Baton Rouge, LA: Hometown of Discovery

The capital of Louisiana sits on the eastern side of the grand Mississippi River where the USS Kidd stands at attention as a Veterans Museum. The Capitol building seems to tower majestically over the entire city, but I still find myself partial to the old state capitol building with its castle-like appearance, although it is my understanding in his time Mark Twain do not look favorably upon it in the “otherwise honorable place”. I respectfully suggest to our illustrious American writer of the 19th century that there is something celebratory in the uniqueness of the architecture relative to the surroundings, and the old capitol building is a wonder to behold.

I principally know this city through the work of the community radio station WHYR 96.9FM. The extraordinary volunteers tirelessly perform their duties to bring unique voices, ideas, music and more to their listeners, and we are fortunate that Barnaby Druthers audio theater has found a home at the station. When I was in Louisiana for only two nights while staying in New Orleans, I chose to spend one of the days traveling to and then visiting Baton Rouge, and I am so grateful that I did. My main focus of this trip was to visit the radio station, but there was so much more to the city that I feel another visit in the future may be in order!

There’s a lot of opportunity to discover right there on S. River Road. Besides the aforementioned USS Kidd and old State house (which itself is a museum of Louisiana history), there’s the Louisiana Art and Science Museum and had I been in town with my kids or had I possessed more time during my brief visit, I would have made a point to stop in there. For big events, there’s the Raising Cane’s River Center that has an arena and exhibit hall. But there’s more to Baton Rouge than S. River Road.

On Lafayette Street, there’s the Shaw Center for the Arts which includes the Manship Theater and the LSU Museum of Art. Between the two, I feel if I lived in the area, I would be at the Shaw Center so often they’d know me by name, because art and theater is where I find great inspiration. It’s good to bring LSU into the conversation as well, for it seems the university is omnipresent within the city and no doubt is the catalyst for many visitors to find their way into the community.

But allow me to return the conversation to WHYR because MUSIC is what I think of when I think of Baton Rouge, and maybe that’s true for you too. Whether it’s blues or jazz, gospel, country, hip hop or rock and roll or something new that will originate from Louisiana’s capitol along the Mississippi, music is the artistic expression of the soul of the striving. Music finds a home at WHYR. The superb variety of musical genres that are showcased on the schedule makes the mission of radio station self-evident.

When I visited, I told my friend at the station Bruce Kives that I would love to pen a Barnaby Druthers story taking place in Baton Rouge. After taking some time to process my experience there, I believe now is the time when that story will emerge. Stay tuned!

Williamsport, PA: A Hometown of Discovery

Along the picturesque West Branch Susquehanna River, the county seat of Lycoming County thrives as a unique and intriguing community. Nearly equidistant from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, it can be said that the heart of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania beats in time with this former lumber community and current manufacturing hub of everything from engines to library supplies. It is notably the home of the Little League Headquarters, Hall of Fame and Lamade Stadium where the Little League World Series is played. Those seeking higher learning can find it at Lycoming College and Pennsylvania College of Technology.  With a population approaching thirty thousand, Williamsport, Pennsylvania is a city rising and is a hometown of discovery. (1)

In the late 1800s there were more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in the country (2)  West Fourth Street became known as Millionaires Row.  Two museums, the Rowley House and the exceptional Taber Museum, reside on West Fourth Street and showcase the history from this amazing street.

But it’s not just millionaires who live and work in Williamsport.  The iconic Pajama Factory that once was scouted for and used as the basis of the Broadway musical and movie “The Pajama Game’ (3) now it is the home to an eclectic array of businesses, artists and more. WXPI, the community radio station that airs Barnaby Druthers on their schedule, is housed in the Pajama Factory.

I visited Williamsport for the first time in February of this year and felt as if I had discovered a secret treasure whose story had yet to be heralded.  I travel to Pennsylvania often, but mostly on the eastern side of the Commonwealth, especially Philadelphia and the surrounding region to Scranton, Allentown and Jim Thorpe. Slowly I began to branch out further west but only as far as Harrisburg, Lancaster County’s Amish region, and Gettysburg.  I expected my explorations would reach Pittsburgh next but that’s when WXPI community radio came on my radar.

WXPI has a mission to provide a voice to those without access to commercial airwaves. As an emerging platform for the community, I hoped my program could be a part of their mission. General Manager Michael Lundy was generous with his time, and I was able to interview him about his work.  

The mission for Barnaby Druthers includes telling stories about the locations where the program airs.  I wanted to learn more. I read about its history in a book I read on the internet archive site (before it was unfortunately and hopefully only temporarily shut down) and then this month I traveled to Williamsport once more.

