Otherworld Theatre Podcasts: Recent Episodes
Otherworld Theatre Podcasts
TRANSCRIPT: LEIGH HELLMAN is a queer writer, originally from the western suburbs of Chicago, and a graduate of the MA Program for Writers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. After gaining the ever-lucrative BA in English, they spent five years living and teaching in South Korea before returning to their native Midwest. Leigh’s short … Continue reading Gateways: “Qualia” by Leigh Hellman read by Kat Evans →
TRANSCRIPT: Amber Palmer’s plays have been seen across the US, including at Activate Midwest, Flint Repertory Theatre, Bristol Valley Theatre, and Tipping Point Theatre. A monologue from their play “It’s a Small World (or The Robot Play)” is published in Best Men’s Monologues of 2019. Awards and publications include Best Men’s Monologues of 2019, City … Continue reading Gateways: “Star Sucker” by Amber Palmer read by Jasmin Tomlins and Coco Kasperowicz →
TRANSCRIPT: Alex B Reynolds has been writing and producing comedic theatre in Chicago for 15 years. They have been a contributing writer for The Flaming Dames burlesque troupe, the Meet/Cute sitcom podcast, and the Paragon short play festival. Full-length plays include Old Hobbits Die Hard, Kings & Thrones & Shit, and The Incredible Hank for … Continue reading Gateways: “What We Do In The Cosmos” By Alex B Reynolds read by Ryan Bond →
TRANSCRIPT: Magdalen Vaughn is an Actor, Writer and Science fiction devotee. She has been practicing all types of science fiction writing during the pandemic and she will be creating science fiction performance pieces during her MFA starting this fall. She loves working with the talented folks at Otherworld theatre, long be their reign! Find more … Continue reading Gateways: “Letter to a Young Vampire” by Maggie Vaughn read by Nathan Shelton →
TRANSCRIPT: Jim McDoniel is a writer of monsters and mirth, not always in that order. He also writes radio plays. He holds a Masters degree in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. He is a writer for the podcasts Our Fair City and Unwell. He was a finalist in Deathscribe 10 for his piece, “Monstruos.” … Continue reading Gateways: “The Vampires of Earth” by Jim McDoniel read by Ansel Burch →
TRANSCRIPT: Today’s writer, Leah Lopez is a Chicago writer and the playwright-in-residence at EDGE of Orion Theatre. “So, it’s magic?” I replied. “No. And yes,” my uncle returned, pushing his wire-rimmed glasses back up to his nose. I turned the heavy gold medallion in my hand. It looked like a doubloon. “You’re not very helpful,” … Continue reading Gateways: “What the Moon Said” by Leah Lopez read by Lauren Davies →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Vishesh Abeyratne. Born and raised in Montreal, Vishesh holds a BFA in Playwriting from Concordia University. His plays include Indifference (Newmarket National 10-Minute Play Festival), The Procrustes Pitch (Between Us Productions, New York), Exposure (published by YouthPLAYS in Los Angeles), and Divide and Rule, which was one of the … Continue reading Gateways: Minion of the Grind by Vishesh Abeyratne read by Alex B. Reynolds →
Andy knew she was dead. That still didn’t stop her from jumping when she heard the automated voice saying three words she had never thought she would hear. “Welcome to Heaven.” Although she didn’t believe in life after death, on some strange spiritual level, she had somehow moved on. Where she had moved onto, however, … Continue reading Gateways: “Deadend” by Molly Southgate read by Gaby Fernandez →
TRANSCRIPT: John Harden is a screenwriter and director whose work has screened & garnered awards at top-tier festivals around the world. John’s work is informed by his love of speculative fiction and his background in visual arts, design, journalism and marketing. He is a San Francisco Bay Area native living in Santa Rosa, CA.- johnfilms.com, … Continue reading Gateways: “Anything You Want” by John Harden read by Rob Southgate →
TRANSCRIPT: Rob McLemore has been consistently fascinated with sci-fi and fantasy for as long as he can remember and works it into just about everything he writes. The majority of Rob’s work consists of comedy, both sketch and serial, and can frequently be heard with Locked Into Vacancy Entertainment. Terry and Jay stood for a … Continue reading Gateways: “Hearts, Stars and Horseshoes” by Rob McLemore read by Nathan Shelton →
