Can The GTs solve the mystery of the Henrikksen Halloween Ball? The plot thickens, creamy!
CO-HOST: Cody Dry
Produced by Patrick Emile and Marlo Mysliwiec
Written, Directed, Scored, and Edited by Patrick Emile
CAST: Jovane Caamaño as Myles Manningford and Myles Manningford Sr., Cameron Casey as Champ Renegade, Cody Dry as DJ Yuh-no and Cop, Courtney Dyamond as Narrator, Patrick Emile as Cornish Henrriksen, Brendan Kallaugher as Sandy Graves and Delivery Driver, Jon Murrell as Parry Unitas, Bradford Reilly as Claude "the Clobber" Clobbinzky, Amber Rossi Strasser as Tessa Buckle, Ph.D., and Evan Michael Woods as Cisco Schaefer
Can The GTs solve the mystery of the Henrikksen Halloween Ball? The plot thickens, creamy!
CO-HOST: Cody Dry
Produced by Patrick Emile and Marlo Mysliwiec
Written, Directed, Scored, and Edited by Patrick Emile
CAST: Jovane Caamaño as Myles Manningford and Myles Manningford Sr., Cameron Casey as Champ Renegade, Cody Dry as DJ Yuh-no and Cop, Courtney Dyamond as Narrator, Patrick Emile as Cornish Henrriksen, Brendan Kallaugher as Sandy Graves and Delivery Driver, Jon Murrell as Parry Unitas, Bradford Reilly as Claude "the Clobber" Clobbinzky, Amber Rossi Strasser as Tessa Buckle, Ph.D., and Evan Michael Woods as Cisco Schaefer
Writer Wrong Episode 6
The Griwerrtones Chapter Three
11.11.2020
Note: Writer Wrong is designed and produced for your listening enjoyment. If you are able, we recommend listening to the audio for your initial experience. All transcripts are generated by human transcribers and may contain errors. Please refer to the corresponding audio episode before quoting in print.
Writer Wrong and “The Griwerrtones Chapter Three” are copyrighted works under Title 17, USC. No part of these works may be reproduced or used in any manner without written permission from the copyright owner.
INTRO 00:00
[MUSIC: WRITER WRONG THEME]
Marlo Mysliwiec: Welcome to Writer Wrong where you, the listeners, become the writers. Today’s episode is Chapter Three of three. Now over to your host Patrick Emile.
[MUSIC: WRITER WRONG THEME OUT]
WRITERS ROOM with Cody Dry 00:15
Patrick Emile (PE): Welcome back to the show, brave listeners. I am your host, Patrick Emile, and this is the Writer Wrong Podcast where you decide what happens next. We're so happy you're back with us. This is going to be a presentation of "The Griwerrtones Chapter Three" so again as always, spoilers ahead. So if you haven't listened to "The Griwerrtones' Chapter One or Two, now is the time.
Folks, I'd like to take a minute to thank our new Patreon supporters. The support from Patreon helps us with the cost of web hosting, equipment upgrades, and payments to our incredible Writer Wrong Rogues and Co-Hosts. Marlo and I are both so grateful for any support we receive on Patreon and in return, we've got a lot of great perks out there for you, such as insights into my creative process, advance releases of commentary free director's cuts of the audio plays, and our immense gratitude to you for making this podcast possible. Check us out on Patreon at www.Patreon.com/WriterWrong or on our website WriterWrongPodcast.com and visit the Donate page.
And folks, we're coming to you once again from the Writer Wrong studio here in Dallas, Texas and we are so thankful to be joined once again by Mr. Cody Dry. How is it going, Cody?
Cody Dry (CD): You know, it's going pretty well. Pretty excited about some things going on in the country.
PE: Yeah. Yeah.
CD: Hot dog!
PE: It's an exciting time.
CD: It is.
PE: Are things good in Dry town?
CD: In Dry town? You know, I can't complain.
PE: Yeah?
CD: Yeah.
PE: So Cody, you been listening to anything cool, or watching anything or reading anything?
CD: Yes, I had a friend turn me on to this podcast slash album by a group called Sleeping At Last. It's kind of a collective.
PE: Ok.
CD: And they have an album and each song is based on one of the nine enneagram numbers.
PE: Oh that's interesting.
CD: Archetypes if you will.
PE: Yeah.
CD: And each one is composed by a person of that enneagram number.
PE: No kidding!
CD: It was really interesting to hear their take. I of course listened to a two. You know the song "Two", I connected with that one because that's mine. But also "One" is really sweet as well because that's the reformer, kind of the perfectionist person. And it was really nice to try and hear that lyricists take a sigh of relief and kind of go easy on themself.
PE: What's the idiom? Is it like classical or...
CD: I would say it's kind of like shoegaze-y, kind of ambient, singer-song writer-ish.
PE: Oh right. Oh ok.
CD: Yeah. And it has lyrics so...
PE: Cool.
CD: Yeah, it's very interesting. It was very very insightful.
PE: That sounds really cool.
CD: Yeah. Check it out.
PE: Say that again for our audience.
CD: Yeah, so the group is called Sleeping At Last.
PE: Sleeping At Last.
CD: Yeah, pretty great.
PE: So I have been sort of inundated with "The Griwerrtones Chapter Three," but I did check out "The Haunting of Bly Manor" on Netflix. I was a big fan of "The Haunting of Hill House."
CD: Same.
PE: And I thought it was a successful adaptation from Shirley Jackson. And this one I think is also super successful. The Henry James "Turn of the Screw" which is very chilling and a very interesting story. And they went that way. They went chilling as opposed to trying to completely terrorize you. There are some good scares but the overall feeling is more ambient, to use the word again as far as how it's affecting you. And then it does have sort of an emotional climax similar to how the creative team handled "The Haunting of Hill House" as well. And they upped the diversity in this one—
CD: They did! They did.
PE: —which I was very happy to see. Yeah, check it out, audience, if you're into that kind of thing. I thought it was pretty cool.
Alright, friends, so we are about to check out "The Griwerrtones Chapter Three." Cody has not heard this yet, as always the Co-host is having a blind taste test as far as experiencing the audio-play. Although as you all by now Cody is heavily involved in this production from that side of the table. So, Cody are you ready?
CD: I'm very ready. I can't wait.
PE: Yeah? Are you excited?
CD: I am yeah.
PE: I'm excited, too. This one was a total bare. But I think it turned out pretty ok. So folks, buckle up, safety first because here comes "The Griwerrtones Chapter Three."
CD: OooOoo!
[MUSIC: WRITER WRONG THEME UP AND OUT]
[BEEP, BEEP, BEEP, BEEP]
THE GRIWERRTONES - Chapter Three 04:47
NARRATOR:
A few days ago...
[SOUND: WHIP CRACK]
MYLES:
Ok, ya'll. I know we're set on "Hell Is Where The Harm" Is for the ball, but is it ok if we work on the record for a bit? I think this will be our best album yet!
TESSA:
That seems like a wise use of our time.
CISCO:
Whatever you say, Chief.
CHAMP:
Lack of preparation leads to relaxation confiscation.
MYLES:
Ok, let me just dial it up here...
[SOUND: BUTTON MASHING]
MYLES:
Ok, Tessa why don't you just dial it up here...
TESSA:
Myles, I say this with only good intention, but turning the console on is a good place to start.
CISCO:
Oh ho!
CHAMP:
Hashtag where's the burn cream!