We stayed at the historic Genetti Hotel in the heart of downtown Williamsport (Note: this isn’t a sponsored post or an ad in any way, I just wanted to share the actual location because of its historical significance). Aligning the walls on the main floor are photos of a wide array of visitors to the hotel from baseball players like Ty Cobb, Jim Palmer and Pete Rose to those of societal influence such as Eleanor Roosevelt, Father Flanagan. I didn’t see their photos, but I understand Robert F. Kennedy, Gerald Ford, Bob Dylan, Gene Kelly and many others of note were guests but I didn’t see those photos, although I didn’t get a chance to view them all.

Every visit to Williamsport means a visit to the Otto Bookstore and this visit was no exception. Otto Bookstore is the oldest independently owned bookstore in the country and is located on W 4th Street in the heart of the city. Besides community radio stations, local newspapers and libraries, bookstores are hallmarks of a city I like to visit and engage with. (again-not a sponsored post  or ad). The kids had books to read as we closed the evening.

In the morning, we visited the Taber Museum.  Featuring a Model T, a gallery of fine artwork, dioramas and displays of life from Native American culture through the lumber industry years, the Victorian era, local military history and the age of technology. The lower level showcases the Shempp collection of model trains with two large working trainsets. The museum provided a rich visual perspective on the history I had been reading about from books alone.

Before we left the area, we walked through Ways Garden Park across the street.

The discovery of Williamsport will be a continuing process for me, but now is the time to begin the Barnaby Druthers story that will take place there.  A Druthers audio theater adventure is not meant to be the quintessential, all-encompassing story of a community, for that will be the province of another writer, most likely a resident of Lycoming County, possibly someone is working on that project on their own at the time of this writing. But by sharing a story sometime in the months ahead that takes place there, communities far and wide from Maine to California, from Canada and New Zealand, that share Barnaby Druthers on their airwaves will discovery a new community that may not have been on their radar before. And that is the purpose of Barnaby Druthers stories featuring hometowns worth discovering.

Everyone Lives In A Hometown Worth Discovering (A Challenge)

You live in a hometown worth learning about, understanding, and seeing. Some may respond, “Not my hometown; there’s nothing to see” but I assure you, it may be for the very same reason that you may protest that I would respectfully disagree.

This is not to say all hometowns are affluent and every citizen is happy or that the past was always idyllic because sometimes life can be brutal, and the ebbs and flows of economic hardships fall upon every community. It is in how that community survives and carries on despite those struggles where stories of compassion, courage, and ingenuity emerge. If your hometown has lasted more than three generations, those stories are in ample supply and the pen of time does not stop moving; every day writes a new story.  In fact, you, yourself, may be the story for a future generation, but we will return to that point later.

Unless the object of a vacation is to “get away from it all”, large cities receive the lion’s share of tourism for large population centers offer destinations of cultural awareness and the levers of governmental power are mostly located in large municipalities, so locations of historical significance are often found there. However, it is most likely that you may not live in the center of a large city and I still attest that you live in an amazing place that is worth discovering.

Allow me just a moment to tell you of my hometown before I reveal my thoughts on yours.

I moved to my own hometown a little over twenty years ago and I defined my hometown by the schools for my children, the convenience of the grocery stores and gas stations and my commute to work. Maybe you can relate to that. It was not until my perspective changed almost a decade later when I looked at my hometown from the view of an outsider looking in; How extraordinary it was to appreciate a town that had two newspapers, a community radio station, an extraordinary theater, a world class ballet company, a river through the heart of downtown, a local history museum, summer festivals and car shows, and a growing community of artists who welcomed everyone at every level, experience not necessary. I realized “If I did not live here, I would want to discover it.”  So I did discover it in many forms, I drew comic strips featuring the town, I wrote arts and culture articles which were published in the local paper, I conducted interviews for a local interview show on community radio and all of this discovery eventually paved the way to Barnaby Druthers.

Now, I would like to discover your hometown too, but more importantly, I hope YOU discover your hometown too.

If you have responded to the original statement, that you live in a hometown worth discovering, with an adverse rejoinder, allow me to offer the suggestion that sometimes we can become too close to a thing to perceive it clearly and sometimes we are just too busy in the day to day to see what a visitor may see from afar. Could that be the case with you?  I offer the kindly response that a location that is less explored holds the greatest potential for a unique creation inspired by it.  

