Our favorite station commander is back to tell you all about two new shows created by Wolf 359 alumni: series creator Gabriel Urbina's new fiction podcast The Harbingers and lead actress Emma Sherr-Ziarko's new Shakespeare podcast Pod's The Thing!

The Harbingers tells the story of Adam Blackwell and Amy Stirling - the first two people in the modern world to figure out how to do real magic. This feat instantly turns them into the world's two most famous, most recognizable people - which would be hard enough by itself, even if Adam and Amy didn't fundamentally disagree about how one is supposed to use magic. Oops. Oh, and also they have a history together: they briefly dated back when they were in the same grad school program. Oops again.

Equal parts political thriller, modern fantasy adventure, and intimate romantic drama, The Harbingers is an exploration of what it means to have and to use power in the modern world. New episodes come out every two weeks on Thursdays.

Apple Podcasts

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Website

Meanwhile, Pod's the Thing is a Shakespeare Podcast created by actors that shows a glimpse behind the curtain into the process of working on Shakespeare's Text. Whether you're also an actor, a Shakespeare enthusiast, or you're new to the Bard, you're bound to learn something new, laugh a lot, and maybe even be moved. Each episode is part conversation and part performance, as we dive into one Shakespearean scene at a time. We'll talk through the language, historical context, and our experience with the play, and then put all that together and perform the scene.

Featuring Emma Sherr-Ziarko, Felix Trench, Beth Eyre, Calder Shilling, and a variety of other actors, directors, scholars, and Shakespeare enthusiasts from around the Globe, Pod's The Thing explores what has made Shakespeare moving, fun, and eternally relevant for generations of actors and fans. New episodes come out every two weeks on Wednesdays.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Pocketcasts

Website

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Surprise!

That's right, folks! We weren't gonna just sit around and let our friends at Wooden Overcoats and Camlann have all the fun, now were we? We're also doing an event at the London Podcast Festival this year!

For ONE NIGHT ONLY (September 7th!!!!) we're getting a bunch of the band back together! We're doing a special panel on the making of Wolf 359, featuring:

We'll be talking about the making of the show, sharing fun gossip, taking questions from the crowd, meeting fans - the works!

It's so rare these days to get so many Hephaestus alumni in one room together, so if you're a fan of the show and can get to London on September 7th, don't pass up this opportunity! It may well be another ten years before we're able to get so many of us back together.

And if you can't get to London on that day, never fear! There's a live-streaming option, so you can tune in and watch this very special panel from anywhere in the world.

Visit the Kings Place site for more information and to book your tickets today!

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That's right - our old friends Eiffel and Hilbert are back with important news! There's a new audio fiction series called Hit Singles, created by Wolf 359 creator Gabriel Urbina and produced by Urbina, Sarah Shachat, and Zach Valenti! It's a romantic comedy all about friendship, love, the struggles of trying to make it in a big city, and loving music way too much.

You can listen to the show over on Audible. If you have an Audible Plus membership, you can listen to it at no additional cost. (And if you still have a free trial, you can listen to it for free for 30 days.) Besides the show's three producers, you'll also hear Wolf 359 alumni Noah Masur, Zach Libresco, Michelle Agresti, and Mary Kate Wiles in the series. (As well as veterans from many of our sibling series, such as The Bright Sessions, Life With Leo(h), and 36 Questions!) It was a real labor of love, and we'd love to help it find as wide an audience as it can. So please check it out, and, if you love it as much as we think you will, please leave a rating and a review.

Here is the official description for Hit Singles:

From the creators of the hit audio drama Wolf 359 and with original music by Jeremy Warmsley comes a modern story about friendship, love, and chosen family starring Evangeline Young (Emergence), Nicholas Podany (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child), Simone Policano (Blue Bloods), Julia Rehwald (Fear Street), Briggon Snow (Masters of Sex) and a full cast. A captivating listen perfect for fans of New Girl and High Fidelity.

When struggling DJ Faith Adler comes to couch surf with her best friend Tori in NYC, she finds herself drawn into the world of Tori's eclectic friend group. Right from her chaotic first night, Faith's new friends take her under their wing and help her navigate the ups and downs of trying to make it as an artist in the big city. There's Tori, the bubbly one; Ginah, the high-strung but loyal one; Matt, the flirtatious one; and David, the cynical one. Tori and Ginah's apartment becomes a sanctuary where lasting bonds are forged over late nights, drink-filled conversations, impromptu dance parties, and the occasional Sense and Sensibility marathon.