MYLES:
You got me again, T!
[MUSIC: SONG BEGINS]
MYLES:
Oh, oh, here we go. One...two...one, two, three!
ALL:
Sha-la-la-late at night
When you need to groove, and it's
Close to Halloween,
There's only one place that
You should ever go, when you
Want a spooky scene!
So just grab your boo,
Or your favorite ghoul and say,
"Hey, it's time to jive!"
This is the party where
You can raise the dead - hope you
Make it out alive!
At…
Danceylvania!
The Underground's underground new-wave rave!
Danceylvania!
You're gonna catch a fever from beyond the grave!
Every night
Is Hades Night (sha la la)
And scares are free.
There's nowhere ghosts
Or goblin-folk (sha la la)
Would rather be (rather be)
Than...
Danceylvania!
Danceylvania!
Danceylvania!
Danceylvania!
[SOUND: PHONE RINGING]
MYLES:
Aw, come on!
CISCO:
That's me, Chief. Sorry.
MYLES:
Cisco? Really?
CISCO:
I'm uh...I'm just gonna take this outside.
MYLES:
Alright.
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS]
MYLES:
Ok, Tessa, Champ—let's try to clean up that bridge...
[SOUND: DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING]
CISCO:
Go for Cisco...
...Yup, it's all collected...
...Yeah, I'm gonna do that, too...
...I just told you—it's all under control...
...Alright...
...Ok...
...Yeah, Cisco out...
[SOUND: PHONE CLICK]
CISCO:
Oh boy, they're never gonna know what hit 'em...
[MUSIC: GRIWERRTONES THEME SONG]
NARRATOR:
In the darkest hour,
in the time of need,
who sings for the songless?
Cisco Schaefer!
CISCO:
"Don't get all riled up, creamy."
NARRATOR:
Champ Renegade!
CHAMP:
"Life is an ocean of possibility: give the roots room to grow, and you'll see that even broken wings have feathers."
NARRATOR:
Tessa Buckle, Ph.D.!
TESSA:
"My therapist says I need to consider people as more than the makeup of their atomic structure. I tend to disagree..."
NARRATOR:
And Myles Manningford!
MYLES:
"Here's one: squirrel boxing. But, it's also a ceramics studio."
NARRATOR:
Together they are...The Griwerrtones!
Written by Patrick Emile.
A few moments ago...
[SOUND: PANICKED GUESTS]
CHAMP:
No! DJ Yuh-no!
CISCO:
Chieeeef! I've got eyes on Henrikksen!
PARRY:
Master Cornish, sir!
MYLES:
Holy Sh—
[SOUND: MIXER CRASHING]
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
DJ YUH-NO:
Aye yo-yo, what do you know! It's DJ Yuh-no, back from the grizzy-grave!
CHAMP:
What?!
NARRATOR:
DJ Yuh-no has his arms stretched out in front of him like a zombie and he's bobbing his head to a beat in his headphones. He spits out a blood capsule!
DJ YUH-NO:
Did I fool ya! That was my tricks, now it's time for the treats! Let's get poppin'!
[SOUND: FAILED RECORD DROP/SPARKS]
NARRATOR:
His rig begins to spark and smoke.
DJ YUH-NO:
My rig! It's like it's straight throwed!
NARRATOR:
Cisco inspects the front of the massive DJ controller.
CISCO:
That's because there's a bullet in it, creamy.
[MUSIC: EVIL ORGAN UND.]
TESSA:
Myles!
NARRATOR:
Tessa is kneeling next to Cornish Henrikksen, still facedown and unmoving. Sandy Graves stands in shock next to him. She smells the glass and inspects Cornish's mouth.
TESSA:
(To herself). Almonds. (To Myles) He's been poisoned, Myles! Cyanide!
MYLES:
Oh, nuts! Champ, call an ambulance!
CHAMP:
On it!
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
NARRATOR:
Champ's phone doesn't appear to be working.
CHAMP:
Myles, I'm getting no signal...
CISCO:
Neither am I, Chief. And the front door is locked from the inside.
MYLES:
What?!
PARRY:
It is the safety protocol. When Master Cornish's life is in danger, the entire estate enters into lock-down security. No phone service, and no one can enter or exit the property.
TESSA:
How is that in any way designed to ensure safety?
[SOUND: PANICKED GUESTS INTENSIFIES]
PARRY:
Master Cornish saw it in a motion picture and programmed it himself, despite my objections.
CHAMP:
Can you override it?
PARRY:
I...cannot at this time.
MYLES:
Oh, enough of this.
[MUSIC: THE GRIWERRTONES THEME SONG REPRISE]
NARRATOR:
Myles leaps onto DJ Yuh-no's stage.
MYLES:
Griwerrtones! Gather!
NARRATOR:
The GTs run to their leader.
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS RUNNING]
MYLES:
Cisco, I need you to determine who among the guests might be armed or a threat. Whoever is behind this no doubt is trying to blend in with the guests now.
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
CISCO:
You got it, Chief. I'll sniff them out. (sniff sniff)
MYLES:
Champ, go with Cisco. I want you on crowd control. Panic is not what we need right now. Do your thing.
CHAMP:
"In peace you'll find a quiet mind is not far behind."
MYLES:
Huh?
CHAMP:
It's a part of an anti-anti-anxiety campaign that I—
MYLES:
Champ.
CHAMP:
Yeah?
MYLES:
Go.
CHAMP:
On it!
CISCO:
I say we take them to the library, kid.
CHAMP:
Where is it?
CISCO:
I, uh...I know the way. Follow me.
[MUSIC: CHAMP UND.]
NARRATOR:
The pair begins to herd the guests.
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS/FADING OUT]
CHAMP:
Wow, look at all of these empowered soul generals here before me tonight. My name is Champ Renegade, (fading out) and this is my associate Cisco Schaefer...
MYLES:
Ok, Tessa—
TESSA:
Yes, I believe I can save him. There is a lab downstairs that appeared to be outfitted with everything I need to administer the necessary hydroxocobalamin.
MYLES:
Sure, but—
TESSA:
I will, however, need help carrying Mr. Henrikksen to said lab, as I am unable to lift him without assistance.
[MUSIC: CLOBBER UND.]
CLOBBER:
I am strong and therefore can be of service in this regard, yes?
NARRATOR:
Wait, really?
TESSA:
Time is of the utmost importance. Let's go.
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
NARRATOR:
Clobber throws Cornish over his shoulder and they hurriedly exit the parlor.
MYLES:
...right. Thank you, Tessa. (beat) Ok, well Sandy—HOLY SMOKES!
NARRATOR:
Myles feels a ghostly tap on his shoulder and turns to see a clown running away.
[SOUND: CLOWN GIGGLE]
MYLES:
(calling out) The party's over, if it wasn't obvious! (to himself) Although, I do admire the commitment. Anyway, Sandy that leaves you with me.
SANDY:
Myles, I don't know what happened, I swear...
MYLES:
We're going to get to the bottom of it. I just need to think. (over-pronouncing) Parry, is there somewhere quiet we can go, question mark?
PARRY:
There is Fort Henrikksen.
MYLES:
Fort Henrikksen? But, I thought we can't leave the grounds?
PARRY:
It is Master Cornish's special place. I recommend the entertainer DJ Yuh-no accompany us. He could still be in danger.
DJ YUH-NO:
Hey, that's me, yuh know.