Even if your hometown’s historical stories were shared by someone else long ago, there are always unique ways to conceptualize those stories for a new audience; someone local could knit a quilt to illustrate a moment of importance. Someone local might paint a watercolor whose choice of color reflects the tone of the community. Sometimes Poems may reach hearts when narrations fail.

I challenge you to discover your hometown and, if you’re daring to create art/poem/story/song (music)/dance/or any other valid art form about your hometown.

Even if your hometown doesn’t have a working theater, I assure you, there are actors in your region yearning to perform and in want of a stage. Your hometown may not have a newspaper but there’s someone on the internet blogging or creating content. At this very moment there’s an artist in your town who is thinking they may have to move away to achieve success. There’s someone writing poetry in a notebook because to them there’s something special about pen and ink.  Your hometown may not have a history museum, but a clever person or team of people has the potential to compile newspaper articles, old journals and photographs and begin to tell a story on a website.

I repeat for emphasis that the less a location has been explored by others, the greater the potential for discovery and that is why I would like to learn more about the less heralded locales. I want to write stories about your hometown because I want to read those stories  and even if my stories do not find favor with you, no offense is taken, every art to a certain extent is created for a niche audience even if it is a niche of “one”, but if you find that to be the case then I encourage you to write the stories of your community that you want to read, paint/illustrate the art you want to see, and compile the history of the things that appeal to you.

And what can you do with the newly created art/story/poem/history? The easiest venue to distribute the creations of a community is online but if a community has the desire and resources to achieve it, they can utilize a physical space. If a community does not have an art gallery, consider that libraries have walls, they are wonderfully suited for a local artist gallery.  School auditoriums or civic centers may be venues for theatrical productions. I was walking in Birmingham, UK and outside the Moor Station there were posters of local poets with their poems. Outside the Tower Hill underground stop in London there were walls filled with art. What wonderful venues to share creative work! Creative thinking builds creative solutions.

I ask the reader to think of their own community in a new or renewed way. Everyone lives in a hometown worth discovering. And if you follow your own passions wherever they lead in a constructive way, the path you travel may become a story that future generations share and visitors like me will discover in time.

JTQ

PS: Comment or send a contact form (see the contact tab at the top) and let me know the name of a town worth discovering that can foster the imagination, stories and art. Maybe I can write a Barnaby story taking place there. Most visitors here don’t leave comments, they read the articles, news and then download the episodes, but if you read to this point, consider giving feedback and share the name of a town worth discovering and whether you’ll create your own art about it!

An Audio Self Portrait of J. Timothy Quirk

Inspired by a visit to the National Portrait Gallery in London, J. Timothy Quirk offers a very different method of conveying a portrait. Listen HERE

A Visit to the British Library

In September 2024 I traveled to England for five full days and nights and every moment afforded me the opportunity to learn something new that will provide guidance on future stories, especially Barnaby Druthers stories. Interestingly, the research I conducted here shed light on some prior Druthers stories and I’m excited to share just a little bit of that as I extol the virtues of some of my favorite places during my all too brief visit.

On Friday afternoon I took the tube from Tower Hill to Kings Cross station and walked to The British Library, the extraordinary institution featuring a team of librarians, researchers, administrative staff, security workers, custodial workers, and vendors all working in concert to provide an exceptional resource to the public. It is a veritable transportation hub of knowledge where everyone contributes flawlessly to the visitor experience.

On the ground floor there is a free exhibit whose contents could be the basis of an entire museum charging admission.  The exhibit displays handwritten works of merit throughout the ages from Leonardo DaVinci to the Beatles, with historic versions of sacred texts and important civic documents like the Magna Carta and the Emancipation Proclamation and it is all there in display cases for our viewing consideration.

Within these display cases I saw two items that related to Barnaby Druthers stories.  The Barnaby Druthers story “Year of the Spring Heeled Jack” described the tale wherein a particular fiend possessed the trappings of the spring heeled jack, particularly the boots and gloves.  I was thrilled to see an actual 19th century published Spring Heeled Jack book from 1890 on display. (see Year of Spring Heeled Jack in Season 3)

2022 Season 3 Episodes

A Modern Druthers story was called the Secret Serenade about a potentially undiscovered work by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Barnaby conducts some research at the British Library by viewing an original Mozart piece (although in the story the Mozart piece he viewed was not encased in a display in a public exhibit but was shown separately to him in a study room). (see Season 4)

2023 Season 4

The library houses so many books of note, manuscripts, and documents that if I had just a full month to visit daily to research and write, I can only imagine how many Druthers stories I could create in that time. Alas, that is not a luxury I possess, so I am thankful for the time I had now to experience and learn as much as I could, an to make every moment on the visit meaningful and I can say without question that my most valued keepsake, besides the memories and the stories, from this entire journey is the British Library card I now hold in my wallet.

