Microwaves, family secrets, and the Potential of a Pancake converge in this zany dark comedy about a middle-aged woman reckoning with her power for the first time. 

Jesus Pancake is a new scripted audio fiction series from Artist Soapbox and the Soapbox Audio Collective.

Nine episodes of Season One will be released FALL 2022.

Subscribe via your favorite podcast app. For more information, see www.artistsoapbox.org.

How about a special summer treat? This episode is a short audio play for middle-school kids created by the Curious Theatre Collective.

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Founded in 2016, Curious Theatre Collective creates original, interdisciplinary educational theater programming that inspires audiences to follow their curiosity, persevere through challenges, and believe in the power of their imagination.

Curious Theatre Collective is excited to share the next installment of audio plays for young audiences: Chinese Girl Wants Vote.

Written by Jinna Kim, Chinese Girl Wants Vote presents the life and work of Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee. Dr. Lee’s work for women’s rights and the Chinese American community are gifts we are thrilled to share with our audience (specifically grades 4-8).

Chinese Girl Wants Vote: Trailblazer Mabel Lee features Rachel Kanakanui and Pimpila Violette. This audio play was funded thanks to grant support from the Orange County Arts Commission.

Curious Theatre Collective is Emma Nadeau, Jessica Flemming, Tamara Kissane, and Julie Kaplan.

Read along with the script

Watch on YouTube

For more info, cast bios, and resources: CTC Audio Plays

ASBX Interview with Jinna Kim

ASBX 145: Creekside with Winona: an audio play for young audiences

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Master Builder

The New Colossus

Declaration of Love audio anthology

ASBX Shorts

CONNECT AND FOLLOW:

Artist Soapbox on social media:

Twitter: @artist_soapbox

Instagram: @artistsoapbox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artistsoapboxpodcast/

CONTRIBUTE:

Soapboxers are the official patrons of the Artist Soapbox podcast. Get on the Soapbox with us at Patreon or make a one-time donation via Ko-fi at https://ko-fi.com/artistsoapbox or via PayPal at PayPal.Me/artistsoapbox.

If you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, please consider our non-profit Soapbox Audio Collective.

Listen to the third of three excerpts developed by the Food for Thought Project, a year-long writing lab for aspiring audio dramatists.

And Eat It, Too was written by Ashley-Ruth Bernier.

SUMMARY:

Jolie, an optimistic and talented baker in an impoverished island community, finds herself at a crossroads when a high-stakes, hugely popular cake decorating show (think “Cake Wars”, etc.) decides to film its next season on island. As an intern on the show, Jolie inadvertently publicizes the question of what happens to the cakes once the filming is finished--and finds herself in the middle of the show’s mission to showcase the fine art of outlandish cake decoration, and her community’s real problem with food insecurity. 

BIO:

Ashley-Ruth M. Bernier (she/her) is a writer of mysteries and contemporary Caribbean fiction. Originally from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Ashley and her family now live in Apex, North Carolina, where she teaches first grade. Through distance learning, she earned an MFA in Creative Writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University (2013) and has had work published in various issues of The Caribbean Writer.

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Food for Thought is an Artist Soapbox and Soapbox Audio Collective project, co-produced by Aurelia Belfield and Tamara Kissane, and sound designed by Sam Elia. 

These excerpts and the year long writing lab were made possible by the generous support of the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. 

And Eat It, Too was written by Ashley-Ruth Bernier.

Directed by Barbette Hunter

Production Manager: Griffin James

AND EAT IT TOO CAST:

Jolie - Ashley-Ruth Bernier

Cyrus - Christon Andell

Alana - Soleih Nibbs

Mrs. Foy - Shaundra Norwood

Male Customer - Bayley Garbutt

Link to Script

MORE:

ASBX Episode 151: Writers for the Food for Thought Project

The Food for Thought Project: Ashley-Ruth Bernier

Master Builder

The New Colossus

Declaration of Love audio anthology

ASBX Shorts

CONNECT AND FOLLOW:

Artist Soapbox on social media:

Twitter: @artist_soapbox

Instagram: @artistsoapbox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artistsoapboxpodcast/

CONTRIBUTE:

Soapboxers are the official patrons of the Artist Soapbox podcast. Get on the Soapbox with us at Patreon or make a one-time donation via Ko-fi at 

Listen to the second of three excerpts developed by the Food for Thought Project, a year-long writing lab for aspiring audio dramatists.