MYLES:
Good thinking, Parry. Lead the way.
[SOUND: ROBOTIC WHIRRING]
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS]
NARRATOR:
Parry guides the group through the mansion, down a marble hallway, and to what appears to be a dead end. Parry gently rams his still-affixed mint, gum, and cigarette tray into the wall before them.
[SOUND: PARRY KNOCKING AGAINST WALL]
NARRATOR:
And again...two more times.
[SOUND: REVERSING/WHIRRING/KNOCKING]
[SOUND: DOOR OPENING]
PARRY:
Welcome to Fort Henrikksen.
MYLES:
(in awe) Well how about that...
[MUSIC: NARRATION UND.]
NARRATOR:
Fort Henrikksen is quite simply...magical. It's a cavernous room with soft carpet and a complex system of boldly painted walls and pillars. Only, they don't look like walls or pillars, but rather impossibly large sofa cushions and pillows and blankets bigger than most houses.
During the day, light trickles in from a massive skylight through meticulously crafted cracks between the faux cushions, as if a children's fort and an ancient temple came together in an explosion of imagination. It's nighttime now, so the chamber is lit from quirky angles by fixtures resembling oversized flashlights.
There are games and instruments and sporting equipment scattered about, as well as a snack bar and a huge table with an enormous map of Griwerrtown unrolled upon it. One wall has a small proscenium theatre built into it, with a wonderfully detailed castle and balcony on the stage.
MYLES:
This...is...incredible.
PARRY:
Master Cornish designed the Fort many years ago with the assistance of several esteemed architects. He enjoys having a place at the ready where companions can congregate, should the need arise. You are the first person to enter, besides Master Cornish himself.
DJ YUH-NO:
Yo, it's like—it's like we're small and everything else is big, yuh know! Like this whole thing a couch, BOOSH, and I'm just a little kitty cat. Meow! Yuh know?!
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS]
[MUSIC: NARRATION UND.]
NARRATOR:
Myles walks over to a far corner. It's a painting studio. Around it is hung wonderfully rendered watercolors ranging from scenes of Henrikksen Field, Pills 'N' Chills, Griwerrtown Canyon, and some portraits. There is a large canvas on an easel with a sheet covering it.
MYLES:
These are so beautiful.
PARRY:
Master Cornish is a highly skilled visual artist.
MYLES:
Who knew?
SANDY:
Myles...
MYLES:
Right, sorry. Ok, Sandy, what exactly—wait, what?
[MUSIC: SHORT ORGAN CLIMAX]
NARRATOR:
Myles looks down at a small table by the easel. Sitting there, amazingly, is a small still life: of a dictaphone, a journal, a lab coat, and a driving cap.
[MUSIC: CONNIVING UND.]
MYLES:
That's our stuff! Parry, what gives?!
PARRY:
I do not know, sir.
SANDY:
Myles, please...
MYLES:
I guess I'll deal with that later. Ok. Sandy, did you drink any of that champagne?
SANDY:
I did, but I feel fine. I swear I—
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
MYLES:
But you gave Cornish his glass, right?
SANDY:
Yes. And, I know that looks bad, but...
MYLES:
Sandy, I know you're under a lot of stress. But it seemed like you were desperate to get with Cornish all night. Did you...put anything in his glass?
SANDY:
No. Absolutely not. I promise, Myles. You have to believe me!
MYLES:
I do, I do. Alright. Well, can you tell me why you had to speak to him so badly?
SANDY:
I...I got some bad news tonight...
MYLES:
Oh, no. Not Hurley?
SANDY:
No, thankfully. I'm actually being let go as announcer of The Grackles. That's what I was trying to talk to Cornish about. But first we got interrupted by one of those stupid clowns running around, and then your performance was starting, and by the time the song was over he was just on the ground. I have no idea what happened.
MYLES:
Ok, did he say anything?
[SOUND: GUNSHOT]
DJ YUH-NO:
Oh (bleep) shit! That robot got the heat!
PARRY:
I am sorry.
[SOUND: TWO GUNSHOTS]
PARRY:
I am sorry. I am sorry.
NARRATOR:
Parry, from underneath his costume tray, is firing wildly in DJ Yuh-No's direction. His aim appears to be way off.
[SOUND: MORE GUNSHOTS]
MYLES:
DJ Yuh-no! Run!
NARRATOR:
DJ Yuh-no hides behind a cushioned column.
DJ YUH-NO:
What'd I do, yuh-know!? I'm, like, sorry for whatever it waaaas!
PARRY:
I am sorry. I am sorry.
[SOUND: EMPTY GUN CLICKING]
MYLES:
Parry?!
NARRATOR:
It seems Parry is out of ammo for now. Downstairs, Tessa is rapidly and masterfully administering care to the poisoned Cornish Henrikksen.
[SOUND: LAB SOUNDS]
CLOBBER:
You know, Tessa Buckle Ph.D., to see you work like this is quite, how you say, alluring...
TESSA:
Mr. Clobbinzky, there is no time for courtship. This man's life is in jeopardy, and I simply need you to do as I say.
NARRATOR:
HaHA! Take that!
CLOBBER:
Da, this is understood, yes.
[SOUND: PASSING DRIP BAG]
[MUSIC: TESSA UND.]
TESSA:
Hold this bag just so. Good. Now I need to locate some epinephrine. It is quite fortunate that Mr. Henrikksen is the owner of a pharmaceutical company, as this lab, while not quite up to my own standards of organization, is sure to have the drug somewhere.
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS/CABINETS OPENING AND CLOSING]
NARRATOR:
Tessa searches about the lab. She opens drawers and cabinets, and quickly finds the epinephrine. She briefly inspects the glass chambers, hoses, and metering devices from Cornish's mysterious experiment, but then jumps over to a long console with two large monitors. She furtively looks over to Clobber and begins to type away.
[SOUND: TYPING]
CLOBBER:
(calling out) It is hard for me to believe that Sandy Graves do such a thing to Cornish.
TESSA:
(distracted) What's that?
CLOBBER:
I must say it is unfortunate that Sandy Graves would resort to such thing as murder. I told him earlier that he is being fired from announcing job. He must have been much angrier than he seemed.
[SOUND: LAB SOUNDS]
TESSA:
Hold on. You're saying that Mr. Graves is being released from the team? And you told him?
CLOBBER:
(calling out) Yes, this is truth. I was given big extension, but Cornish ask that in return I break news to Sandy. It is very sad.
TESSA:
Cornish Henrikksen had you fire him? This does not seem likely, given what I know about the man.
CLOBBER:
Well, technically it was robot. Parry. He tells me that Cornish told him to tell me, it goes on and on like this...
TESSA:
(still distracted) I see. We must remember to relate this to Myles. Aha!
CLOBBER:
You find medicine, yes?
TESSA:
Um, yes. Yes, I have it.
[SOUND: VINTAGE TURBO PRINTER]
NARRATOR:
Tessa prints a long readout.
TESSA:
(to herself) I knew it. Fascinating.
CORNISH:
(begins to rouse)
CLOBBER:
Sunrise girl! I think Cornish, he's waking up now!
[SOUND: RUSHED FOOTSTEPS]
TESSA:
The antidote is working. Now to bring him back to the proverbial land of the living.
[SOUND: JAB]
NARRATOR:
Tessa jabs Cornish with a long needle.
CORNISH:
Ahhhhhhh! (heavy breathing)
TESSA:
Welcome back, Mr. Henrikksen.