100th Barnaby Druthers story!

When we began to produce Barnaby Druthers as a separate series from our original anthology program Nutmeg Junction, we could never have known that the 100th unique Barnaby Druthers story would be released for air the week of 9/22/2024. It is a very special episode featuring two young voice actors who share their talents on a tale that delves into Barnaby’s past. You may wonder: is this the 100th episode? Let me explain. We began to create Barnaby Druthers stories in the anthology program “Nutmeg Junction”. We discovered there were many more stories to share about the character and also we found many radio stations liked the concept of a single concept series versus an anthology series (some stations do like anthologies, don’t worry, but there was a market for creating an audio theater series based around a single concept/idea/character). So we created Barnaby Druthers as a stand alone series, the idea took off like a rocket and we haven’t stopped since. The first “season” were initial episodes, we retooled the show and made some changes before series 3 and updated older shows over time which was relaunched with even more stations joining Druthers! We also created some short stories that were compiled into different episodes. So the 100th episode isn’t a relevant metric, after all, we’ve created over 160 mystery hour episodes, though these episodes included non-Druthers stories and encore episodes. But we do count the STORIES, the unique stories written associated with the character. For that reason, we can confidently say that the 100th unique episodewill be aired the week of 9/22 and is called “Secrets in the Coffin”!

Writing Druthers in 2024: Approaching 100th unique Druthers story

As Barnaby Druthers Audio Theater continues to entertain listeners on community radio with our stories, I wanted to take a few moments to look back quickly at the exceptional stories in the first half of the year and then share some thoughts on writing as we approach the second half of the year and our 100th unique Druthers story.

In Season 5 we shared some stories by Edgar Allan Poe (The Raven, Fall of the House of Usher and Purloined Letter) and we introduced some new villains to the Druthers canon (The Baronet and the Orb Weaver) and we developed more Modern Druthers stories this year taking place in Delaware, Oregon, and Louisiana. I am happy we also created many single episode stand alone classic stories like The Cursed Mirror, Death’s Horizon, Heart Shaped Locket, Miracle in the Bottle and more). But we also added to the Druthers-Lore, specifically Confessions in the Deluge and the Wake of Barnaby Druthers, that provided insight into our protagonists and their journey through life.

Our listeners may notice that we create stories that fall within different points in the lifetime of the characters. Why aren’t the stories written sequentially? As the writer of Barnaby Druthers, I can tell you that inspiration does not occur on a straight line. There are days when ideas of youthful energy or exploring the effects of mistakes from a lack of experience means the stories should take place earlier in the timeline. There are days when the weight of years and thoughts of the passage of time necessitate the stories take place later in the timeline.

Inspiration is not a bolt of lightning that shocks the writer with immediate insight and pages of material. Inspiration is not a gift of gods magically bestowed by beautiful muses in dreams. For me, at least, Inspiration is hard work and a clock. Nothing informs the creative process more than a hard deadline. I learned this lesson when I had a daily comic strip. Every week I needed to have six daily cartoons worthy of publication in newspapers. That’s a story for a different day but the fact remains that the drumbeat of new stories sets a rythym that is easy to write to and plot points in some stories pave the way for new ones. If you’ll forgive the Yogi-Berra-like phrasing, when you write more, you find you write more.

Some stories take longer to write. The most recent story, the recorded but not yet edited “Harper Thorne and the Great Library”, took two weeks to write because I rewrote the majority of the story twice before finally resolving it with the third version. The cast voluntarily offered after recording that they loved the story so I must have made the right choice. (I promise I didn’t fish for the compliment!) Conversely, the Confessions in the Deluge was written by creating a loop of the rain effect, listening to it and then writing the story in a day and it was equally complimented at a separate time.

Television programs back in the years before “cable” used to have 20 to 26 new episodes a season. Now in the era of streaming, any program having a season with more than 10 episodes is rare, but then again, there are many other factors involved in the visual medium that are not factors in the world of audio theater. My stated goal this year, the gauntlet that I threw down for our team, was to create at least 34 new episodes and with The Great Library, once released this weekend, we will have shared 26 new episodes and that does not even count the four “All We Bring to Bear” series and the New PRB of which there will be two that are new to the new incarnation of Barnaby Druthers as we know it today.

There are times when I would like to do a Barnaby Druthers/Harper Thorne comic book or a comic strip. (Some Barnaby/Harper art is shared here in this post). A long term vision includes a novel featuring the characters. And we would all love to do a Barnaby Druthers video project. But all of it takes time and planning and time is not an infinite resource. Our goal and focus is to have new audio stories for community radio almost every week and that takes priority.