I'm Not Here Right Now was written by Shea Stanley.

SUMMARY:

Ella graduated college 6 months ago and is still living in her college town after her mom’s death kept her from moving away for a super cool journalism internship. Unemployed and friendless, she spends every day applying for jobs on her laptop at Doggy Style, a kinda bad hot dog joint known by drunk college kids for its tater tots. It’s at Doggy Style she meets MJ, a college senior who is anything but stuck.

BIO:

Shea Stanley is an actor, writer, and comedian based in Durham, NC. She has written satire for publications such as IndyWeek and Reductress, and recently premiered her first full length play for Women’s Theatre Festival. She is interested in telling serious stories in a funny way that also make you go “aww” but are also kind of stupid, if that makes sense (don’t tell her if it doesn’t).

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Food for Thought is an Artist Soapbox and Soapbox Audio Collective project, co-produced by Aurelia Belfield and Tamara Kissane, and sound designed by Sam Elia. 

These excerpts and the year long writing lab were made possible by the generous support of the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. 

I’m Not Here Right Now was written by Shea Stanley.

Directed by Rachel Klem

Production Manager: Griffin James.

I’M NOT HERE RIGHT NOW CAST:

Ella - Shea Stanley 

Sonja - Arlie Kidd 

MJ - Rochelle Mendoza 

Kristen - Julie Oliver 

Regular Carl - David Klionsky 

Michael - Ryan Vasconcellos

Drunk College Student - Griffin James

Special Thanks to Hot Dog Consultant - Sara Pequeño

Link to Script

MORE:

ASBX Episode 151: Writers for the Food for Thought Project

Food for Thought: Shea Stanley

Master Builder

The New Colossus

Declaration of Love audio anthology

ASBX Shorts

CONNECT AND FOLLOW:

Artist Soapbox on social media:

Twitter: @artist_soapbox

Instagram: @artistsoapbox

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/artistsoapboxpodcast/

CONTRIBUTE:

Soapboxers are the official patrons of the Artist Soapbox podcast. Get on the Soapbox with us at Patreon or make a one-time donation via Ko-fi at 

Listen to the first of three excerpts developed by the Food for Thought Project, a year-long writing lab for aspiring audio dramatists.

Crocodile Twins was written by Tori Grace Nichols.

SUMMARY:

LaLa is a rambunctious adoptee from the Philippines living overseas on an American military base. Rey is quiet and obedient, and likes to help at his family's Filipino food restaurant, Miraflor Bistro. They meet one summer in Virginia Beach and become close friends. LaLa struggles with feeling like she doesn't belong anywhere, and Rey, inspired by mythological tales from the Philippines told by his Lola, dreams of bringing his vibrant inner world to life. As they grow older, friendship, food, and perhaps a spirit guide or two help them figure out who they are and how to stay connected.

BIO:

Tori Grace Nichols (they/them/theirs) describes themself as a prismatic performance artist. They can be seen performing drag as G-Clef with the House of Coxx and causing good trouble around Durham, NC as a cultural organizer and stand up comedian. Most folks call them Grace out of drag. 

Recent writing credits include sketch comedy with Kahoots Comedy and two audio dramas, Stretchy Shorts and Crocodile Twins, for the podcast platform Artist Soapbox. 

Through the Center for Documentary Summer Studies Intensive, they co-created a short documentary called Call Me Harriet Tubman about their friend Muffin, who founded the North Carolina Community Bail Fund of Durham. 

Recent acting credits include Dreaming (assistant puppeteer) with Duke Performances and Freakshow (Mr. Flip) with The Women's Theatre Festival. They also host and produce a podcast called Go With Grace in which they discuss the impact of white Christian supremacy on our daily lives for the organization Soulforce.

Tori Grace began their cultural organizing work as the Arts and Culture Fellow for Southerners on New Ground, a Southern queer liberation organization. They are adopted from the Philippines and identify as queer, genderqueer, trans, and disabled.