CORNISH:
(scratchy throat) What happened? Where is Parry?
TESSA:
You were poisoned. Cyanide.
CORNISH:
I was what?
CLOBBER:
And someone tried to shoot DJ.
[MUSIC: CONNIVING UND.]
CORNISH:
What?! What is going on? Never mind. Help me upstairs. I will deal with this myself.
TESSA:
That is inadvisable, Mr. Henrikksen.
CORNISH:
Dr. Buckle, while I conjecture that I am very much in your debt, I must insist. Clobber, please if you would.
CLOBBER:
Of course, Mr. Henrikksen. In fact it is I who am in your debt. For contract extension.
CORNISH:
What extension?
CLOBBER:
You tell robot to tell me that I get extension and to fire Sandy Graves so—
CORNISH:
Fire Sandy? I can assure you I did no such thing. I—
[SOUND: DISTANT GUNFIRE]
TESSA:
Was that...?
CORNISH:
Gunplay?! Quickly now. We must get upstairs!
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS]
[MUSIC: SHORT TRANSITION]
NARRATOR:
The trio hastily begins the trek back up to the ground level of the estate. Meanwhile, in the library, Cisco had just been scratching his head in bewilderment.
[SOUND: SNORING]
CISCO:
I gotta tell ya kid, that's the most amazing thing I've ever seen. And I've seen a lot of amazing things.
[MUSIC: CHAMP UND.]
NARRATOR:
In neatly organized rows, all the party guests are lying on the library floor, either asleep or in an almost vegetative state.
CHAMP:
I once lead a guided meditation during a mindfulness excursion atop the mountains near the Sacred Valley that put our local guide into a gentle coma.
CISCO:
But...how did you get back down?
CHAMP:
In some way, Cisco, I never did.
CISCO:
Ayyy, we talked about this. Don't be weird.
CHAMP:
So what do you think? Are any of these guests persons of interest?
CISCO:
Not a one, creamy. But I think I've got an idea about who's behind this.
[SOUND: MUFFLED GUNFIRE]
[MUSIC: ELEVATED PLAYFUL UND.]
CISCO:
We've got shots fired about 60 meters!
CHAMP:
Myles!
CISCO:
It's Tessa I'm worried about. Let's go!
[SOUND: CROWD ROUSING]
CHAMP:
(running out) Um, please walk back into the light! Follow it to your dream self! And find me on the soshe— @champrenegade! It's a verified account!
NARRATOR:
The duo runs out of the library and back to the parlor.
CISCO:
Alright kid, where would it have taken them?
CHAMP:
It?
CISCO:
The robot! Remember? Try to keep up.
CHAMP:
Cisco, the glitter!
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
NARRATOR:
Three distinct glittering trails are visible running outwardly from the parlor.
CISCO:
Good eye, Champ. Ok, let's see...that one is us. That one must be Tessa going to the lab. Which means this one must be Myles! But, that trail doesn't go anywhere but back to the kitchen...
CHAMP:
How do you know so much about the layout of this place? Have you been here before?
CISCO:
Look, kid. Yeah, I have. But it's not what you think. I was—
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]
TESSA:
(winded) Champ! Cisco!
NARRATOR:
Tessa, Clobber, and a winded Cornish emerge from another hallway.
CISCO:
Oh, Tessa, are you a sight for sore eyes. I thought you might be dead!
TESSA:
Why me, Cisco?
CISCO:
At the end of the song. You dropped your candle.
CHAMP:
So...
TESSA:
The bullet was meant for me. This is very unsettling.
CLOBBER:
I will protect you, sunrise girl.
TESSA:
Not now, Claude. I'm thinking.
CLOBBER:
Ah, I like how you say first name. This is I, Claude—
CISCO:
Henrikksen, where might your robot take Myles? Somewhere no one would look...
CORNISH:
What are you implying?
CISCO:
Just answer the question!
CORNISH:
The Fort. Follow me.
[SOUND: RUNNING FOOTSTEPS]
NARRATOR:
The unlikely band rushes through the manor to Fort Henrikksen. While inside...
[MUSIC: CLIMACTIC UND.]
MYLES:
Parry, stop!
[SOUND: EMPTY GUN CLICKING]
PARRY:
I am out of ammunition. It is now safe.
SANDY:
DJ Yuh-no! Are you ok?
NARRATOR:
DJ Yuh-no peers from behind a blanketed pillar.
DJ YUH-NO:
Yeah...all good, yuh-know...
MYLES:
Parry, why were you shooting at him?
[MUSIC: CONNIVING UND.]
PARRY:
My programming has been over-ridden. Fortunately, my targeting has been compromised by this tray. As I am also out of ammunition, it is now safe. I am sorry.
MYLES:
I don't think sorry is going to cut it, buddy. Go...go into that corner and face the wall!
PARRY:
I will do as you ask.
[SOUND: KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK]
[MUSIC: CLIMACTIC UND.]
CORNISH:
What is going on in here?
NARRATOR:
Cornish, Tessa, Cisco, Champ, and Clobber tumble into the Fort.
CISCO:
Was it the robot?
MYLES:
Corny! Oh, thank goodness!
SANDY:
Cornish! You're alive!
CISCO:
I knew it was the robot.
SANDY:
Mr. Henrikksen, sir, I promise I had nothing to do with any of this.
CISCO:
Never trust a—
CLOBBER:
Sandy Graves, why you try to kill Cornish Henrikksen?
SANDY:
I didn't! Why were you meeting with Parry at Pills 'N' Chills?
MYLES:
Cornish, Parry was shooting bullets out of his tray.
TESSA:
That would suggest I wasn't the target, after all.
CISCO:
Oh right, good point.
CHAMP:
DJ Yuh-no, are you ok?
CORNISH:
Enough! Enough of this. Parry, come here.
[SOUND: WHIRRING]
CORNISH:
Did you fire at the DJ?
PARRY:
Yes, Master Cornish.
CORNISH:
And why did you do that?
PARRY:
I cannot say, sir.
[MUSIC: CONNIVING UND.]
CORNISH:
You what? You will tell me at once, authorization 80085 Henrikksen, Cornish.
PARRY:
Authorization invalid.
CORNISH:
What is happening—tell me, did you meet with Clobber Clobbinzky and have him fire Sandy Graves?
PARRY:
Yes, Master Cornish.
SANDY:
That's what I've been trying to say. I heard them in the back at Pills 'N' Chills! But, Mr. Henrikksen, that's not everything. Before that clown came up to us tonight, I was going to tell you—
CISCO:
Wait, what clown? And if the robot wasn't firing at Tessa, then why the stupid DJ?
DJ YUH-NO:
Hey, I'm right here, yuh-know!
CHAMP:
He's not stupid.
DJ YUH-NO:
Preesh that!
MYLES:
And why is our stuff over there?
CISCO:
Uh, that one's on me, Chief.
MYLES:
Huh? Cisco?
TESSA:
Ah, my lab coat.
CHAMP:
My analog journal!
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
CORNISH:
Myles, I asked Mr. Schaefer to procure the items for me. My wish was to paint your respective totems in still life, as a token of gratitude. I contacted Cisco knowing that he would be capable of the covert task.
CISCO:
It sounded like a nice thing he was doin', what can I say...
MYLES:
Gratitude for what?
CORNISH:
For the performance. And for—
TESSA:
And for using us in an experiment in his sub-level laboratory.