Falling in love definitely isn’t part of Faith's plan, but that all changes when she meets David, a former law student (and current bartender) who has recently come to the conclusion that romance is for suckers and sworn it off altogether. From the moment they meet at a New Year's in the Summer party, their will-they-or-won't-they chemistry is electric. As Faith and David grow closer over whiskey-soaked nights and heart-to-heart talks on the fire escape, their flirtation deepens into something more meaningful. Are they friends? Lovers? Romantic partners? Casual sex acquaintances? The answer is, simultaneously, all and none of the above. Let the overthinking commence!

With rich character development and an ensemble cast that feels like friends you've known forever, Hit Singles deftly balances comedy, romance, and poignant drama. It's a beautifully rendered celebration of the family we choose, the cities that choose us back, and the life-altering power of human connection.

* * *

Today's message features the sound effect UI Seatbelt Signal by newlocknew. (UI_Seatbelt signal similar(Sytrus,Eq,chrs,flngr,xctr,rvrb).wav by newlocknew -- https://freesound.org/s/568785/ -- License: Attribution 4.0)

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Want to write great fiction podcasts but don't know where to begin? You're not alone! Wolf 359 creator Gabriel Urbina is offering a new and updated version of his acclaimed online workshop, Writing Stories For Sound this February. Join Gabriel on a guided tour of his own journey into understanding audio, as he retraces his steps and revisits the questions he asked as he started writing the first episodes of Wolf 359.

He's teaching the workshop twice next month - on Sunday February 2nd and on Tuesday February 4th!

But wait! He's also teaching a brand new Masterclass Edition of Writing Stories for Sound - a six-week class where he not only teaches you all the things you need to know to write a great audio fiction pilot, he actually writes a script alongside you. It's the best look into the creative process that brought us Wolf 359 and many other shows you'll ever get!

The first round of this online masterclass kicks off February 5th!

For more information or to sign up, please visit gabrielurbina.com/classes.

* * *

TRANSCRIPT OF TODAY'S MESSAGE:

(sounds of Eiffel fidgeting, while tense, dramatic music plays)

Eiffel: Come on come on come on... where is he? Doctor...

(door opens)

Eiffel: Ah, Doctor Hilbert! Thank goodness, there you are! I need help. 

Hilbert: Officer Eiffel. What seems to be the problem?

Eiffel: I - I don’t know. I feel like nothing I do sounds the way it ought to. The funny parts aren’t funny. The exciting parts aren’t exciting. It’s like I’ve lost the script on my whole life. 

Hilbert: I see. Do not be worried, Officer Eiffel. Problem is serious but there is simple solution. 

Eiffel: Is the great clown Pagliacci in town?

Hilbert: Even better.

(music abruptly changes, replaced by a more playful melody)

Hilbert: Podcast creator Gabriel Urbina is offering online workshop on how to write the great audio fiction. 

Eiffel: He is?

Hilbert: He is. Is comprehensive journey through the building blocks of gripping podcast stories. 

Eiffel: Does it cover the basics of how to write scenes without any visuals?

Hilbert: Absolutely. But it goes beyond that. It explains how audio fiction can do things no other medium does, such as making the audience imagine visuals that cannot be seen. 

Eiffel: You mean like that weird room in the back of the station, where the walls are painted a color that’s darker than black? 

Hilbert: Precisely. Or the way you can introduce a new detail into scene and completely change audience’s understanding of what was happening. 

Eiffel: Oh! Is that why you’re dressed up as a Teletubby? To illustrate that concept?

Hilbert: Uh... no. I am wearing this for... my own purposes. Do not ask any more questions about the outfit. 

Eiffel: I am not going to ask any more questions about the outfit. Well, Doc, I have to say I’m sold. 

(a laminated card is placed on the table)

Eiffel: Will my insurance cover this?

Hilbert: Eiffel, you know very well that Goddard Futuristics does not offer health insurance to independent contractors such as yourself.

Eiffel: Awww man...

Hilbert: This is Dave and Busters gift card. 

Eiffel: But it's still valid! 

Hilbert: But: more good news. There are scholarship opportunities available for students and others who need them. Visit website for more information. 

Eiffel: (leaving) Amazing. Doc, this sounds exactly like what I needed. How can I repay you? 

Hilbert: No need, happy to be of assistance. (lower) Besides, genetic materials nanobots collected while you were in laboratory will be perfectly adequate display of gratitude. 

Eiffel: What was that, doc?

Hilbert: Nothing, Officer Eiffel, nothing! Enjoy the class!

