Everybody Dies in the End: Hospice, Humor, and Musical Theater with Benjamin Kintisch

In this unforgettable episode, host Natalie Buster sits down with Benjamin Kintisch, a hospice chaplain, cantor, and creator of Life Review: The Musical. Inspired by real-life stories from his time at the bedside, Benjamin transforms grief, memory, and mortality into song. Natalie and Benjamin explore the power of humor in death work, the role of spiritual questioning, and how musical theater can help us confront the hardest truths with compassion and joy. From “Everybody Dies in the End” to “Will It Still Snow?”, Benjamin’s songs offer a spoonful of sugar for the bitter pills of life—and death.

Guest: Benjamin Kintisch

• Hospice chaplain and Jewish cantor

• Creator of Life Review: The Musical

• Website: LifeReviewMusical.com

• Instagram: @benjaminkintisch

Highlights:

• [00:02:00] Benjamin’s journey from cantor to hospice chaplain

• [00:05:00] The birth of Life Review: The Musical

• [00:08:00] “Everybody Dies in the End”—humor as an entry point to grief

• [00:14:00] Musical monologues and the influence of A Chorus Line and Fiddler on the Roof

• [00:20:00] The character of Rabbi David and the theological wrestling of “Send Me a Sign”

• [00:26:00] Mr. Leroy Washington: honoring real-life friendships in hospice