TRANSCRIPT: Cameron Evesque Davis is a multi-talented artist based in Chicago. They are the owner of the media production company Hela’s Hand Productions, and create a variety of art, like music, stories, and films. They have one published novel, “Blasphemy”, an urban fantasy book about a pantheon of new gods, the end of the world, … Continue reading Gateways: “Choices, or A Lot to Lose” By Cameron Evesque Davis read by Alex B Reynolds →
TRANSCRIPT: Joe Johnson is a fourth year resident in the city of Chicago and an original cast member of Improvised Dungeons and Dragons performing at Otherworld. His love for science fiction and fantasy began with Star Wars and Marvel and has grown to include such authors as Timothy Zahn, Ray Bradbury, Ann Leckie, and many more. … Continue reading Gateways: “Meske’s Duel about Nothing” By Joe Johnson read by Kim Fukawa →
TRANSCRIPT: Russ Kaminski has a degree in film production and has written primarily for short film and theater. He also has written and performed standup comedy. Russ tells us he is most interested in stories of relationships and answering “what if” questions. This is “AlphaZip Training Video 1”. Hello! Welcome to your first day as … Continue reading Gateways: “AlphaZip Training Video 1” by Russ Kaminski read by Morgan Fuller →
TRANSCRIPT: A content note before we begin: this story touches on eating disorders, weight and body image issues. This story will be challenging to some listeners who may wish to skip this episode. Lindsay Morris is a local playwright and storyteller who lives in Andersonville. She prefers dark comedy and loves to write about … Continue reading Gateways: “Fantasy Me” by Lindsay Morris read by Kat Evans →
TRANSCRIPT: Brendon Connelly is a scriptwriter from Norwich in the UK. He was a film journalist and blogger for over 20 years, met Kermit the Frog three times – and only fainted one of those times, and graduated from the University of Oxford with a first in Creative Writing. Once upon a time, there was … Continue reading Gateways: “Beauty Mark” by Brendon Connelly read by Coco Kasperowicz →
Zack Peercy is a legally blind playwright based in Chicago. He has a residency at Three Brothers Theatre, where his play That’s Fucked Up premiered in May 2019. His play Kubrickian was recently presented as part of Intrinsic Theatre Company May Play Podcast reading series. He has placed in a few contests you haven’t heard … Continue reading Gateways: “John Quincy Adams High School Presents “Little Shop of Horrors Junior”!” by Zack Peercy read by Aydan Quinn →
Jim McDoniel is a writer of monsters and mirth, not always in that order. He also writes radio plays. He holds a Masters degree in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. He is a writer for the podcasts Our Fair City and Unwell. He was a finalist in Deathscribe 10 for his piece, “Monstruos.” and … Continue reading Gateways: “Of The Legumen” by Jim McDoniel read by Ryan Bond →
TRANSCRIPT: Isaac Rathbone is mostly a playwright and also has a few short films under his belt. He tells us he is always searching for challenging environments for great characters to grow in and is a stickler for creating the right dialogue. His work has been featured at Paragon Fest and you can find examples … Continue reading Gateways: “Shangri-La” By Isaac Rathbone read by Keenan Odenkirk →
Hadley Frost (they/them) is a TTRPG and Visual Story Telling creative writer and producer. He is currently personally studying creative writing. WIth little professional experience, he hopes to grow his portfolio in both a professional setting and novel writing. He is currently developing a visual story tell festival to take place in 2021. Hadley Frost … Continue reading Gateways: “Utopia Ain’t What it’s Cut Out To Be” by Hadley Frost read by Rachel Granda-Gluski →
TRANSCRIPT: Daniel Mendoza is an up and coming Latinx storyteller, based in Chicago, Il. Daniel is thrilled to be included in Gateways Story-writing series. He spends the little free time he has writing D&D campaigns and feeding his cat. People are dying to get into Summer Grove. A diverse, healthy, affordable gated community, where anyone … Continue reading Gateways “The Bluff of Summer Grove” by Daniel Mendoza read by Evin McQuistin →
