Marilyn Rea Beyer

Marilyn Rea Beyer got onboard The Midnight Special by listening to WFMT as a teenager in Lansing, Illinois. Concerts at Orchestra Hall, the Earl of Old Town, and Navy Pier fueled her passion for folk music.

Meanwhile, her lifelong love of musical theatre grew while studying performance at Purdue and Northwestern. After moving to New England, Marilyn spent many years as on-air folk radio host and music director at Boston’s WUMB and served on the board of legendary Club Passim. Her varied professions include education, high-tech, and PR.

In 2019, she returned to Chicago and was tapped to take over from Rich Warren as host of The Midnight Special in 2020. You might see Marilyn emceeing a folk show, biking the Lakefront Trail, or doing live poetry and storytelling.