A writer who inspires me is Walter Gibson who wrote 283 Shadow stories under the pen name Maxwell Grant and those stories stand the test of time. With Druthers, when the two already recorded but not released (the New PRB part 2 and The Great Library) episodes are aired, we will have completed 99 original stories. (note: with Barnaby Druthers Mystery Hour you will note we have almost 160 episodes but this is because stories can be mixed and matched and repeated (just not often. We always like to share something fresh and new with some material from our other audio series Nutmeg Junction.) This means the very next story I write will be the 100th unique Barnaby Druthers story. What might stymie me as a writer could be the gravity of the moment but I have to remember is that we have many more stories to tell and a new one will be needed that week.
I have some ideas. There are always ideas. There are always plot threads to follow. As Harper Thorne says, we can follow a thread until we unravel the web of intrigue! So tomorrow I will begin to pen a story that will represent the 100th and then…we will continue with the next episode to 101 until perhaps we match or exceed the output of Walter Gibson!

If there are any questions on process or on specific episodes, I’ll be happy to answer as best I can. Until then, thank you for reading and thank you for enjoying Barnaby Druthers!

-J Timothy Quirk

A Comprehensive List of Barnaby Druthers Stories to Date

At this time, which is November 2023, it seems appropriate to catalog the number of Barnaby Druthers stories we have created as a way of taking stock of what has been accomplished. As a part of Nutmeg Junction, our group has created audio theater stories since 2018 but this focus is exclusively on Barnaby Druthers. We created Barnaby Druthers in 2019 and in short order, created the Barnaby Druthers program and related Barnaby Druthers Mystery Hour. Undoubtedly, in time we’ll create a searchable database that can include episodes, categories, credits, etc, but for now, this list compiles the individual Barnaby Druthers stories. And there are MORE stories to come as we end 2023 and enter 2024! Stay Tuned!

1 Barnaby Doesn't Know Jack 2 Never the Twain Shall Meet 3 The Duchess' Judas Window 4 The Chuzzleby Carbuncle 5 The Mousetrap 6 Contralto 7 The Priceless Manuscript 8 The Ghost of William Terriss 9 The Aristocratic Tosher 10 Year of the Springheeled Jack 11 All We Bring to Bear Part 1 12 All We Bring to Bear Part 2 13 All We Bring to Bear Part 3 14 All We Bring to Bear Part 4 15 The Curious Case of Garvin Kendrick 16 The Secret Serenade Part 1 17 The Secret Serenade Part 2 18 The Summer Game 19 The Wolf at the Vicar's Door 20 Nothing Happens on a Tuesday 21 The Emerald Lady 22 Lorelei 23 The Ghost Bride of Grenton Hall 24 The Ten Pounds: Lunch the Duck 25 Hollywood by the Sea Part 1 26 Hollywood by the Sea Part 2 27 Hollywood by the Sea Part 3 28 The Midnight Phantom of the Boardwalk p1 29 The Midnight Phantom of the Boardwalk P2 30 Talbot Carbuncle 31 Enoch's Return 32 The Invitation 33 Of Rhyme and Reason 34 Uncle Rupert's Final Deal 35 Aionios 36 The Golden Feather League 37 The Missing Lodgers 38 Murder Can Be Deadly 39 Monster in the Moonlight 40 Christmas in Kansas City 41 The Case of Doctor Hyluss 42 The Second Legend of Sleepy Hollow 43 The Vicar's Widow 44 A Ham in Rye 45 Robin Hood of the Gala 46 Pettibone's Ghost 47 Sir Bedivere's Gift 48 The Veiled Lady 49 Finding Xander Draven 50 Messages in a Bottle 51 Sin's Reward 52 Star of Othrys 53 The Little Things 54 Diogenes 55 What if This Cursed Hand part 1 56 What if This Cursed Hand Part 2 57 What if This Cursed Hand Part 3 58 Scarecrows in the Meadow 59 One Fearful Night in Ataraxia 60 Emmeline: A Christmas Story 61 Case of the Five Buttons: Time's Arrow 62 Case of the Five Buttons: Violet and Blue Fire 63 Curse of Sallowe Manor 64 Goodnight Selene, My Love 65 When the Fog Lifts 66 Dear Mister Druthers 67 The Clockmaker's Apprentice 68 The Patient 69 The One Holding the Match 70 Le Diable Roulette 71 The Final Carbuncle 72 The Crossroads of Clues Part 1 73 The Crossroads of Clues Part 2 74 The Scarecrow's Confession 75 But Not Yet

Photo of J. Timothy Quirk speaking before a LIVE Nutmeg Junction/Barnaby Druthers performance in Litchfield, CT.

