The Unexpected Third: Kathryn Grody on Elderhood, Reinvention, and the Radical Optimism of Staying Alive

About this episode

What does it mean to grow older in a culture that often treats aging as something to resist? What happens when we begin to see elderhood not simply as a period of decline, but as an unexpected new chapter filled with opportunities for reflection, reinvention, humor, and growth? In this episode of The Aging Well Podcast, we welcome actress and playwright Kathryn Grody to discuss her one-woman show, The Unexpected 3rd: A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive. Written and performed by Grody and presented as part of George Street Playhouse’s 2026–27 season, the production explores the surprises, contradictions, challenges, and possibilities of entering elderhood. Drawing on her career in theater and her own reflections on growing older, Kathryn invites us to consider how aging changes our sense of identity, our relationships, and our understanding of what makes life meaningful. We’ll explore the role of humor in navigating life's transitions, the tension between cultural expectations and personal experience, and the possibility of approaching later life with curiosity rather than fear. Our conversation will also consider a central question in trans