(music changes again, replaced with a bouncy, happy theme)

Gabriel Urbina: Writing Stories For Sound, a set of online classes by me, Gabriel Urbina. Seats are now open for one-day workshops on February 2nd and 4th, as well as a brand new six-week masterclass beginning on February 5th. Visit gabrielurbina.com/classes for more info and to reserve your seat today!

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Wolf 359 creator Gabriel Urbina is back to present a quick preview of his new show Dracula: The Danse Macabre. It's a four-part adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel, bringing the horror classic to audio fiction. Performed by just two performers - the incredible Evangeline Young and Change of Mind's Peter Coleman - who bring 15 distinct characters to life, it tells the story of the evil Count Dracula's plan to bring death and destruction to the new world... as well as those who would risk everything to stop him. Featuring a new score from Wolf 359 composer Alan Rodi and sound design by Unwell producer Jeffrey Nils Gardner.

To listen to full episodes of Dracula: The Danse Macabre, visit their website or subscribe to the show's feed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Pocket Casts.

TRANSCRIPT OF TODAY'S MESSAGE:

Gabriel Urbina: Hey everyone. My name is Gabriel Urbina. I'm the creator of Wolf 359, and the co-creator of Zero Hours, Time:Bombs, and Unseen. I'm back here on the feed to send you all a short transmission to tell you about a new audio fiction podcast I've made, and which you can listen to right now.

It's called Dracula: The Danse Macabre, and it's a new adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel. Over four episodes, it tells the story of the evil Count Dracula, his plans to leave his home of Transylvania to terrorize the new world, and the married couple who do everything in their power to stop him. It's the timeless horror classic given a new coat of podcast paint for the 21st Century, and the whole thing is performed by just two actors, who together bring 15 different different characters to life. 

I wrote every installment of this adaptation, and I also got to work with some amazing people on these four episodes. Our two actors, Evangeline Young and Peter Coleman - the latter of whom you may remember from our Change of Mind special here on Wolf 359 - they are both unstoppable forces of nature. It has a new gorgeous score from Wolf 359 composer Alan Rodi and incredible sound design from Unwell producer Jeffrey Nils Gardner. And I was even able to twist our old friend Sarah Shachat's arm enough that she agreed to come by the studio and direct an episode. 

You're about to hear a little preview of the show in just a second, but the first two episodes are actually out right now. So if you find yourself at all intrigued and you need some new spooky content in your life for the end of the year, please consider checking out Dracula: The Danse Macabre. There are links in the episode description for all the places where you can hear it. I hope you'll check it out, I hope you'll enjoy it, and - as always - thank you for listening. 

TRANSCRIPT OF THE TRAILER:

Woman: The rules that govern the vampire are well known.

(Thunder crashes behind her. A storm grows in power beneath the following:)

Woman: He does not die, but clings to life forever.

(Dark, foreboding music plays beneath her words.)

Woman: Having lost his own life, he must steal the life of others by drinking their blood.

Woman: If a place is a home, he may only enter after he's been invited in.

Woman: He is destroyed by the sun and cowers at the sight of religious symbols.

Woman: He can be put to rest by a stake through the heart, or by the removal of his head, or by means of fire.

Woman: And when he crosses a mirror... he leaves behind no reflection.

Woman: And though the vampire may look like a man, all traces of intelligence vanish upon death, leaving behind nothing but a beast. There are no vampires that can think like a man.

Man: None... except for one.

(A powerful crash of thunder.)

Announcer: Dracula: The Danse Macabre. A four-part fiction podcast event from Gabriel Urbina, the creator of Wolf 359, bringing Bram Stoker's timeless horror classic to audio. Coming November 13th, wherever you get your podcasts.

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Want to create great fiction podcasts but don't know where to begin? You're not alone! Wolf 359 creator Gabriel Urbina is offering a brand new online workshop, Directing Stories For Sound, as well as a new round of his returning classic, Writing Stories for Sound! This September, join Gabriel on two guided tours of his own journey into understanding audio, as he retraces his steps and revisits the questions he asked as he was taking his first baby steps into the medium with the first episodes of Wolf 359!

He's teaching both workshops twice this September. Writing Stories for Sound will be on September 5th at 7:00 PM Eastern and on September 10th at 7:00 PM Eastern. The brand new Directing Stories for Sound will be on September 8th at 2:00 PM Eastern and on September 12th at 7:00 PM Eastern!

For more information or to sign up, please visit wolf359.fm/learn.