TRANSCRIPT: Zack Peercy is a legally blind playwright based in Chicago. He has a residency at Three Brothers Theatre, where his play That’s Fucked Up premiered in May 2019. His play Kubrickian was recently presented as part of Intrinsic Theatre Company May Play Podcast reading series. He has placed in a few contests you haven’t … Continue reading Gateways: “Community Service” by Zack Peercy read by Jasmin Tomlins →
TRANSCRIPT: Lindsay Morris is a local playwright and storyteller who lives in Andersonville. She prefers dark comedy and loves to write about all the ways her vagina has screwed her. She’s performed in dozens of shows in Chicago and recently had a play workshopped with the Agency Theater Collective. She describes her work as “Larry … Continue reading Gateways: “Waiting” by Lindsay Morris read by Jasmin Tomlins →
TRANSCRIPT: Jessie McCarty is a writer and aspiring power point performer for stage and screen. They were crowned bagel queen of the midwest by montreal playwright Joe Bagel. Jessie is a company member of runways lab theater and BFA of creative writing at SAIC. “TOO MANY BUTTONS, NEVER ENOUGH SHOES: a short story of how … Continue reading Gateways: “Too Many Buttons Never Enough Shoes…” by Jessie McCarty read by Kat Evans →
Jeff Harris is the properties artisan at the Goodman Theatre, and a longtime collaborator with Otherworld Theatre building props, costumes, and masks. But once, in the long-long-ago, he was a writer and director, and is all too happy for the opportunity to put on is old suit of armor. As well as writing a short … Continue reading Gateways: “The Greenwood Knight” by Jeff Harris read by Rob Southgate →
TRANSCRIPT: Michael Strange was born a storyteller. His strength is in telling a story verbally and he has risen to the challenge of translating his skill to the page. Tonight, we are thrilled to take his writing and give it back to voice. When I got first meal after learning she was gone, I overheard … Continue reading Gateways: “The Pearl Box” by Michael Strange read by Rachel Granda-Gluski →
TRANSCRIPT: Kate Akerboom is a multi-creative individual living in Chicago. As a Certified Interpretive Guide, she tells stories for a living but cherishes every opportunity she has to write them down. You can interact with her on social media as @hestionfire on Instagram, @katie_akerboom on twitter, and listen to her voice reading Shakespeare as Managing … Continue reading Gateways: “Moving Day” by Kate Akerboom read by Kim Fukawa →
TRANSCRIPT: Michael Jachowicz has written sketches and comedy scripts for podcasts as well as some comic strips. You can hear some of his scripts with Starlight Radio Dreams, a Chicago based comedy podcast. He tells us, “I found a quarter today, and I’m just happy to be here.” Content Warning: This story depicts drug use. … Continue reading Gateways: “A Story in Which Nothing Happens” by Michael Jachowicz read by Kate Akerboom →
TRANSCRIPT: Ashley Retzlaff is an English and Theatre teacher who writes a lot of poetry. A scrambling enthusiast who owns more half-filled notebooks than any hoarder could, she creates worlds where reality and hope clash. The miniature worlds she creates lie dormant in the notebooks until brought to life by a reader’s voracious eyes and … Continue reading Gateways: ” One Bad Pickup Line” by Ashley Retzlaff read by Coco Kasperowicz →
TRANSCRIPT: Eliza Marley lives in Rogers Park and spends her time drinking tea by the lake when it’s not closed and watching old horror movies. She is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago’s creative writing program. She is a writer of magic realism and likes to explore the folds in the fabric of reality and … Continue reading Gateways: “Don’t Worry About the Frogs” by Eliza Marley read by Gaby Fernandez →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Leigh Hellman. Leigh is a queer writer, originally from the western suburbs of Chicago, and a graduate of the MA Program for Writers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. After gaining the ever-lucrative BA in English, they spent five years living and teaching in South Korea before returning … Continue reading Gateways: “Bloodletter” by Leigh Hellman read by the Gateways Cast →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Bryce Read. Bryce Read is thrilled to be featured in Gateways! Bryce has been acting, improvising, teaching, and coaching for years, and is now getting back around to one of his first loves– writing! He also likes digging up, and collecting old bottles. How weird is that? You can … Continue reading