Spotlight on J. Timothy Quirk

Spotlight on J. Timothy Quirk

By Ray Boucher

HAMDEN – Since his childhood, Connecticut writer and broadcaster J. Timothy Quirk has wanted to tell stories through an old, unique form of public media. Quirk grew up in Massachusetts, with two older brothers and two younger sisters. He graduated from a university in Illinois with a degree in Communications and a minor in theology.

In December of 2017, he created Nutmeg Junction, a radio program inspired by old-time radio programs, at Torrington. According to the Nutmeg Junction website, the program “first broadcast on the radio 3/31/2018”, with the earliest shows including “The Grey Whisper,” “Professor A,” and “Space Sentries”.

When he was young, Quirk listened to his father’s audio tapes of old radio podcasts, such as The Jack Benny Program, and he considered it an engaging way of telling stories. “I liked the ability to tell a story without pictures...Some people call it, ‘the theater of the mind,’” says Quirk.

Recurring actors who appear on Nutmeg Junction include Jeff Savage, Lana Peck, Rich Cyr, Jack Sheedy, and Melissa Gabehart. Gabehart has worked with Quirk since her debut as the character Sneetchey in “Snarflepoofs.” Gabehart says, “The comedy [of ‘Snarflepoofs’] is not slapstick...It’s not bad, because it’s not meant to be a ridiculous comedy... [Quirk] kind of writes for certain people, he has a certain voice in mind when’s he writing them...He doesn’t micro-manage everything, he lets people make up the voices that we do.”

Another recurring actor, Amanda “AJ” Lin, met and worked with Quirk on a 48-hour film project. Since then, she has directed the mystery detective show “Barnaby Druthers.” She describes Quirk’s writing style and flexibility in how his fellow actors interpret their characters. “[Quirk’s writing is] very clear writing.” Lin said, “He’s got a lot of creativity and also lets his Nutmeg Junction team really have some independence in their performing or otherwise creating their story.”

Quirk also produces “Nutmeg Chatter”, an award winning weekly radio arts program hosted by actor and journalist Phil Hall. The website says the program “features interviews with extraordinary observers of the human experience.” Quirk also produces the radio version of “The Claws Corner” with Rich Cyr.

In addition to broadcasting radio shows, Quirk is a cartoonist who has produced many works of art. Quirk’s various art cartoons were presented at the Newsroom Café, Torrington, Connecticut, in 2013. On July 2, 2015, his art project “The Crayon Dairy: Our Stories” was displayed during the Torrington Arts Walk in Torrington, Connecticut.

“I was fortunate enough to participate in the festivities,” said Quirk, “because my The Crayon Dairy: Our Stories is an art project that has taken on a life of its own.”

Quirk hopes that the Nutmeg Junction program will continue to grow and inspire people in the audio drama field. “We’re across the nation and on stations in Canada and New Zealand” Quirk says, “but we continuing to build...we hope the listeners who hear our stories will enjoy our program.”

Nutmeg Junction is broadcast from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Mountain Standard Time, on every Sunday evening, on the denverundergroundradio.com website.

Photo of J. Timothy Quirk speaking before a LIVE Nutmeg Junction/Barnaby Druthers performance in Litchfield, CT.

Notes on: The One With the Match

I wrote The One Who Holds the Match after visiting the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library in Indianapolis.  I intended to write a story about Indianapolis and I had fun working on a particular modern caper but it had nothing really in common with the inspiration I received from that visit to KVML. The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library places an emphasis on first amendment advocacy and addressing the scourge of book banning that has emerged with a fervor recently in the United States to coincide with political unrest and political opportunism. I believed that a story about preventing ideas in books from being distributed to be a story worth telling. Coincidentally, it became interesting to me that the story might have followed a different pattern, one that hews closer to the classic Holmes short story by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle about a blackmailer, Charles Augustus Milverton. But the story I wanted to tell flips expectations about whom the real villain is. Metaphorically or otherwise, the villain is the one holding the match.

The other interesting dynamic in this story is that this is one of the adventures where the hero fails.  He is given a task by his client, and he succeeds on behalf of his client because he locates the whereabouts of Montville hidden treasures and there is a promised comeuppance to the villain in the story and yet, it is still, not a victory.  As the library burns, we recognize it is a tragedy. This is a story with resolution, but it does not have a happy ending. Our heroes make mistakes and try to learn from them. In the canon of the Barnaby Druthers mythos, the One Who Holds the Match is an important chapter.