TRANSCRIPT OF TODAY'S MESSAGE:

(music plays)

Announcer: And now a quick scene from Life on the Hephaestus, Day Four-Hundred and Forty-Nine.

(sounds of Hilbert's lab fade in)

(the door bursts open)

Eiffel: Oh my god, Doctor Hilbert! Thank god, I’ve found you! 

Hilbert: Officer Eiffel. Why are you bursting into my laboratory? There is problem? 

Eiffel: Yes, there is huge problem! Minkowski was trying to reset the air regulator in the docking bay and the equipment malfunctioned! Now she’s trapped in there and the room’s losing O2! I have no idea what to do, you have to come and help me! 

Hilbert: No, no, no, no, no - wait one moment. 

(music slows down and stops, like somebody unplugged the record player)

Hilbert: Hmm...

Eiffel: ... uhhh, doc?

Hilbert: Eiffel, this is not really working for me. Can I make some suggestions?

Eiffel: Uh, sure?

Hilbert: When you say there is huge problem, put more emphasis on word huge, yes?

Eiffel: Like... there is huge problem?

Hilbert: Yes, good, good. And explanation of problem, can you do with more energy? Faster? 

Eiffel: Uh, yeah, I think I can give that a try. 

Hilbert: Excellent, excellent. And last sentence... is not really coming together. Hmm... How would you feel if instead you say, “I know exactly how to fix this, and I will go take care of it right now.” 

Eiffel: ... go take care of it right now...

Hilbert: Yes, like that, like that. Here: you leave and come back in. We try from top. 

Eiffel: All - all right. 

(the door closes as Eiffel leaves)

(pause, a new piece of music starts playing)

(the door bursts open)

Eiffel: Oh my god, Doctor Hilbert! Thank god, I’ve found you! 

Hilbert: Officer Eiffel. There is problem? 

Eiffel: Yes, there is HUGE problem! Minkowski was trying to reset the air regulator in the docking bay and the equipment malfunctioned! Now she’s trapped in there and the room’s losing O2! I know exactly how to fix this, and I will go take care of it right now! 

Hilbert: Very good. I’m glad we had this conversation.

Eiffel: Me too, but now I gotta go do the thing and save the Commander!  

Hilbert: Hmph. Excellent. Is good that I took online workshop on Directing Stories for Sound with Gabriel Urbina. Taught me everything I know on how to define what a scene should and should not be. 

(a printer prints out a message)

Hilbert: Ahhh, and would you look at that. Urbina is teaching Directing Stories for Sound this September, along with classic Writing Stories for Sound workshop as well. What great opportunity for anyone that wants to learn how to master the power of audio and fiction podcasting. 

(the door opens again)

Eiffel: Actually, doc, can we try that one more time? 

Hilbert: No, Eiffel, scene was good. Leave it alone. 

Eiffel: Aww, doc, but - ! 

Hilbert: Leave it!

(the scene and music fade out, jaunty music beings playing)

Announcer: Writing Stories For Sound and the brand new Directing Stories for Sound, a set of workshop by Gabriel Urbina. Seats are now open for sessions on September 5th, 8th, 10th, and 12th. Visit wolf359.fm/learn for more info and to sign up. 

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Want to write great fiction podcasts but don't know where to begin? You're not alone! Wolf 359 creator Gabriel Urbina is offering a new and updated version of his acclaimed online workshop, Writing Stories For Sound this February. Join Gabriel on a guided tour of his own journey into understanding audio, as he retraces his steps and revisits the questions he asked as he was taking his first baby steps into the medium with the first episodes of Wolf 359.

He's teaching the workshop twice this month - once on Thursday February 22nd at 7:00 PM Eastern time and once on Sunday February 25th at 2:00 PM Eastern time!

For more information or to sign up, please visit wolf359.fm/learn.

* * *

TRANSCRIPT OF TODAY'S MESSAGE:

(sounds of Eiffel fidgeting, while tense, dramatic music plays)

Eiffel: Come on come on come on... where is he? Doctor...

(door opens)

Eiffel: Ah, Doctor Hilbert! Thank goodness, there you are! I need help. 

Hilbert: Officer Eiffel. What seems to be the problem?

Eiffel: I - I don’t know. I feel like nothing I do sounds the way it ought to. The funny parts aren’t funny. The exciting parts aren’t exciting. It’s like I’ve lost the script on my whole life. 

Hilbert: I see. Do not be worried, Officer Eiffel. Problem is serious but there is simple solution. 

Eiffel: Is the great clown Pagliacci in town?

Hilbert: Even better.