Gateways: Powerless by Bryce Read read by Rob Southgate and Ensemble →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Brendon Connelly. This story is written by Brendon Connelly. [Brendon Connelly is a scriptwriter from Norwich in the UK. He was a film journalist and blogger for over 20 years, met Kermit the Frog three times – and only fainted one of those times, and graduated from the University … Continue reading Gateways: New Blood by Brendan Connelly read by Alex B. Reynolds →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by John Keefe. John has written comedy for several years for sites such as The-Editing-Room.com, Cracked, and Chicago Literati. He also writes radio serials for Locked Into Vacancy Entertainment. He describes himself as “Excruciatingly imaginative”. This is “An Iteration”. This is The Dancer’s God The congregation’s eyes were upon the … Continue reading Gateways: “The Dancer’s God” by John Keefe read by John Keefe and Jasmin Tomlins →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Rachel A Schrock. Rachel is a Chicago-based writer, actress, comedian, and musician. You can check her out on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, all @Razmatini. This is “Daedalus”. As a Content Note: this story contains violence and may not be acceptable for all audiences. Thank you for attending to self … Continue reading Gateways: “Daedalus” by Rachel A Schrock read by Evin McQuistion →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Irene L Pynn. Irene’s plays include I, Cockroach, The Church of Saint Bearer, Enter, Pursued by a Whale, The Train, How to Field Dress an Android, and several ten-minute shorts. She is a member of the Dramatists Guild, and her work has been produced throughout the United States and … Continue reading Gateways: “Chicken is Served” by Irene L Pynn read by Kat Evans →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Ben McCauley. As a child, Ben was told he could be whatever he wanted to be, and so, he decided to be an airplane. When that didn’t pan out, he went into theater. Ben has been writing stories and plays since his middle school days. Most, if not all … Continue reading Gateways: “A for Effort” by Ben McCauley read by Coco Kasperowicz →
Content Note, please be aware that this story is of a frank, sexual nature and may not be suitable for all audiences. Alex B Reynolds has been writing and producing comedic theatre in Chicago for the past 10 years. They have been a contributing writer for The Flaming Dames burlesque troupe, the Meet/Cute sitcom podcast, … Continue reading Gateways: “LeBron James III’s Unfair Advantage” by Alex B. Reynolds read by Josh Ballard and Rob Southgate →
Content Note, please be aware that this story is of a frank, sexual nature and may not be suitable for all audiences. TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Brendon Connelly. Brendon is a scriptwriter from Norwich in the UK. He was a film journalist and blogger for over 20 years, met Kermit the Frog three … Continue reading Gateways: “Foreplay” by Brendon Connelly read by Jasmin Tomlins →
TRANSCRIPT: Rachel A. Schrock Bio: Rachel is a Chicago-based writer, actress, comedian, and musician. You can check her out on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, all @Razmatini. This is “Move” Content Note, please be aware that this story is of a frank, sexual nature and may not be suitable for all audiences. “Monica let me get … Continue reading Gateways: “Move” by Rachel A. Schrock read by Kate Akerboom and John Keefe →
Transcript: Amelia Aldred was definitely not found in the woods of south central Indiana, raving about alternate timelines and clutching a broken hourglass. Unfortunately, that rumor just won’t die. She was raised by mostly respectable musicians and now lives in Chicago, IL with her husband and their imaginary dog. Amelia’s writing have been published in … Continue reading Gateways: “Indirect Transmission” by Amelia Aldred read by Rob and Molly Southgate. →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Samantha Schorsch. She grew up telling campfire stories at Girl Scout events. When writing short stories, horror and science fiction have been her preferred genre for the past six years. She strives to use her unique perspective on being a woman and person with mental illness in her work … Continue reading Gateways: “9-0-0-5” by Samatha Schorsch read by Devon