One quick note as stated in multiple locations on this website: I’m not a member of the WGA (which is currently on strike as of this writing). The scripts I write are for non-commercial community radio where there is no monetary flow to anyone and no producer or studio makes money from this creation or have any possible way to profit from the writing. If that situation ever changed, I would proudly become a WGA member and would be on the picket line instead of writing.

New Orleans

It is my intention to visit all the stations that air Barnaby Druthers, and two stations in Lousiana fit that description: WXDR in New Orleans and WHYR in Baton Rouge. Right on the heels of my Indiana adventure, I had the opportunity to fly into New Orleans and the visit was so exceptional that the inspiration is still with me as I write these words now! But it should be noted that the additional traveling time is why the “station showcases” will be posted at a later date as I not only want to memorialize the trip, but also write the scripts for Druthers AND write some short stories inspired by this traveling.

“One can not help but be inspired by New Oreleans, The Big Easy, Crescent City, The Paris of the South: You can call it what you like; New Orleans welcomes interpretations, but it defies one singular definition.”

-J. Timothy Quirk

J. Timothy Quirk at Cafe Du Monde after eating two beignets.

A few years ago, I had written a story based in New Orleans called “Lorelei” and after visiting the city, I was happily assured that the story still held up.which is why we repeated it this week. But I’ve found inspiration to write more short stories and Druthers stories and listeners will hear them when they are ready.

One can not help but be inspired by New Oreleans, The Big Easy, Crescent City, The Paris of the South: You can call it what you like; New Orleans welcomes interpretations, but it defies one singular definition. Each visitor has a unique New Orleans story, although some experiences may rhyme with others in the poetry of life along the Mississippi.  Put another way, I could write you a narrative description of “jazz”, but if you never heard jazz, the words would be truthful but the definition itself would not be “true”. And so if I had to choose to define New Orleans in just a word, I would say “jazz”, because jazz must be experienced for any real understanding.

We had two nights before returning home so we wanted to make the most of the experience. We made the French Quarter our focus for the first afternoon into evening. We enjoyed beignets at Cafe Du Monde and I purchased a straw hat, which was not an uncommon fashion choice given the weather. My daughter and I ate dinner at a restaurant whose ambience was the main attraction rather than their culinary offerings. That evening we walked with my sister and her coworker to a hotel where their bar had an unsual attribute which inspired a short story I wrote which we will record this upcoming Monday. The evening ended without incident and plans were made for the following day. In the morning I was to take a long bus trip to visit a radio station in Baton Rouge. That will be the subject of my second post.

Fort Wayne

The bus ride from Indianapolis to Fort Wayne took approximately 2 hours at the cost $20.00 each way on that Thursday in June. Overall, the travel time was pleasant on the ride up as the bus driver took pains to explain in advance the rules of travel, including the rule prohibiting talking loudly on one’s cell phone via speaker. The ride back was not as pleasant as the bus driver did not take similar pains to explain, let alone enforce, the speakerphone rule and one passenger held a two hour conversation on her cellphone so loudly that when she mispronounced “Marion, Indiana”, a cacophony of other passengers felt the need to correct the pronunciation.

The purpose of the trip was to visit WELT which is housed at the extraordinary Allen County Public Library. A “station spotlight” post that spotlights the station will accompany this entry that is focusing on my experience of Fort Wayne as a whole. I took the 10:45am bus and arrived at the bus terminal on Baker Street at about 1pm. The return bus had a planned departure time of 9pm which meant I had 8 hours to explore Fort Wayne. It is clear that 8 hours is not enough time to experience all that Fort Wayne has to offer.

Parkview Field Fort Wayne, IN

On the way to the library from the bus stop, one walks past the extraordinary Parkview Field where the Tincaps play. There was a game scheduled for that night and I learned the gift shop closes before the game time.

In short order I was standing in the library with legendary radioman, John O’Rourke, the station manager of WELT. The station provides many essential communication services for the benefit of the Fort Wayne community. In fact, John was preparing to visit city hall where he would record the monthly program “Investing in the City of Fort Wayne, where a city employee interviews a representative of a local business. I was invited to attend the taping and after saying, “Hello” to Mayor Tom Henry, we sat in the conference room as John Felts, Head of Digital Engagement, interviewed Jeffrey Roberts of Amp Lab. The program can be heard here: https://www.cityoffortwayne.org/investing-in-the-city-of-fort-wayne-radio-show.html

After recording the podcast, we returned to the library. John generously gave me a tour of WELT and the Access Fort Wayne media center. The media center provides free access for members of the community to film, edit, produce and showcase content. If I lived anywhere near Fort Wayne, I guarantee this would be my base of creative operations. It should be noted that the library also offers Maker Labs, a seed library, and a museum exhibit on Abraham Lincoln as the Lincoln Foundation houses a vast collection of photos, books, documents, and ephemera related to the 16th President of the United States.

