“History That Doesn’t Suck!” stage show live in Saratoga Springs

Saratoga Springs, NY (April 2) — Universal Preservation Hall welcomes Professor Greg Jackson, creator of the popular podcast “History That Doesn’t Suck!” This touring show combines storytelling, multimedia, and live music to take audiences on an epic journey through the first 100 years of American history in 100 exhilarating minutes. The show will be in town for one night only 7:30 p.m., Sunday, May 10 at UPH, 25 Washington Street, Saratoga Springs, NY 12866.

The United States celebrates its 250th anniversary in 2026 — a remarkable milestone for a nation that nearly ended before its first 100 years. This special storytelling concert commemorates America’s semi quincentennial by vividly bringing to life the pivotal moments of its first century. From a bold, world-changing Declaration of Independence through the republic’s existential crisis and devastation of Civil War, witness the resilience that would be “a new birth of freedom…of the people, by the people, for the people [which] shall not perish from the earth,” as Abraham Lincoln proclaimed.

*** WATCH THE SHOW TRAILER HERE ***

With a sense of humor that made his podcast rocket in popularity, Jackson masterfully tells the epic tale of the “The Unlikely Union” — the story of the struggle and triumph of a young nation to form, define, and reform itself from the American Revolution through the Civil War. His live storytelling is accompanied by live musicians, sound effects, and video. The show is not recorded for the podcast, “it’s meant to be experienced together,” says Jackson. He adds:

“This is a chance for us to come together as fellow citizens to revel in history-telling that will remind you what a miracle our unlikely union is; a story that reminds us that we are stronger when we remember that we are all Americans.

I adapted ‘History That Doesn’t Suck!’ for the stage for the same reason I first created the podcast: to bring important, relevant stories from the past — both well-known and forgotten — to life. I reject the idea that history must be a dry, stuffy, ivory-tower subject. Stories let us push past names and dates. Simply put, good history doesn’t have to be told in a way that is boring or divisive, because that would suck.”

Dr. Greg Jackson is best known as the creator and host of the podcast “History That Doesn’t Suck! with Prof. Greg Jackson.” Jackson holds a PhD in history, is a tenured Associate Professor and Senior Fellow in National Security Studies, as well as Fellow of Integrated Studies at Utah Valley University. His forthcoming book, “Been There, Done That: How Our History Shows What We Can Overcome,” will be published by Simon & Schuster in spring 2026. He is also a frequent commentator in HISTORY Channel documentaries including “History’s Greatest of All Time with Peyton Manning,” “UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd,” “The Engineering That Built the World,” “The Toys That Built America,” “How Disney Built America,” “Dark Files,” “History’s Crazy Rich Ancients,” and the three-night mini-series event “Abraham Lincoln.”

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