Libromendel
The Gray Area
During an unspecified “government transition” in the near future, the young scholar Alejandra Cortez (no relation to AOC) returns home from Rhinebeck on an extremely rainy night and stumbles into a West Village café where she was once a regular during the Second Trump Administration. But aside from the rowdy RPG players, what happened to all the colorful eccentrics? Why does nobody remember the history of Café Gluck aside from an overworked barista named Sporschill? Who is the strange new owner claiming to be a “crypto king”? And why doesn’t anybody remember...
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Introducing Onlychatter.com
The Gray Area
We've just launched a bold new experiment in independent podcasting and micropayments. It's called onlychatter.com. Our creator Edward Champion outlines the details of this new venture and unveils the first episode of a new comedic investigation podcast he's producing called HOW THE WORLD MAKES US. Please go to onlychatter.com and consider becoming a member today! For the price of a pint, you'll have instant access to 40 new episodes of lively podcasts!
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An Alarming Message from Universe 224B
The Gray Area
We've intercepted an alarming transmission from Universe 224B. Something about attending the 302nd Bureaucosmological Conference on October 16, 2021 at 7:00 PM at the Gene Frankel Theatre. We pass this information onto you so that you can make sense of this.
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13.4. Pattern Language: Mirrors of the Soul
The Gray Area
Our intrepid heroes visit the New York Public Library to meet up with visiting literary scholar Merrill Malone, an eccentric and the foremost expert on Virginia Gaskell’s life and work, to get, once and for all, all the answers about the portals. What they don’t realize is that shocking personal revelations and the very ground beneath their feet will alter forever within the library’s seemingly pristine walls. (Running time: 55 minutes, 43 seconds.) Written, produced, and directed by Edward Champion. CAST: Chelsea: Katrina Clairvoyant Emily McCorkle: Belgys Felix Professor Malone: Robert...
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Inside the Gray Area: "Pattern Language: An Iris for Emily"
The Gray Area
Our showrunner Edward Champion discusses Part 3 of "Pattern Language." Subjects discussed include WandaVision, the careful balance between realism and pastiche, the Faulkner short story as a starting point, Love and Rockets, why the memory of an inspiration is often better than closely examining the source text, designing the 1970s announcer voice, using 1970s television effects to create a sound design, being careful with laugh tracks, why Carol Jacobanis is an extraordinary actor, the advantages of recording with Belgys and Carol together in the same room, an abandoned first season script...
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13.3. Pattern Language: An Iris for Emily
The Gray Area
Emily McCorkle has landed the media appearance of a lifetime: a guest spot on the most respected talk show in America. But why is the host so concerned with her private details? And why are so many skeletons from her past making guest appearances? And who is the strange man with the hot dogs? (Running time: 38 minutes, 1 second.) Written, produced, and directed by Edward Champion. CAST: Emily McCorkle: Belgys Felix Ophelia Kakanakis: Carol Jacobanis June: Monica Ammerman The Fajita Demon: Pete Lutz The Cunning Demon: Leanne Troutman Morris Pressman: David Tao Jimmy Markson: Heath Martin...
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Inside the Gray Area: "Pattern Language: Not a Frown Further"
The Gray Area
Our showrunner Edward Champions dives into the second chapter of "Pattern Language." Subjects discussed include creative dissatisfaction, basing the story arc on being personally libeled by a journalist, writing as an act of being peace, resisting the temptation to write from revenge, fantasy as a genre where real-life people incapable of empathy express it as new characters, designing the telephone muttering, invasion of privacy, when culture doesn't allow people to change, how Belgyis Felix landed the role by staying in character as a demon during a play, the Adelphi school of acting,...
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13.2. Pattern Language: Not a Frown Further
The Gray Area
Months after the events of “Paths Not Taken,” Chelsea is working hard to turn a corner and improve her life. But when Emily McCorkle, the smear merchant journalist who severely damaged her reputation, returns to write a followup piece, Chelsea is thrown into a jarring maelstrom that involves demons, people from her past, and the possibility of redemption. (Running time: 32 minutes, 22 seconds.) Written, produced, and directed by Edward Champion. CAST: Chelsea: Katrina Clairvoyant Emily McCorkle: Belgys Felix Maya: Tanja Milojevic Morris Pressman: David Tao Ed Champion: Edward Champion...
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Inside the Gray Area: "Pattern Language: The Tainted Grimace"
The Gray Area
Our showrunner Edward Champion discusses the first chapter of "Pattern Language." Subjects discussed include his hesitations about creating, the dangers of revealing too much, Chris Ware, being dubious about your own work, why the first part of "Pattern Language" was split into two parts, why Pete Lutz is a marvelous man, how an old UCB trick resulted in the strange mix of Shakespeare and I Love Lucy, designing custom vernacular, the absence of slang in fantasy stories, Total Meats as a metaphor for Whole Foods, scouring through mythology to come up with obscure beast and creature names, the...
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13.1. Pattern Language: The Tainted Grimace
The Gray Area
Pat Goras and Lucy Didas are a happy couple living in a fantastical suburban realm preparing for a delightful dragon brisket barbeque with their neighbors. But when a strange portal opens in their backyard, their lives and roles become permanently altered within the very Gray Area itself! (Running time: 20 minutes, 54 seconds) Written, produced, and directed by Edward Champion. CAST: Pat Goras/The Fajita Demon: Pete Lutz Lucy Didas/The Cunning Demon: Leanne Troutman The Neurotic Demon: Melissa Medina The Counting Demon: Vlasto Pejic The Angsty Demon: Nick Boesel Miss Gaskell: Chris Smith and...
info_outlineDuring the Season 2 sessions, we recorded this bold adaptation of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s famous short story with many of our Gray Area regulars. This radio play honors the text, but is set in the present day, addressing #metoo and the oppressive demands upon women.. (Running time: 32 minutes)
Written, produced, and directed by Edward Champion
Adapted from the Charlotte Perkins Gilman short story
CAST:
The Woman: Katrina Clairvoyant and Nicole Papadopoulos
John: Zack Glassman
Jenie: Devony DiMattia
The Child: Devony DiMattia
The Wallpaper: Pete Lutz
The Guests: Michael Saldate, Charly Saccocio, and Edward Champion
The Voice: Carol Jacobanis
Mary: Belgys Felix
The Nurse: Argyria Kehagias
Sound design, editing, engineering, and mastering by a bald man in Brooklyn who reads too many books.
Music licensed through Musicfox.
Image licensed through Getty.
Thank you for listening!