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.

---
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