Elizabeth and Kate Akerboom →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Cameron Evesque Davis. Cameron is a multi-talented artist based in Chicago, IL. They are the owner of the media production company Hela’s Hand Productions, which produces a variety of artistic projects, including films, comic books, music, and a podcast. They are also a published author, and have one novel … Continue reading Gateways: Enter Password by Cameron Evesque Davis read by Kat Evans, Josh Ballard and Molly Southgate →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Vishesh Abeyratne. Born and raised in Montreal, Vishesh holds a BFA in Playwriting from Concordia University. His plays include Indifference (Newmarket National 10-Minute Play Festival), The Procrustes Pitch (Between Us Productions, New York), Exposure (published by YouthPLAYS in Los Angeles), and Divide and Rule, which was one of the … Continue reading Gateways: The Kill-Signal by Vishesh Abeyratne read by Josh Ballard and Jasmin Tomlins →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Megan Burnside. Megan Burnside enjoys consuming every media imaginable, and over the last few years started producing some! As Executive Producer of Unwritten, Megan dipped her toe into the audio drama water, and she was hooked. Two years later, she jumped into the deep end with Dayton Writers Movement’s … Continue reading Gateways: “The Clock is Ticking” by Megan Burnside read by Kim Fukawa →
TRANSCRIPT: Rob McLemore has been writing in some form or another since college. While his work is predominantly comedic, he always enjoys getting a chance to delve into the realm of sci-fi and fantasy. He’s currently a member of Locked Into Vacancy Entertainment and his work can be frequently heard in their monthly shows. This … Continue reading Gateways: “The Offering” by Rob McLemore read by Jasmin Tomlins, Molly Southgate and Rob Southgate →
TRANSCRIPT: Mike Danovich could not be happier to be submitting to Gateways again. His other works have been seen at Chicago Theatre Marathon, Ghostlight Ensemble Theatre, and Gorilla Tango Theater. As an actor, he has performed around Chicago with Otherworld Theatre Company, Brown Paper Box Co, Apollo Theater, First Folio Theater, Theatre at the Center, … Continue reading Gateways: “The Recipe” by Mike Danovich read by Kim Fukawa and Jasmin Tomlins →
TRANSCRIPT: John R. Greenwood is a newcomer to published fiction, though he’s been writing and telling stories since he had lips to speak and fingers to scribble. He earned a bachelors in literature and a masters in writing oh so long ago, and appreciates a chance to put them to good use. This will be … Continue reading Gateways: “It’s About Time” by John R. Greenwood read by Gaby Fernandez →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Joe Johnson who plays Baaaahb in Improvised Dungeons and Dragons and Joe i n real life. Joe has been reading, watching, and writing sci fiction since the start of grade school. He admits he has given considerable more energy to reading and watching than to writing, and is honored … Continue reading Gateways: “Alamar Hatcroff – Resident of Post Fall Chicago” by Joe Johnson read by Molly Southgate →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Brian Pastor. Brian is a playwright, whose plays have been performed on three continents, including at Otherworld’s Paragon Festival. They aim to tell modern, thought-provoking works that explore familiar relationships in sometimes foreign environments. They also like robots. This is “Callisto Base” Callisto Base, Earth Year 2112 (I … Continue reading Gateways: “Calisto Base” by Brian Pastor read by Kate Akerboom →
There is not currently a transcript available for this classic episode. Please join us on January 14 for our next live reading at Otherworld Theatre.
There is not currently a transcript available for this classic episode. Please join us on January 14 for our next live reading at Otherworld Theatre.
There is not currently a transcript available for this classic episode. Please join us on January 14 for our next live reading at Otherworld Theatre.
There is not currently a transcript available for this classic episode. Please join us on January 14 for our next live reading at Otherworld Theatre.
There is not currently a transcript available for this classic episode. Please join us on January 14 for our next live reading at Otherworld Theatre.