[SOUND: GASPS]
CLOBBER:
Da, it is quite scary down there.
MYLES:
What kind of experiment?
TESSA:
He is attempting to synthesize what you might call happiness—
CORNISH:
—and I believe The Griwerrtones, when singing together, to be a pure expression of joy—
TESSA:
—to then be used in the seasonal Pills 'N' Chills menu.
CORNISH:
Also true...
MYLES:
Tessa?
TESSA:
The concept is, of course, absurd. However, the science appears to be sound, and I do believe Mr. Henrikksen's intentions to be ultimately benign.
MYLES:
Oh, this is what you saw and wanted to talk to me about earlier!
TESSA:
Not exactly. Myles—
[MUSIC: GROOVING UND.]
MYLES:
Well gee, gang! What do we think?
CISCO:
I think it sounds pretty neat, Chief.
MYLES:
This could be huge for us!
CHAMP:
The horse is the gift in the mouth of opportunity.
DJ YUH-NO:
Ay, are we gonna talk about that robot, or what?
TESSA:
Myles, there is something else.
SANDY:
Mr. Henrikksen, please listen.
DJ YUH-NO:
This party is wack! But, like, good wack, yuh-know?
SANDY:
When I was closing up that night, I also saw—
CORNISH:
Quiet, everyone!
NARRATOR:
Cornish puts his hand up.
CORNISH:
Please! Parry, who authorized you to meet with Claude Clobbinzky at Pills 'N' Chills?
PARRY:
I cannot say, sir. My programming has been over-ridden by a higher authority.
CORNISH:
There is no higher authority than mine, Parry. Answer me at once!
[MUSIC: CONNIVING UND.]
PARRY:
I cannot, sir.
MYLES:
(over-pronouncing) Parry, did you poison Cornish question mark?
PARRY:
I am incapable of directly harming Master Cornish.
MYLES:
Well who in the world would want DJ Yuh-no dead, and Sandy fired, and Cornish poisoned?
DISTANT VOICE:
Oh, Myles. Silly boy...
[MUSIC: EVIL ORGAN UND.]
NARRATOR:
The group turns to face the voice. Up, on the balcony of the theatrical castle, stands one of the menacing clowns. He is holding a gun in and one hand and removes his mask with the other.
CLOWN:
Always such imagination, but never any care to consider the details...
MYLES:
NO!
CLOWN:
...isn't that right, son?
MYLES:
Dad?!
NARRATOR:
Indeed, it's Myles Manningford, Sr.
TESSA:
This is most unexpected.
CHAMP:
Wait, what?
CISCO:
He's got a gun!
SANDY:
Yup, that's who I saw that night I was closing...
CLOBBER:
Manningford? What is this all about? Lower your weapon.
DJ YUH-NO:
Yo, check this out! I saw this cat earlier when I was settin' up my rig! He was putting on that clown costume, and this little jar of pills came rolling towards me, yuh-know! I was all, "Hey fam, you dropped yo drugs...yuh-know!
MYLES:
Cyanide.
[MUSIC: CONNIVING UND.]
MANNINGFORD SR.:
Correct, son. And therefore the insipid DJ had seen too much and had to be dealt with. My plan to frame Sandy Graves for the poisoning of Henrikksen was iron-clad until that moment. So I programmed the robot But none of that matters now, thanks to your meddling soprano.
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS ON METAL STAIRCASE]
NARRATOR:
Manningford Sr. begins to descend a spiral staircase from the castle balcony. Cisco carefully approaches the stage and makes a quick motion to Champ.
CISCO:
Let's all calm down, Mr. Manningford. Put the gun away, ok?
MYLES:
But, Dad. I don't understand. Murder? Why Cornish?
CORNISH:
I demand you explain yourself, Manningford. How did you compromise Parry's programming for such schemes?
MANNINGFORD SR.:
You dare speak to me that way! I helped build the blasted thing! Your mother, Cornissha, was the love of my life.
MYLES:
What?
MANNINGFORD SR.:
She and I developed the parental unit together after your father threatened her life for choosing to have you in the first place. Don't you see? You were a mistake. You ruined everything. And despite my intervention, he drove them off the cliff into Griwerrtown Canyon anyway. Dead! Because of you!
NARRATOR:
Cisco is now just a few feet away from the devious clown. Champ has disappeared.
CORNISH:
No. It...it was an accident!
MANNINGFORD SR.:
Once you took The Grackles from me, I had had enough. No more, Cornish Henrikksen. You'll never take anything from me again.
NARRATOR:
He raises the gun towards Cornish!
[MUSIC: GROOVING UND.]
CISCO:
Now, Champ!
NARRATOR:
From out of nowhere, Champ Renegade flies from a dark wing of the stage towards Manningford Sr. Cisco tackles him and the three begin to grapple.
[SOUND: FIGHT SOUNDS]
[SOUND: GUNFIRE]
NARRATOR:
In the melee, there is gunfire in all directions.
MYLES:
Get down!
CORNISH:
Parry, exit lockdown protocol and alert the authorities!
PARRY:
But, Master Cornish, sir...
CORNISH:
Now!
NARRATOR:
Cisco and Champ disarm and pin down Manningford Sr.
CISCO:
We've got him, Chief!
CORNISH:
Do as I say, Parry!
PARRY:
Authorizing...authorizing...
[SOUND: BEEPING]
PARRY:
The authorities are en route. Goodbye, sir.
CORNISH:
What do you mean, goodbye?
[SOUND: POP AND SMOKE]
PARRY:
Master Cornish, overriding a directive from my native programmer results in malfunction and self-destruction.
[SOUND: POP AND CRACKLE]
CORNISH:
No! Parry!
[MUSIC: SOFT GRIWERTTONES THEME]
NARRATOR:
Dear friends, I am afraid this is true. As a protection for her son, Cornissha Henrikksen designed Parry with this fail-safe in the event that the unit ever tried to actively override its own programming.
PARRY:
I must ensure your safety.
NARRATOR:
She felt that if Parry became so evolved, that he then couldn't be trusted with the unwavering care of her child.
CORNISH:
No...please. Dr. Buckle!
TESSA:
Mr. Henrikksen, I don't believe...
[SOUND: CRACKLES]
PARRY:
Master Cornish, sir...
CORNISH:
Parry, please don't leave me alone!
NARRATOR:
Parry's circuitry begins to betray him. His motor slowly grinds to a halt and his power cell disengages from his processor. His backlit eyes begin to flicker and fade.
[SOUND: POWERING DOWN]
PARRY:
No more dinosaurs, sir.
CORNISH:
Parry!
PARRY:
Always aim for the starrrrs... (powering down)
CORNISH:
Parry!!
[MUSIC: SOFT GRIWERRTONES THEME FADE]
[MUSIC: CLIMACTIC UND.]
NARRATOR:
Suddenly, Manningford Sr. headbutts Cisco!
[SOUND: BUTTING HEADS]
CISCO:
Ahh!
NARRATOR:
...and produces a knife from his floppy shoe and slashes at Champ!
[SOUND: SLASH]
CHAMP:
Arghhh!
MANNINGFORD SR.:
Alone is all you will be ever be, Henrikksen. In hell!
NARRATOR:
He lunges at Cornish but Tessa jumps in the way.
TESSA:
Wait! He's your son!
[MUSIC: ORGAN INTRIGUE UND.]
CLOBBER:
You will not harm sunrise-girl!