***

Food for Thought is an Artist Soapbox and Soapbox Audio Collective project, co-produced by Aurelia Belfield and Tamara Kissane, and sound designed by Sam Elia. 

These excerpts and the year long writing lab were made possible by the generous support of the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation. 

Crocodile Twins was written and directed by Tori Grace Nichols.

Production Manager: Griffin James

CROCODILE TWINS CAST

LaLa - Giara di Costanzi 

Rey Rey - Jaelon Thorp 

Lola - Imee Dalton 

Hiya - Rochelle Mendoza 

Sal - Lukayo Estrella 

Betty - Juliana Finch 

Link to Script

MORE:

ASBX Episode 151: Writers for the Food for Thought Project

Food for Thought: Tori Grace Nichols

Stretchy Shorts: Episode 9 of the Declaration of Love

Master Builder

This is the second of two episodes that feature short interviews with the cast of THE NEW COLOSSUS audio drama (released in April 2020). This episode features half of the cast, all of whom play the more experienced generation of characters. 💕😊

You’ll hear from Michael Foley, Susannah Hough, John Jimerson and Edith Snow, interviewed by Kaley Morrison and Barbette Hunter during our recording days in November of 2019. These are short snippets — each actor had only a few minutes between their calls to pop over and answer a few of Kaley and Barbette’s questions.

L-R: Michael Foley, Susannah Hough, John Jimerson, Edith Snow

If you’ve already listened to THE NEW COLOSSUS audio drama, then you know how talented these actors are. As you’ll hear in this episode, they are lovely, thoughtful and generous people as well.

The cast covers a variety of topics including: their individual characters in TNC, what it’s like to record an audio drama, the difference between acting for audio and acting on stage, why people should listen to TNC, their favorite moments and more. (Warning, there are a few spoilers here if you haven’t finished all 6 episodes.)

Listen to the previous episode: 128: THE NEW COLOSSUS actor interviews: Part One

WONDERFUL BONUS: This episode includes music written, performed and recorded by Edith Snowfor Episodes 4 of THE NEW COLOSSUS. The multi-talented Edith was also the sound designer for our first audio drama MASTER BUILDER (which featured Susannah Hough too!).

As of this release, TNC has been listened to in 20 countries and 30 US states. You can also listen to the six 20 minute episodes via the website www.thenewcolossuspodcast.com and via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the usual podcasts platforms.

If you’d like to hear more about THE NEW COLOSSUS and audio drama in general, our wonderful executive producer, Aurelia Belfield, and I will be co-leading an online session as part of the Women’s Theatre Festival on July 29 at 11am. Purchase tickets here for our individual session or for the entire month-long online conference and new play festival..

Big special thanks to our incredible TNC production team, to Trailblazer Studios where we recorded TNC, to the patrons of ASBX on Patreon, and to Manbites Dog Theatre Foundation and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation for their support.

Michael Foley (SORIN) appeared in the staged version of The New Colossus with Little Green Pig as Sorin. He recently appeared in Norway and Heads Will Roll with LPG and with ShaLeigh Dance Works/Ariail Productions in Bamboo Wind.  Other past favorite roles include those inThree Sisters and Faith Healer for LPG, Life Sucks, The Open House, The Nether, and At the Vanishing...

In April 2020, Artist Soapbox released our second full length scripted audio drama THE NEW COLOSSUS. This is the first of two episodes that feature short interviews with the cast of THE NEW COLOSSUS audio drama (released in April 2020). This episode features half of the cast, all of whom play the younger generation of characters. 😊💕

You’ll hear from Ron Lee McGill, Carly Prentis Jones, Ryan Ladue, and Skylar Gudasz, interviewed by Kaley Morrison during our recording days in November of 2019. These are short snippets — each actor had only a few minutes between their calls to pop over and answer a few of Kaley’s questions.

(L-R: Ron Lee McGill, Carly Prentis Jones, Ryan Ladue, Skylar Gudasz)

If you’ve already listened to THE NEW COLOSSUS audio drama, then you know how talented these actors are. As you’ll hear in this episode, they are lovely, thoughtful and generous people as well.