(music abruptly changes, replaced by a more playful melody)

Hilbert: Podcast creator Gabriel Urbina is offering online workshop on how to write the great audio fiction. 

Eiffel: He is?

Hilbert: He is. Is comprehensive journey through the building blocks of gripping podcast stories. 

Eiffel: Does it cover the basics of how to write scenes without any visuals?

Hilbert: Absolutely. But it goes beyond that. It explains how audio fiction can do things no other medium does, such as making the audience imagine visuals that cannot be seen. 

Eiffel: You mean like that weird room in the back of the station, where the walls are painted a color that’s darker than black? 

Hilbert: Precisely. Or the way you can introduce a new detail into scene and completely change audience’s understanding of what was happening. 

Eiffel: Oh! Is that why you’re dressed up as a Teletubby? To illustrate that concept?

Hilbert: Uh... no. I am wearing this for... my own purposes. Do not ask any more questions about the outfit. 

Eiffel: I am not going to ask any more questions about the outfit. Well, Doc, I have to say I’m sold. 

(a laminated card is placed on the table)

Eiffel: Will my insurance cover this?

Hilbert: Eiffel, you know very well that Goddard Futuristics does not offer health insurance to independent contractors such as yourself.

Eiffel: Awww man...

Hilbert: This is Dave and Busters gift card. 

Eiffel: But it's still valid! 

Hilbert: But: more good news. There are scholarship opportunities available for students and others who need them. Visit website for more information. 

Eiffel: (leaving) Amazing. Doc, this sounds exactly like what I needed. How can I repay you? 

Hilbert: No need, happy to be of assistance. (lower) Besides, genetic materials nanobots collected while you were in laboratory will be perfectly adequate display of gratitude. 

Eiffel: What was that, doc?

Hilbert: Nothing, Officer Eiffel, nothing! Enjoy the class!

(music changes again, replaced with a bouncy, happy theme)

Old-Timey Radio Announcer Voice: Writing Stories For Sound, a workshop by Gabriel Urbina. Seats are now open for sessions on February 22nd and 25th. Visit wolf359.fm/learn for more info and to secure your seat today!

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Merry Christmas, and Happy 4-Year Anniversary to the finale of Wolf 359! To celebrate, Commander Emma Sherr-Ziarko gathered (most) of the cast and crew of the show for a reunion on her own podcast, Pairing, and we wanted to bring it directly to all of you. We reminisce about our favorite memories of making this show, what episodes we loved most, and we discuss what we think our characters would drink. Plus: Noah's slates, Zach Valenti breaking into song, recording at Spaceman, building and living in a character, Hilbert's commercial reads, forgetting episode titles, Horse Wines, predicting the future, Alan's track titles, Gabriel the master synthesizer, How Could Dare You, and, of course, Funzo.

This episode features: Julian Silver, Scotty Shoemaker, Zach Valenti, Ariela Rotengold, Noah Masur, Michelle Agresti, Sarah Shachat, Zach Libresco, Michaela Swee, Cecilia Lynn-Jacobs, Alan Rodi, and Gabriel Urbina. It also features music by Alan Rodi.

Special thanks to Zach Valenti for helping edit this episode! Zach is doing a Wolf 359 re-listen starting December 25th, 2021, at 3:59pm EST. Join him at wolf359.fm/relisten!

Check out more of Pairing - including many episodes featuring members of the Wolf 359 cast and crew as guests - at the show's website!

If you would like to access an ad-free feed of Wolf 359, check out the newly relaunched Wolf 359 patreon.

Emma humbly asks that you sign up for the pre-launch of Moira Katson's new book, A Sundered Throne, which Emma is on deck to narrate if we raise enough money from the kickstarter. It's free to sign up, and you get a sneak peek of the first 8 chapters!

You can also find Emma as an acting coach on SkillsHub, a website founded by another commander (Jennifer Hale). Check out her website and patreon for more info on what she's up to!

If you enjoy Pairing, follow us on social media and tell your friends! Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, & Tumblr!

Pairing was created, hosted, and produced by Emma Sherr-Ziarko, with music and audio recording by Winston Shaw, and artwork by Darcy Zimmerman and Katie Huey. This episode was edited by Emma Sherr-Ziarko and Zach Valenti.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is a behind-the-scenes look into the making of the final episode of Wolf 359, produced by Rebecca Seidel. Featuring interviews with its cast and crew, and never-before-heard audio from the studio recording sessions for Brave New World.

Note: This special behind-the-scenes extra contains spoilers for Episode 61, Brave New World.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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