[SOUND: FIGHT SOUNDS]
NARRATOR:
Clobber tackles Manningford Sr. and holds him down with his mighty strength. Suddenly police swarm into Fort Henrikksen!
[SOUND: COP SIRENS]
CISCO:
(breathing heavily) Ayyyy, finally. Take it from here, would ya? I'm beat.
CHAMP:
Same, Cisco.
MYLES:
(gently) Tessa? What do you mean?
[MUSIC: SOFT GRIWERRTONES THEME]
NARRATOR:
Tessa removes the print-out from her pocket.
TESSA:
Myles, this is what I needed to tell you. In his laboratory, Mr. Henrikksen has extensive biological research on all of us in anticipation of his experiment. Now, as you know, I have done similar analysis on all of you.
MYLES:
Um, did anyone know that?
CHAMP:
Knowledge is power, but I'm feeling powerless.
CISCO:
Definitely did not.
TESSA:
Well, I have. It was interesting to me to see how each of you were composed from a protein level on up—anyway, never mind! Here!
[SOUND: PAPER RUSTLE]
NARRATOR:
She hands Myles the printout.
MYLES:
This doesn't even look like words...
TESSA:
He must've subjected himself to the experiment and done similar evaluation. That's both of your data.
MYLES:
I don't understand...
TESSA:
Myles, his biological imprint is nearly identical to yours.
MANNINGFORD SR.:
No! This can't be!
CISCO:
Get him outta here!
COP:
Alright, let's go, clown.
[SOUND: HANDCUFFS]
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS]
COP:
Crazy rich people parties, I swear...
MYLES:
But that would mean...
NARRATOR:
Myles turns to the grief-stricken genius, Cornish Henrikksen. He is kneeling beside Parry, now life-less and dark.
MYLES:
Cornish?
CORNISH:
...out. Get out. (yelling) Everybody get out!
[SOUND: FOOTSTEPS]
NARRATOR:
DJ Yuh-no, Sandy Graves, Clobber Clobbinzky, and our heroes slowly shuffle out of Fort Henrikksen. Myles turns back.
MYLES:
Cornish. I'm...so sorry.
CORNISH:
(softer) Please leave.
NARRATOR:
Myles shuts the door behind him.
[SOUND: LARGE DOOR CLOSING]
[MUSIC: SOFT GRIWERRTONES THEME FADE]
NARRATOR:
A few weeks later...
[SOUND: WHIP CRACK]
MYLES:
Alright, ya'll, I know it's been a crazy season, and I'm sorry I had to take some time off. I had a lot to take care of, I'm feeling a lot better, and I promise I'll make it up to you. But! Check this out. I think you're all gonna freak!
NARRATOR:
They are standing outside of HQ. Miles is holding a rope connected to a large tarp that is covering up the storefront sign. He pulls it hard.
[SOUND: FABRIC TARP PULLED]
[MUSIC: PLAYFUL UND.]
MYLES:
Ta-da!
TESSA:
Certainly one of your better ideas, Myles.
CISCO:
Oh ho! It's perfect, Chief!
CHAMP:
Myles, this could trend.
NARRATOR:
The new sign reads Griwerrtones HQ. Looks like it's permanent!
MYLES:
Yeah, after everything that happened, I was given full control over my father's estate. Sooooo, I thought what the hey, Griwerrtones or bust, baby!
[SOUND: TRUCK]
NARRATOR:
A delivery truck pulls up.
DELIVERY GUY:
Yeah, I got a delivery for a Myles Manningford.
MYLES:
That's me!
NARRATOR:
On a furniture dolly, the driver unloads a very large crate.
MYLES:
Oh! I guess wheel it on in here.
[SOUND: CRATE WHEELS]
NARRATOR:
After signing off on the package and some time spent un-crating it, the team stands around a large rectangle covered in brown paper.
[SOUND: DOOR CLOSING]
CISCO:
Hey Chief, just open it. Why the suspense?
[SOUND: PAPER TEARING]
MYLES:
Wow.
NARRATOR:
The team begins to tear all the paper away, revealing an incredible watercolor still life of a lab coat, a driving cap, an analog journal, and a dictaphone. It is vibrant and full of complexity and emotion. It's beautiful. There's also a note. Myles begins to read as the GTs bring the painting into the lounge.
[SOUND: ENVELOPE OPENING/PAPER RUSTLING]
MYLES:
"Dear, Myles. It is with regret that I deliver this piece..." (fading out)
[MUSIC: SOFT GRIWERRTONES THEME]
CORNISH:
"Dear, Myles. It is with regret that I deliver this piece to you so late and after such tragic events. Truly, the loss of Parry devoted me. He was all the family I ever had. And yet, while plans to rebuild him are already underway, it occurs to me that perhaps this isn't true anymore. I do not know when our paths will cross again, Myles. But maybe it will be sooner rather than later. Until then. Yours in fraternity, Cornish."
MYLES:
(to himself) Well, how about that.
CHAMP:
Myles, what do you think? Right here on the mantle?
TESSA:
The mantle is not level, and I believe this lack of visual symmetry could obfuscate enjoyment of the watercolor painting…
CISCO:
Ay, don't get all riled up, now...
MYLES:
Um, yeah! Looks great! Let's get it up there and circle up in the studio. I've got a really great feeling about what's next for us! Ready, gang? Let's hit it!
[MUSIC: GRIWERRTONES THEME SONG]
(END OF THE GRIWERRTONES CHAPTER THREE)
CREDITS 34:13
Marlo Mysliwiec: The Griwerrtones is produced by Patrick Emile and Marlo Mysliwiec. Written, directed, edited, and scored by Patrick Emile. Original songs, music and lyrics by Patrick Emile with arrangement by Cody Dry. Jovane Caamaño as Myles Manningford and Myles Manningford Sr., Cameron Casey as Champ Renegade, Evan Michael Woods as Cisco Schaefer, Amber Rossi as Tessa Buckle Ph.D., Jon Murrell as Parry Unitas, Brendan Kallaugher as Sandy Graves and the Delivery Driver, Patrick Emile as Cornish Henrikksen, Bradford Reilly as Claude "the Clobber" Clobbinzky, Cody Dry as DJ Yuh-no and the Cop, and Courtney Dyamond as the Narrator.
WRITERS ROOM with Cody Dry 35:05
[MUSIC: WRITER WRONG THEME UP AND OUT]
PE: And we're back, brave listeners, from "The Griwerrtones Chapter Three." Hope you enjoyed it. Cody, what'd you think?
CD: Ok, here's my question for you, Patrick. This is a little longer.
PE: Yep.
CD: Are these getting easier for you? It just feels tighter.
PE: Yeah, in terms of total process it's getting a little bit easier. Listeners, as you may or may not be aware of there's a built-in constraint on this whole process because of the voting and all of that. So I have to turn around a lot of these things in a very quick way in terms of writing the piece, then recording the actors, and editing it, and then scoring it. I do that over a handful of days.
CD: Right.
PE: To get out, in this case, 30 minutes of content. It is getting a little bit easier. As far as tightness and kind of learning the genre of the audio-play I think I'm getting a little bit more attuned to what is necessary. And tightening up those spaces between vocalizations and really trying to pay attention to what is the difference between people talking over each other or answering a question. How long does it take to answer a question?
CD: Right, that's fascinating.