The cast covers a variety of topics including: their individual characters in TNC, what it’s like to record an audio drama, the difference between acting for audio and acting on stage, why people should listen to TNC, their favorite moments and more. (Warning, there are a few spoiler alerts here if you haven’t finished all 6 episodes.)

WONDERFUL BONUS: This episode includes music written and performed by Sklyar Gudasz and recorded by James Phillips for Episodes 5 & 6 of THE NEW COLOSSUS. Enjoy it, and then go immediately to purchase Skylar’s newest album CINEMA (which has received incredible reviews!).

As of this release, TNC has been listened to in 20 countries and 30 US states. You can also listen to the six 20 minute episodes via the website www.thenewcolossuspodcast.com and via Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the usual podcasts platforms.

If you’d like to hear more about THE NEW COLOSSUS and audio drama in general, our wonderful executive producer, Aurelia Belfield, and I will be co-leading an online session as part of the Women’s Theatre Festival on July 29 at 11am. Purchase tickets here for our individual session or for the entire month-long online conference and new play festival..

Big special thanks to our incredible TNC production team, to Trailblazer Studios where we recorded TNC, to the patrons of ASBX on Patreon, and to Manbites Dog Theatre Foundation and the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation for their support.

Ron Lee McGill (KONRAD) is grateful to be apart of this production. Born & raised in Durham, NC, Ron received his BA in Media Studies from the University of North Carolina and now resides in Charlotte, NC where he is an Actor, Writer, and Graphic Illustrator. Ron’s film credits include appearances on TVOne’s Fatal Attraction and the national advertisement for Meals on Wheels. Ron could last be seen on stage for the Children’s Theater of Charlotte in such productions as Judy Moody and Stink: The Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad Treasure Hunt and Last Stop on Market Street. Ron is humbled by the opportunity to be among such great and dedicated...

Episode 6 of 6:

A continuation of episode 5. Full of fractures and farewells, this is the final episode of The New Colossus.

*Featuring a musical number written and performed by Skylar Gudasz. (Masha)

*Excerpt of The Waste Land a poem by T.S. Elliot

***

The New Colossus is an unhinged dark comedy reboot of Anton Chekhov’s classic play, THE SEAGULL.

A family of frustrated, attention-starved artists flocks to the seashore. One of them has a gun…what could possibly go wrong? A darkly comic reboot of Chekhov’s classic THE SEAGULL, this rollicking tale examines the pitfalls of making art and making love in modern day America.

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CONTENT WARNING:

The New Colossus Audio drama is rated R for content.

Episodes contain: explicit language, lust and sexual situations, gunfire, death, dysfunctional conversations, illness, bad theatre, anti-patriotism, drinking, and arm-wrestling. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry. We hope you enjoy….The New Colossus.

THE NEW COLOSSUS CAST AND CREW:

Cast:

IRINA: Edith Snow*

TRIG: John Jimerson

NINA: Carly P. Jones

KONRAD: Ron McGill

MASHA: Skylar Gudasz*

MEDDIE: Ryan Ladue

PAULINA: Susannah Hough

SORIN: Michael Foley

ANONYMOUS INTERVIEWEE: Kyma Lassiter

*Skylar and Edith also composed and performed original music as part of their roles!!!

Team:

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Aurelia Belfield

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Kyma Lassiter

PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Barbette Hunter and Kaley Morrison

WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Tamara Kissane

SOUND DESIGNER: Sam Elia

AUDIO ENGINEER: Cameron Fitzpatrick

ADDITIONAL RECORDING SUPPORT: James Phillips

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Kaley Morrison

RECORDED at: Trailblazer Studios in Raleigh, NC

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This is a production of Artist Soapbox and Soapbox Audio Collective with support from the Manbites Dog Theater Fund, the patrons of Artist Soapbox, the Mary Duke Biddle Foundation, Timothy McMackin, and Trailblazer Studios.

Written by Tamara Kissane. Produced by Artist Soapbox + Soapbox Audio Collective.

www.thenewcolossuspodcast.com

www.artistsoapbox.org