The Swashbuckling Ladies Debate Society

Author’s Notes

For the never-to-be-performed live show (what became the Valentine’s trilogy), I needed someone from outside the circle to be delivering supplies to them, so I could set up that there was a second Zinnia out there. I have a couple of actors who are easy to get ahold of and can turn in quality voice recordings in a timely manner. Krissy is on that very short list. She’s crazy busy with her own team but still manages to squeeze me in.

It’s a little-to-nothing role, so I said just give me something fun. She came back with this Edie McClurg voice out of nowhere that so delighted me that I had to put her in. And that was that. Or so I thought.

When the time came to do the Mini Series, I started thinking about Mrs. Du Mer. How did she come to be in Massalia? When did she meet the Ladies? And what would make her an interesting lead? The concept I came up with and pitched to Krissy was: imagine Harley Quinn at 60 years old.

And Dolores is a rock star. She had just been a jilted Russian, she’s got a major role for us on the horizon, so I was sort of keeping her in reserve until that point. But the more Viviana developed, the more I knew I needed a seasoned pro to hold her own against Krissy. Luckily she was able to squeeze it in before she stepped up to the director’s chair for a theater group.

The recording session was one of the best I’ve ever been involved in. The rehearsal had the hairs on my arms standing up! Afterward, I realized I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to these characters just yet. There’s more of their story yet to be told.

Oh, and the title? Of course, it’s from Moana. Lin-Manuel, the heir apparent to Howard Ashman in the Disney legacy. A heroine who chooses compassion instead of battle? That’s a very Swashbuckling ideal that we connect with.

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Author’s Notes

And so we learn a bit more about our two heroines. I don’t know if I’m good at these scenes, but in watching the structure of most western narratives, there seems always to be this type of scene. In a quiet moment, people lay out their origin stories to each other. Even in James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, they almost go around the room (well, bus) and do it. It seems so inelegant to me, but the genre demanded it! I hope it works.

I originally had Mr. Du Mer as being “my old Mister,” and it almost stayed that way because of a very funny exchange that happened in Part 2. But that darling had to be killed to make for a richer character.

Once Ursula was free, healing, and starting her new life, the last thing she expected was love, and suddenly, she stumbled right into it. I didn’t want to imply that he “fixed” her or that their love is what made her whole. She had remade herself the way she wanted, and he fell in love with that person. Don’t know if that came across, but that was my intention.

The odd boom of sea shanties on the internet in 2020 (which I adored) led me to discover a band called The Longest Johns, who had been doing sailing songs for years before it became trendy. I promptly bought everything they had ever recorded and in doing so, found one of my all-time favorite songs. It’s called Ashes, and the title of this episode comes from it. You should listen to it and then throw your money at them because they are amazing.

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Author’s Notes

This is a scene I always wanted to do but never found a place in the first three seasons. Saffron and Zinnia like to tell stories, but they are focused on the future, so I don’t think they’d have a giant penny or robot dinosaur that they’d spend a lot of time restoring. But maybe someone else would.

It also gives me a chance to connect back to some earlier stories, reach out to some future stories and challenge myself to come up with some odd bits that would inspire me to tell that particular tale. I’ll leave it up to you to figure out which is which.

I knew Goldie wouldn’t leave the building undefended, and it just made sense to me that she’d enlist Ursula to come up with some ideas. Zinnia would rather fight them face to face, and Saffron would more likely try to capture them so she could talk them down. Goldie, and Ursula, know that some people only learn the hard way.

The title is from one of the greatest lyricists of my lifetime, the late great Howard Ashman, from The Little Mermaid. Kara’s line reading of it was supposed to be a joke just for me, but I was so delighted by it that I used it in the episode without her knowing. Guess she knows now!

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Author’s Notes

And so we meet Preston, and our cast is complete. I’m always interested in the idea of the person we appear as to others, the person we pretend to be, and the person we reveal ourselves to be. And, of course, those who change their demeanor around someone they feel to be above or below them.

You also get to see another side of Ursula here. Yes, she’s that friend’s Mom that you always liked visiting, who’d always have a snack and a drink waiting for you. But she’s also extremely sharp and knows how to play the game better than anyone would suspect.

Krissy Lenz refers to Mrs Du Mer as “my Betty White” which is a pretty apt description. But for those who only know Betty from Golden Girls, or even just as a meme, you need to see her work on The Mary Tyler Moore Show to see another side of her. I like to think that Ursula is all of these personas, depending on the situation.

And the title of this chapter is from the broadcast logs of the Titanic, from early on in her ill-fated voyage. Ursula has spotted their iceberg, but the impact is still on the way.