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Kate Akerboom. Kate tells us she is simply a writing enthusiast. She started telling stories as a child, and started writing things as a teenager. She enjoys writing realistic fiction with fantasy or sci-fi thrown in. Writing is a hobby, but a well-developed one for her. This is “Vital … Continue reading Gateways: “Vital Research” by Kate Akerboom read by Kat Evans →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Jim McDoniel. Jim McDoniel is a writer of monsters and mirth, not always in that order. He also writes radio plays. He holds a Masters degree in Writing and Publishing from DePaul University. He is a writer for the podcasts Our Fair City and Unwell. He was a finalist … Continue reading Gateways: “Cephalophore” By Jim McDoniel, read by Alex B. Reynolds →
TRASNSCRIPT: This story is written by Mike Danovich. Mike could not be happier to be returning to Gateways. His previous short stories Just Once More and But There Was Time were both read out loud in front of real people for previous Gateways iterations. Mike is also an actor/playwright/director as well as a company member … Continue reading Gateways: “Pumpkin Spice” by Mike Danovich, read by Alex B. Reynolds →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Rachel A. Schrock. Rachel is a Chicago-based writer, actress, comedian, and musician. You can check her out on Twitter, YouTube, and Instagram, all @Razmatini. This is “Emotional Labor” Content Note: This story features violence, some of which is of a sexual nature; blood and death. If that content makes … Continue reading Gateways: “Emotional Labor” by Rachel A. Schrock, read by Karolyn Blake →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Mikey Strange. Michael was born a storyteller. His strength is in telling a story verbally and he has risen to the challenge of translating his skill to the page. Tonight, we are thrilled to take his writing and give it back to voice. This is This is This is … Continue reading Gateways: “The Hum” by Mikey Strange, read by Josh Ballard →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Brendan Detzner. Brendan Detzner’s work has appeared in Chizine, Pseudopod, Edge of Propinquity, Ruthless Peoples, Untied Shoelaces of the Mind, and the Book of Dead Things and Exigencies anthologies, as well as elsewhere. Brendan has also been featured at Gumbo Fiction Salon, and Reading Under The Influence, and Twilight … Continue reading Gateways: “The Competition” by Brendan Detzner. Read by Josh Ballard →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by John Harden. John Harden is a screenwriter and director whose work has screened & garnered awards at top-tier festivals around the world. John’s work is informed by his love of speculative fiction and his background in visual arts, graphic design, journalism and marketing. He is a San Francisco Bay … Continue reading Gateways: “Big Cheese” by John Harden. Read by Kate Akerboom →
This story is written by Ruby Fink. Ruby Fink is a writer and audiobook producer from Los Angeles, California. Since 2016, her audiobook company, Faux Fiction Audio has produced seven audiobooks, and two audio shows from various authors. Ruby is also a member of IPNE in Boston and the associate editor of Fictional Cafe, an … Continue reading Gateways: “Rosie O’Riley- The Case of the Cutthroat Cupid” by Ruby Fink. Read by Karolyn Blake →
This story is written by Makena Metz. Makena writes plays and musicals in the styles of fantasy, sci-fi, or magical realism. She studied Playwriting & Theatre Directing at Columbia College Chicago (class of 17’) and am a proud member of DGA and ASCAP. This past year, she was chosen as an Alliance of Los Angeles … Continue reading Gateways: “The Game” by Makena Metz. Read by Kat Evans. →
This story is written by Bill Goff. Bill has written a couple of plays, took a play writing class in college and was a part of a play writing group for a couple of years. He is currently working on two plays, a novel, and an autobiography of sorts. He tells us he writes to … Continue reading Gateways: “Fall. Rise. Repeat.” by Bill Goff. Read by Josh Ballard and Jasmin Tomlins →
This story is written by Molly Southgate. Molly Southgate is 12 years old. According to her IMDB page, she has performed in 5 films, 1 industrial documentary, 9 Chicago plays, 4 Chicago stage readings, an Iron & Wine music video, multiple commercials, and she has hosted or guested on over 500 podcast episodes. Molly is … Continue reading Gateways: “The Locked Door” by Molly Southgate. Read by Kate Akerboom, Kat Evans and Alex B. Reynolds →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Jessie McCarty. Jessie is a writer and aspiring power point performer for stage and screen. They were crowned bagel queen of the midwest by montreal playwright Joe Bagel. Jessie is a company member of runways lab theater and BFA of creative writing at SAIC. This is “Jupiter Rules for … Continue reading Gateways: “Jupiter Rules for Divorce ” by Jessie McCarty. Read by Jasmin Tomlins →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Ivan Salazar. Ivan graduated from the UCLA writing program in 2007. He entered into the Comics and Graphic Novel world in 2009. He’d mostly been writing press releases and marketing until, in 2018 he was published alongside Margaret Atwood, and Gerard Way in “The Secret Loves of Geeks” published … Continue reading Gateways: “The Lightness and Shimmer” by Ivan Salazar. Read by Rachel Granda-Gluski and Josh Ballard →