PE: Or an interjection, or how to utilize a pregnant pause. All of those sorts of things. And it comes down to quite literally milliseconds. Quite literally milliseconds.
CD: And it's a genre that we're not used to. We're such a visual culture now that we're not used to hearing things and we don't tune into the timing of what we hear.
PE: Right.
CD: And so it—yeah, I can imagine it becomes quite a task.
PE: Yeah! And there's nobody language to help you with filling any kind of emptiness or filling up that moment that you have on film or have on stage. Let alone obviously other visualizations like props, and costumes, and set, and all of that. It's a challenge. I'm curious how they used to handle these types of problems with old radio dramas. Obviously, actors were all in the same space and recording at the same time so they are essentially recording a play. Which we don't have the luxury of doing because we're trying to be as safe as possible in terms of what's going on with the pandemic and all that. Was there music happening during the recording or did they put that afterwards?
CD: I'm sure they had someone doing it throughout because they would have someone improvising. They used—
PE: Yeah. Like with a theatre organ or something.
CD: Yeah, exactly!
PE: Or the foley work was probably done in real-time. You know, they're using all those old foley techniques.
CD: Well and the writing was probably much more melodramatic because—
PE: Right. Right.
CD: —you had to have that heightened emotion expressed somehow.
PE: Definitely. Definitely.
CD: Yeah.
PE: Yeah, so to answer your question I think it is getting a little bit easier, but there's always more to learn and I'm trying to do it.
CD: Yeah. Well, it sounded great!
PE: Hey, thanks!
CD: It's awesome.
PE: Thanks.
CD: Thank you.
PE: So what'd you think about the twists and turns? All kinds of things going on, we wrapped it all up. I think it's pretty tight as far as actually what happened. Manningford Sr. comes in—
CD: Didn't see him coming.
PE: Yeah. So that's—
CD: Dressed as a clown.
PE: (laughs) Yeah, that's the—
CD: Dressed as a clown.
PE: —that's the crux of the matter. So the Manningford's and the Henrikksen's apparently have an even more intertwined history than we were led to believe. And Manningford Sr. was in love with Cornish's mother, Cornissha. And it seems like he has sired an illegitimate son in Cornish and that Cornish and Myles Jr. are indeed half brothers. And so, Manningford Sr. in his rageful fit of revenge set all of these things into motion. Did it all work for you?
CD: It all worked for me.
PE: Yeah. Great. It was a little bit of a trick to come up with a who-done-it on such short notice. But that's the—
CD: I bet.
PE: —that's the way the audience voted. That's the way the cookie crumbled.
CD: Yep. Thanks, audience. It was delicious though, it was a delicious cookie.
PE: Well, yeah, I hope so. I hope so.
CD: (laughs)
PE: Alright, Codes, here's one; Marry, (bleep) F*ck, Kill the Griwerrtones. Although, there are four.
CD: Yeah, there's four. What do we do with the other one?
PE: Road trip?
CD: Oh my god! I love road trips so much.
PE: Ok, so Marry, (bleep) F*ck, Kill, Road Trip partner.
CD: (sigh) Oh man...I think I'd probably marry Myles.
PE: Ok.
CD: Cause he'd get a lot of shit done.
PE: Yeah, he's rich.
CD: He's rich. Yeah. See, I don't marry for the money, Patrick.
PE: Yeah.
CD: I don't know if you knew that about me. (laughs)
PE: Yeah sure.
CD: Definitely, probably definitely (bleep) F*ck Cisco.
PE: That's kinda what I was thinking as well, but I'm not sure.
CD: It'd be a little dirty, a little weird. Maybe a one-time thing? But I think it'd be worth it. I'll try to keep it PG but I bet he's packing.
PE: Oh yeah. (laughs) Yeah. "60 meters."
CD: Ah-huh. "60 meters." (laughs)
PE: Kill?
CD: I think I might have to step outside of our four Griwerrtones.
PE: Oh ok!
CD: I don't think I could kill any of them.
PE: Ok, so any of the characters in "The Griwerrtones."
CD: I think I'd have to go with...(hesitant) DJ Yuh-no.
PE: Kill DJ Yuh-no!?
CD: Yeah. I don't want to hear his music. I don't feel like he's adding much to my life.
PE: As far as kill, I guess I would—I mean Manningford Sr. is such an easy choice.
CD: Right.
PE: I might kill Sandy Graves.
CD: Ok.
PE: He's sort of whiney.
CD: (laughs)
PE: You know? And I know he's got a lot going on.
CD: Yeah. He's—
PE: But he's just kinda pleading all the time.
CD: Yeah. Just get outta here.
PE: Just come on. Shhh. Shhhhh.
CD: Sweet, sweet thing. Uh, Road trip? Definitely Champ.
PE: Yeah, I think Champ is the road trip. Because I mean, anything could happen with Champ. You're going on a road trip—
CD: And think about the boost of my own Instagram.
PE: Oh totally! Totally! Oh my god!
CD: And they would show me how it's done.
PE: Right.
CD: And I would learn how to enjoy a road trip, but also help others enjoy it.
PE: Right, well I mean—
CD: That's putting it nicely. (laughs)
PE: But I mean, Champs the kind of person you would go—you would have the pit stop, you'd go into the gas station and they would end up talking to the gas station person, and convince them to quit their job, come on the road with us, and now it's a threesome.
CD: Yeah, I had a friend like that in college.
PE: Really?
CD: Yeah. Anywhere we went he would talk to people, people would join our party. And this is my favorite thing, he lived in San Francisco and he was like, "do you know how which bar I decide to go into?" and I was like, "No" and he was like, "it's if I hear laughter, like someone laughing real loud, I go into that bar—"
PE: Oh that's so Champ.
CD: "—and I find that person." Yeah.
PE: That's so Champ Renegade.
CD: I was like, "Yeah!"
PE: I love that.
CD: Yeah. It's pretty interesting. Let's do that tonight. (laughs)
PE: Yeah, try that tonight in COVID times...no one's laughing.
CD: Yeah. (laughs)
PE: So, Codes, let's talk about "Danceylvania."
CD: (sings) "Danceylvania!"
PE: Yep.
CD: So, the Griwerrtones are kind of known for Acappella work.
PE: Well, yeah, I think that is their emphasis, however, I never said that that's all that they do.
CD: Right.
PE: And in the first episode I do establish that Myles has installed a studio into HQ. Right?
CD: Right.
PE: So, I do think that they've probably tapped some Griwerrtownian talent to help back them up, and do some instrumentation.
CD: Yeah, to come in and jam. See what they can come up with.
PE: Yeah. And so they did "Danceylvania."
CD: So they have "Danceylvania."
PE: Fully produced.
CD: And the inspiration...
PE: Yeah, so "Danceylvania" there were three distinct inspirations for me there; the B52's, ABBA...
CD: Yes.
PE: And a little bit of The Cure.
CD: Ok.
PE: Although that didn't come through as much as the other two. So it was a lot of fun to write "Danceylvania." I think there's some cool stuff happening in that song, and even cooler thanks to what you did with arranging those vocals.
CD: Yeah, you kind of laid out the framework pretty easily for me this time.
PE: This one was a little bit more clear because I think it was more Pop.
CD: Yes. Pop is a lot easier than just a straight-up Acappella vocal arrangement.