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The Worth Of The Anchor

Part 1: "Journey On"

The Ladies have asked Ursula Du Mer to look after the Society while they’re away. But a quiet week is soon disrupted by an untimely arrival who brings troubles of her own.

Author’s Notes

It’s a slow start, I admit. But remember that this is one story in 5 chapters, not 5 completely new episodes. I want you to snuggle in, get to know the new characters, and get an idea of the setting before I really start raising the heat.

In the first version of this idea, the All-Rounder was going to be watching over the place. Don’t worry. He’ll show up in the future, and you’ll love him. And we were going to be cutting back and forth through the season of the off-screen adventures he was having.

Then I realized it would distract from the main stories of each episode. But the idea kept bouncing around my brain. When the idea of starting a membership came up, I wanted to give you exclusive episodes, but I knew that in the middle of producing a full season, I couldn’t also do another full season with the full cast at the same time! So I needed a smaller story, different characters, and one location. This fit the bill.

Oh, and the title’s from one of my favorite songs from the musical Ragtime. It’s early in the show, about voyages (both physical and emotional) and helps introduce the audience to new characters. I’m hoping to draft in their wake.

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Check out the other podcasts in the Ox & Hare family of podcasts:

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Just a quick update to let you know what’s happening with Season 4 and what you expect to listen to next...

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
Check out the other podcasts in the Ox & Hare family of podcasts:

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That Golden Valley, part two, was written, directed and edited by Kyle Olson, our Producer and Sound Designer is that matrimonial minx Ryan FitzPatrick. Our talent wrangler is that open-minded ingenue Brooke Underveith.

Starring Amy Shaw as Zinnia, Anastasia Plumb as Saffron, Kara Gallo as Goldie, Devon Mahon as Henry Junior, Tony Blosser as Fausto, Tommy Metz as Henry Senior, Pete Wright as the Priest, and Justin Kent as both Dudley and Quimby.

Our theme song is written and performed by Hedley Knights and our interstitial music is ‘Intended Force’ by Kevin Macleod. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @OxAndHare so you won’t miss the next thrilling adventure. The Swashbuckling Ladies Debate Society is a Ox and Hare Media production. Old format, new ideas.

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
Check out the other podcasts in the Ox & Hare family of podcasts:

• Cool Time Dice Hour
• The Curiosity Codex
• The Story Well with Kyle Olson

That Golden Valley, part one, was written, directed and edited by Kyle Olson, our Producer and Sound Designer is that bicoastal playboy Ryan FitzPatrick. Our talent wrangler is that star on the rise known as Brooke Underveith.

Starring Amy Shaw as Zinnia, Anastasia Plumb as Saffron, Kara Gallo as Goldie, Devon Mahon as Henry Junior, Tony Blosser as Fausto, Mandy Kaplan as Imogen and Esme, Krissy Lenz as Aphid, and Justin Kent as Dudley. Our theme song is written and performed by Hedley Knights and our interstitial music is ‘Intended Force’ by Kevin Macleod.

Make sure to follow us on Instagram @OxAndHare so you won’t miss the next thrilling adventure. The Swashbuckling Ladies Debate Society is a Ox and Hare Media production. Old format, new ideas.

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
Check out the other podcasts in the Ox & Hare family of podcasts:

• Cool Time Dice Hour
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• The Story Well with Kyle Olson

Kara and Kyle are here to take a look back at Season 3, and joining them is Saffron herself, Anastasia Plumb. They’ll talk about their favorite episodes, the things they hope to see in future episodes and tease a little of what new adventures await our Ladies.

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
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Today’s episode, Wherever You Are And Whatever You Face, was written and edited by Kyle Olson. Wait, is this right? This episode was directed by our own Brooke Underveith! It’s a holiday miracle!

Our Producer and Sound Designer is always at the top of the nice list, he’s Ryan FitzPatrick. Starring our amazing cast of merrymakers: Amy Shaw as Zinnia, Anastasia Plumb as Saffron, Kara Gallo as Goldie, Vickie Hall as Abby, and Justin Kent as the Viscount. Our theme song is written and performed by that merry gentlemen Hedley Knights and our interstitial music is ‘Intended Force’ by Kevin Macleod. Make sure to follow us on Instagram @OxAndHare so you won’t miss the next thrilling adventure.

All of us here at Ox & Hare wish you the happiest of holidays. No matter what you celebrate, we hope you’re happy. See you next year!

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Learn more about supporting this podcast by becoming a member. It's just $5/month or $55/year. Visit our website to learn more.
Check out the other podcasts in the Ox & Hare family of podcasts:

• Cool Time Dice Hour
• The Curiosity Codex
• The Story Well with Kyle Olson