THE AUDIO TO THE SHOW

http://nutmegjunction.buzzsprout.com/168185/731835-episode-12-serendip-history-part-two

SHOW NOTES

This was a fun episode as we return to the idea of serendipitous moments in history otherwise known as “Serendip-History”.  Our guest was Nancy Sasso Janis, the theater reviewer. As an interesting side note, when Conrad Sienkiewicz, Robert C. Fullerton and I met at WAPJ and sat at the table discussing the ideas for Nutmeg Junction the radio show, Nancy arrived at the tail end of that discussion as she and I had scheduled a Nutmeg CHATTER radio interview and she was early. So she got to witness the birth of the Nutmeg Junction radio show when it happened.

And I knew from our interview that Nancy had acted before but most of her time was spent reviewing and with such a schedule it would be difficult for her to take on a full production of a show but our show was different, needing a rehearsal and a recording time and they’re usually during off times (as often our cast are parts of other local productions!  So I asked if she was interested in participating and she was and I had the perfect role for  her: Harriet Beecher Stowe!

In addition I had the idea of a public relations person trying to sell Louisa May Alcott on a sequel to Little Women. I reached out to my friend, comedienne KJ Johansen who was my co-host on a prior radio program to see if she was interested in being the PR person and she was!

Olivia Wadsworth and Jandi Hanna were slated to be part of the show as Ava and Evelyn and I knew Olivia could portray Louisa May Alcott and Jandi’s character in Serendip-History is the narrator. This left only Samuel Clemens. Fortunately we have a Southern gentleman of distinction in our cast; Robert C. Fullerton!

Conrad Sienkiewicz directed and it was great that he had some “book end” narration which held the story together.

This was an episode that we rehearsed and recorded on the same day which, when we only have one episode to record, works out fairly well.

The story of Louisa May Alcott and Virginia Wyles worked as I already had the punchline in my head before I wrote it.

The Harriet Beecher Stowe and Samuel Clemens story was based on a recollection of a tour I had either at the Twain Center or at the Stowe center. I couldn’t find any reference to it online, but I recall hearing of a time Clemens met Stowe on the grounds and discussed something and then later sent up his suit. It’s a particularly peculiar idea that I do not know if it’s true or if my memory is flawed but I thought it was a story worth fictionalizing. The dialogue however are often quotes attributed to both authors at different times and contexts.

Credits

Episode 12: Serendip-History Part Two

Written and created and produced by J. Timothy Quirk (c) 2018

Directed by Conrad Sienkiewicz

Starring

Olivia Wadsworth as Ava/Louisa May Alcott

Jandi Hanna as Evelyn/Alice Dare Crook

KJ Johansen as Virginia Wyles/Waitstaff

Nancy Sasso Janis as Harriet Beecher Stowe and herself

Robert C. Fullerton as Samuel Clemens

Conrad Sienkiewicz as Announcer

Nutmeg Junction Theme written and performed by Robert C. Fullerton and used with permission.

All other music and sounds from youtube royalty free music or otherwise found in the field by J. Timothy Quirk