TRANSCRIPT This story is written by Ashley Retzlaff. Ashley is an English and Theatre teacher who writes a lot of poetry. A scrambling enthusiast who owns more half-filled notebooks than any hoarder could, she creates worlds where reality and hope clash. The miniature worlds she creates lie dormant in the notebooks until brought to life … Continue reading Gateways: “No Coffee Today” by Ashley Retzlaff →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Leah Lopez. Leah is a Chicago playwright, screenwriter, and script editor. She’s adapted books and stories for Chicago theater companies, namely EDGE Theatre, NFP where she is the playwright-in-residence, including The Odyssey, Robin Hood, and a series of Sherlock Holmes plays. Her plays have been performed at various Chicago … Continue reading Gateways: “Once Upon a Golden Rotation” by Leah Lopez →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by John Keefe. John has written comedy for several years for sites such as The-Editing-Room.com, Cracked, and Chicago Literati. He also writes radio serials for Locked Into Vacancy Entertainment. He describes himself as “Excruciatingly imaginative”. This is “An Iteration”. Connor died briefly when his oxygen recycler failed. For thirty-five seconds, … Continue reading Gateways: “An Iteration” by John Keefe →
Release Note: This is a re-post of our first story as the first two episodes were not showing in some Podcatchers. Hopefully this will solve the problem as well as treating you to these excellent stories a second time. Transcript: Our first story is “Personal Void” By Conor McShane. Originally a Michigander, you may recognize … Continue reading Gateways: “Personal Void” By Conor McShane -Reposted- →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Leigh Hellman. Leigh is a queer/asexual and genderqueer writer originally from the western suburbs of Chicago. They are a graduate of the MA Program for Writers at the University of Illinois at Chicago. After gaining the ever-lucrative BA in English, they spent five years living and teaching in South … Continue reading Gateways: The Circle of Least Confusion by Leigh Hellman →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Mike Danovitch. Mike’s other works have been seen at Chicago Theatre Marathon, Ghostlight Ensemble Theatre, and Gorilla Tango Theater. As an actor, he has performed around Chicago with Otherworld Theatre Company, Brown Paper Box Co, Apollo Theater, First Folio Theater, Theatre at the Center, and Kokandy Productions. He is … Continue reading Gateways: Just Once More by →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Alex B Reynolds. After majoring in television writing and producing at Columbia College, they have worked primarily with New Millennium Theatre Company on parodies and pop-culture mashups, in addition to a Halloween-themed burlesque show for the Flaming Dames LLC. Most recently, Alex had a reading of a fantasy one-act … Continue reading Gateways: Dear Alex by Alex B Reynolds →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Terry Galvan.They have been writing SFF “on the side” for 18 years, including a fantasy trilogy and many short stories. After some years in academia, a Fulbright grant, and a corporate job, they decided to pursue SFF writing professionally. Terry has been a monthly flash fiction contributor to Unreal … Continue reading Gateways: The Gift of the Nephil by Terry Galvan →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Zoe Mikel-Stites. She wrote for Gateways this past fall, and in general writes short stories that are sci fi/fantasy in nature. She also writes articles and website copy. The majority of her writing lives on her website and patreon page. Her non fiction writing can also be found on … Continue reading Gateways: Reclaiming by Zoe Mikel-Stites →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Rob McLemore. He’s been writing sketches consistently since college with The Stuntmen. Currently, he’s a writer for Locked Into Vacancy Entertainment and has been regularly putting out scripts for them since 2015, including creating his own serial, Thultak: Wandering Barbarian. Rob loves to play with genre tropes and conventions … Continue reading Gateways: A Body In Motion by Rob McLemore →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Jeremy Melloul. He’s written for as long as he can remember. Since deciding to pursue writing professionally, he has been focusing on writing fantasy and science fiction across media, mainly comics for the last few years. Jeremy tells us that growing up, stories were his escape from a difficult … Continue reading Gateways: Thunder From a Clear Sky by Jeremy Melloul →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Isaac Rathbone. Issac is mostly a playwright and also has a few short films under his belt. He tells us he is always searching for challenging environments for great characters to grow in and is a stickler for creating the right dialogue. His work has been featured at Paragon … Continue reading Gateways: The Explorer by Isaac Rathbone →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Chris Vanderark. Chris is a script writer working around Chicago. He writes mostly plays and sketch comedy. He sometimes works in theatre for young audiences. His work is typically queer/female focused. He enjoys playing around with genre and loves merging Sci-Fi into unexpected places. He Describes his work as … Continue reading “Rebecca and Joan Don’t Finish the Test” by Chris Vanderark →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Brendon Connelly. Brendon is currently a student of creative writing at the University of Oxford and will start his MA at UEA in the Autumn. Last summer his audio drama The Hypnotist was a winner at the Penfro Literary festival. His background is largely in film and TV production, … Continue reading Gateways: “Hey Joe” by Brendon Connelly →
