and fans through carefully crafted, unique experiences designed to push boundaries and spark conversation.

We treated audiences to performances showcasing the quality and range of Audible’s live productions, including an energetic, slightly condensed concert version of Mexodus: A Musical Journey Across Borders — the first-ever musical theater production at SXSW. After its acclaimed New York City premiere at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre last year, the groundbreaking, live-looping hip-hop musical, created and performed by Brian Quijada and Nygel D. Robinson, is now playing in a return engagement Off-Broadway at the Daryl Roth Theatre. Mexodus will be released as an Audible Original on April 16, allowing listeners all over the world to experience the important and lesser-known story of the Underground Railroad between Texas and Mexico.

In a live episode recording of the forthcoming Audible Original What Else What Else: A Night of Stand-Up Comedy with Michael Cruz Kayne, which appeared at the Minetta Lane Theatre in early March, Kayne (The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Sorry for Your Loss) was joined by comic Chloe Radcliffe for an afternoon of performance and candid discussion about the art of stand-up and the evolving landscape of comedy in the digital age.

We also gave SXSW attendees a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to transform true stories into compelling podcasts. On a panel called “Chasing the Truth: How the Stories We Tell Spark Cultural Change,” Paul Holes (Finding the Lost Girls), Leon Neyfakh (OnlyFantasy) and Laura Beil (Dr. Death) took the audience on a journey through the realities and risks they face when bringing investigations and reporting to life, including tracking down reluctant or dangerous sources, navigating legal challenges, and structuring serialized narratives that inspire, educate and entertain.

Holes, Neyfakh and Beil are part of our new nonfiction narrative podcast slate announced earlier this month, which brings Wondery’s award-winning lineup of investigative journalism and true crime together with ours, making Audible the definitive destination for fans of the genre. Neyfakh expressed gratitude that Audible has “continued to support journalists who are doing ambitious work and taking six months, nine months, or a year to get a story right. I feel very lucky to be on a platform that has stayed the course.”

Kate Navin, Audible’s Head of Creative Development for North America, explained why slates like these show Audible’s commitment to the audio medium in her presentation, “The Staying Power of Audio-First Narrative Storytelling,” hosted by the Podcast Movement conference. She discussed the continued consumer demand for audio-only podcasting despite the rise of video, and cited the ways that a subscriber-driven model can support sustainable investment in ambitious, creative work without the need to attract advertisers.

She expanded on these opportunities during a panel called “The Booming Business of True Crime Storytelling,” where she was joined by media luminaries as they explored the continued popularity of the genre and the importance of respectful journalism when covering ongoing investigations.

Connecting audiences with content was also the subject of an Adweek panel called “Beyond the Credits: Scaling Entertainment IP Through Brand Creativity,” featuring Audible’s senior creative director of content marketing, Josh Pelzek, who joined professionals from Disney and Versus to discuss how brands and studios collaborate to turn beloved stories into immersive, global campaigns, such as Pottermore Publishing and Audible’s Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions.

As always, we had a great time in Austin as we created one-of-a-kind, memorable experiences for audiences and shared insights with our entertainment industry colleagues.