PE: Right. Yeah, so listeners with the previous two numbers "Season of the Night" and "Hell is Where the Harm Is" those were intended from the getgo to be Acappella. So what I provided for Cody were basically the chords and a single melody line and then he did all of the rest as far as filling those spaces with the harmonies and rhythmic ideas in the vocalizations. For "Danceylvania" I provided him with a much more complete idea because I knew that it was going to be a pop tune, I knew how it was going to sound so there was more of a piano part in there. And so he could see on the page, on the score, what I was going after. And he—obviously we communicated that it wasn't necessary for him to arrange it Acappella.
So here's one I was thinking about, Codes. Do you think the GT's would live better on the screen or the stage?
CD: The screen or the stage...I mean...in some ways I think it's a lot easier to do it on screen, but I think it would be really interesting on stage, especially with your—the comic book perspective on this. I would love to see quick lighting changes to represent the panels.
PE: Oh! That's cool.
CD: And I think it would be interesting to have everything double or triple cast so that you could jump around quickly like that around the stage.
PE: Oh what a cool idea.
CD: Would probably be a technical nightmare. (laughs)
PE: Yeah. Yeah.
CD: But we haven't really seen anything like that.
PE: No. Not quite.
CD: Something like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child doesn't use anything like that, it's a technical delight, but—
PE: Right.
CD: —we haven't seen anything like that before.
PE: Yeah, that'd be a really cool idea. I also think the stage because of the heightened sense of the characters. You know, they're all a little bit larger than life. They're big in terms of what they represent, emotionally, and thematically which I think would exist really well on the stage. I agree with you that it might be easier on film. But on stage, I think that Fort Henrikksen could be really, really incredible on stage.
CD: Oh yeah!
PE: And I think that it would be better on stage than it would probably be on film. I'm not sure if you could really get a sense of that on film. Possibly, I mean you know, there are great DP's out there.
CD: Yeah, CGI.
PE: Yeah. But, so much of it actually occurs in Fort Henrikksen and I spent a lot of time thinking about where we could go in Henrikksen manor because we talked about that last time. If we do the who-done-it then we have all these rooms to explore and go all these different places. Instead I kind of opted for going back to the lab, having Cisco lead Champ with the guests to the library so I could kind of push that idea that Cisco knows where he's going. Because he collected the items on behalf of Cornish. And then I was like, "what would Cornish have here in his mansion that nobody else would have?" And I came on this idea of this almost temple in the middle of the space but it's a blanket fort.
CD: Right! It's so great.
PE: I loved blanket forts as a kid.
CD: Me, too! Me, too!
PE: Yeah, and so I can really visualize that faux construction of having all of these weird angled pillars and stuff, but they're pillows and they're soft—
CD: Yeah, soft. Right.
PE: —and what it would sound like. And having the light trickle-down, because when you're in a fort or you cover yourself with pillows, there's always those little cracks.
CD: Yes. Yes.
PE: Those little air cracks, or light cracks.
CD: Stained glass in a way.
PE: Exactly. Exactly. So imagine what a skilled stage—a set designer, a stage carpenter could do.
CD: That would be beautiful.
PE: I think it would just be mesmerizing.
CD: Magical. Absolutely magical.
PE: Yeah, it really would be magical.
CD: And it was so sweet that he like—just in case. You know? Just in case. A little sad.
PE: Yeah. And Myles was the first person to ever set foot in there. Which I think is appropriate as we find out later in the episode. Who knows what's going to happen with them.
CD: Very touching. Very well done, sir.
PE: Hey, thanks!
CD: (chuckle)
PE: Just to piggyback on that idea, do you think that the audio-play is an equal player in terms of film, television, theatre?
CD: Oh I think there's so much that can be done with it that we're kind of exploring now.
PE: Yeah.
CD: And I think it's low-budget in a way.
PE: Mmhm. Yeah, it's a little punk-rock.
CD: Yeah! It's a little underground.
PE: I think that it's not an equal player because there's nothing that an audio play can do that the other media formats can't. Which I think is an interesting way to think about it.
CD: That's true.
PE: Now, what it does so successfully is that it's closer to reading. So you the listener has to fill in all of these gaps. You create what Myles looks like, what Cornish looks like.
CD: Yeah. It does require a bit more work from the listener.
PE: Right.
CD: But I think we kind of need that. I think it's—
PE: There's nothing wrong with a little active listening.
CD: Yeah. I think it's pretty healthy. We don't get to use our imaginations so much anymore.
PE: Yeah. So in that regard, I think it's fine. But in terms of raw power, I'm not sure it's an equal player. But something to think about it before—
CD: Well let's make it one!
PE: Yeah.
CD: Make it one, Patrick! (laughs)
PE: (laughing) That's what I'm saying. As we trudge forward we'll see what we can do. Maybe there's other things we can explore.
CD: Yeah.
PE: Alright, brave listeners, so there's nothing to vote on obviously, it's chapter three which as we know from "Spines" there's nothing to vote as far as moving forward. However, we do have some really cool things in store for you.
Next week, which is typically a dark week for us, in between stories, we're going to release the Director's Cut of "Spines."
CD: Nice.
PE: Finally! Right? So commentary-free just the three chapters strung together and you can listen to it in its entirety. I think it's going to be a pretty cool experience for everyone to do that. I'm excited about it, I actually haven't even really done that myself as far as active listening like we were just talking about. And we can revisit some of those characters like Markie, Cody's Markie, and Cameron's Rory and all those fun bits that we did in "Spines." So, be on the lookout for that. That's going to be dropping next week.
Additionally, we have a new story coming your way, obviously. So to take us out, to finish our maiden season here at Writer Wrong, Marlo and I ask that you to join us once again in Griwerrtown, but this time in the early 20th century. That's right! We're going back in time for a new tale of the unexpected about the Griwerrtown Canyon. As we know, Cornish's parents suffered their unfortunate, tragic fate there. But that isn't the only interesting story about Griwerrtown's famous landmark. So please, join us next time in two weeks for, "The Canyon."
Alright, Cody. That's it. That's all we got.
CD: That's all she wrote?
PE: That's all she wrote. Did you have a good time?
CD: I did!
PE: Yeah.
CD: Absolutely delightful.
PE: Well, we loved having you.
CD: Yeah, I loved being here.
PE: Yeah. We will see you again. No doubt about it.
CD: Yeah.
PE: In some form.
CD: We'll see. Yeah. In some form.
PE: Please, a round of applause for Cody. We can't hear you, but we can feel it.
CD: Yaaaaaay!!!!
PE: Thank you so much, Cody.
CD: Thank you. Thank you all. And thank you all for listening.
PE: Alright, ya'll, so that brings us to the close. Please follow us on Instagram, on Facebook, on Twitter. Please leave us a review if you like what's going on, leave us a five-star review. Tell us how we're doing, we really appreciate it. Check out our Patreon. Patreon.com/WriterWrong. Go to our website WriterWrongPodcast.com. And we'll see you next time with "Spines Director's Cut" and then the following week with "The Canyon." Thank you so much for listening. We really really appreciate it. And I will leave it to Marlo to take us out once again. Peace ya'll.
OUTRO 52:14
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Marlo Mysliwiec: Writer Wrong is created by Patrick Emile and Marlo Mysliwiec. This episode’s story was written by Patrick Emile with music and sound design by KCKSRV. Cast your vote on our website at WriterWrongPodcast.com and be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at Writer Wrong Podcast. If you like what you’re listening to hit the subscribe button, write us a review, and be sure to tell your friends to share the stories. Until next week, keep writing.
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