Transcript: This story is written by Michael Jachowicz. He has written sketches and comedy scripts for podcasts as well as some comic strips. You can hear some of his scripts with Starlight Radio Dreams, a Chicago based comedy podcast. He tells us, “I write whatever interests me. I enjoy improving a story or a character … Continue reading Gateways: A Story By Michael Jachowicz →
TRANSCRIPT This story is written by Mariah Noel. She has created a variety of written work from poetry, short stories and plays to grant forms. Talking animals and black comedy are her two most recurring staples. She tells us her protagonists are most often anti-heroines that come in two flavors: happy-go-lucky dumbasses, or quiet warriors … Continue reading Gateways: “Tuesday” by Mariah Noel →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Russ Kaminski. He has a degree in film production and has written primarily for short film and theater. He also has written and performed standup comedy. Russ tells us he is most interested in stories of relationships and answering “what if” questions. This is “Zo and the River Monsters”. … Continue reading Gateways: “Zo and the River Monsters” by Russ Kaminski →
TRANSCRIPT: This story is written by Michael Strange. Michael was born a storyteller. His strength is in telling a story verbally and he has risen to the challenge of translating his skill to the page. Tonight, we are thrilled to take his writing and give it back to voice. This is “The Starry Floor” Ilya had … Continue reading Gateways: “The Starry Floor” by Michael Strange →
TRANSCRIPT: This next story is from Irene L. Pynn whose publications include plays, short stories, short plays, interactive plays, alternate reality games, and a novel. Her plays include I, Cockroach, The Church of Saint Bearer, and How to Field Dress an Android. You may even have heard her writing right here at Otherworld Theatre. This … Continue reading Gateways: “Both are Infinite” by Irene L. Pynn →
TRASNSCRIPT: This story is written by Samantha Schorsch. She grew up telling campfire stories at Girl Scout events. When writing short stories, horror and science fiction have been her preferred genre for the past six years. She strives to use her unique perspective on being a woman and person with mental illness in her work to … Continue reading Gateways: “The Void Machine” by Samantha Schorsch →
This story is written by Jake Baker, who mainly writes plays, one acts, and short stories but has started dabbling in television screenplays at the behest of friends. He tells us he is a cleverly dumbfounded writer with an existential overtone. He will forever be laughing at the moments most would find dark and humorless. … Continue reading Gateways: “Eternity” by Jake Baker →
Transcript: This story is by Cameron Evesque Davis, a prolific writer with a novel, short stories, screenplays, and comic books already under their belt. Their favorite genre is actually Urban Fantasy, taking us out of the real world just enough to be exciting. This is “Black”. There are two things you learn when you’re a … Continue reading Gateways: “Black” by Cameron Evesque Davis →
Transcript: Amber Palmer is an MFA Playwriting student at Western Michigan University. My play “It’s a Small World (or The Robot Play)” has received staged readings at the Activate Midwest New Play Festival and Flint Repertory Theatre. You may be able to catch some of her developmental readings this summer at Bristol Valley Theater and … Continue reading Gateways: “I Love a Place I’ve never Been” by Amber Palmer →
Transcript: This next story comes from Amalia King who is a freelance non-fiction writer. She describes her style as “Non-fiction by day, absurd nerd feminist fiction by night.” This is not her first foray into fiction, she’s had two staged readings of short plays and we look forward to hearing more from her in the … Continue reading Gateways: “The Preserve” by Amalia King →
Transcript: This story is by KJ Snyder. They told us “I don’t want to be a famous writer – I want to be an honest writer.” KJ is a member of the Writers Guild of America East for journalistic writing. Now they writing sketch comedy right here in Chicago. This piece is “Lifting Water”. Dr. … Continue reading Gateways: “Lifting Water” by KJ Snyder →
Transcript: Our first story is “Personal Void” By Conor McShane. Originally a Michigander, you may recognize his name from performances and staged readings in the Chicagoland area. He also writes reviews of Chicago theatre productions for PerformInk, and publishes literary and pop culture analysis on a couple different blogs. [beat] Some of us may really … Continue reading Gateways: “Personal Void” by Conor McShane →