With time for myself in the afternoon, I walked north in the direction of the arts district where the Fort Wayne Museum of Art was located and as luck would have it, admission was free that Thursday night. The museum featured an exquisite exhibit on Art Deco Glass and an exhibit featuring the work of Miro in New York (the exhibit ran through June 25th so I caught it just in time). Across East Main Street, the ArtLink Gallery was hosting a members’ showcase, an event that was also free to the public. The space was filled with quality works by local artists. It reminded me of the former Artwell Gallery in Torrington where, as a member, I was able to exhibit my works of art in member’s only showcases. I was impressed by the work the Artlink artists created, each unique and wonderful, and by their welcoming spirit. Even if at some point in the future I was only back in Fort Wayne for just a few hours on only one more day, if I had the opportunity to see another member showcase, I would take the opportunity to visit again.

I am certain there are many wonderful restaurants, bars, cafe’s etc in Fort Wayne, but with my limited time, I needed to stay within a certain area and eat and depart quickly. On my walk from the library to the arts district, I stopped by Fort Wayne’s Famous Coney Island hot dog restaurant. I ordered two hot dogs with the works and a bottle of coke. It was so good, on my return walk from the art district, I stopped by again and had two more hot dogs and a bottle of coke.

The baseball park was a hub of activity. I had been told at the time city planners announced the plan to move the baseball field to the downtown area, there was a whirlwind of controversy and some vehement negative sentiment on the concept. But how right those city planners were, for on this random Thursday evening, the field was packed with fans supporting their local team! Whenever I’m able, I like to pick up a gift for my son, whether it’s a baseball cap or jersey or some sports related item from a local sports team that’s in the area I’m visiting. Because their store was closed due to the game, my only option that night was to purchase a ticket and buy a hat from the store inside the field. I’m so glad I did that. As the sun set, I enjoyed a few innings before I made my way back to the library to thank John O’Rourke and WELT/Access Fort Wayne for their hospitality. The bus arrived right on time and by 11:00pm I was back in Indianapolis.

Closing Thoughts: (As mentioned earlier, more about WELT will be shared on a “Station Spotlight” post.)

Now while I was at city hall, after the podcast/program was recorded, John Felts asked me of my thoughts on Fort Wayne from a visitor perspective. I think that’s entirely appropriate to solicit feedback but I had only been in the city for less than an hour. Now, in hindsight, weeks later, after spending only 8 hours exclusively downtown, I can begin to answer.

Fort Wayne is a city that creates its own opportunities. I believe if visitors were inclined to enjoy the arts, opportunities await them to view art and to create art. If the dining experience was the “main course” of the visitors’ interest, opportunities certainly await them. If visitors were interested in historical areas of interest, like the history museum or the Old Fort and especially if they were interested in Abraham Lincoln, opportunities abound. There are family friendly attractions like the zoo and science center and sports aficionados have three minor league teams (baseball, basketball and hockey) to support. In all things, it seems the citizenry of Fort Wayne create their own opportunities and visitors who are lucky enough to discover this community benefit from experiencing those opportunities.

It is no surprise that Philo T. Farnsworth lived for a time Fort Wayne. Farnsworth invented the first fully electronic television and in his “cave” (a basement laboratory on Pontiac Ave in Fort Wayne) he developed numerous other inventions. Farnsworth created his own opportunities and opportunities for all of us. Perhaps not as well known as other American inventors, his is a unique story and if one is not familiar with it, when the story is told, there is surprise that it had not been on the radar before. I think Fort Wayne resonates on that frequency.
I look forward to visiting again and experiencing the opportunities that present themselves in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

INDIANA (Part Two:) And So It Goes…A Trip to the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library

Weeks before flying to Indianapolis, there was only one location on my list of attractions I was absolutely confident I would visit during my one full day in the Crossroads of America city: the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library.  Kurt Vonnegut is an important American writer whose work I consider to be essential reading. As a fellow creator of stories, I hoped to soak in the ambience and learn something in the process.

And so it goes that on that Wednesday afternoon, I followed West Street north to the intersection of Indiana Ave where the impressive Walker Theater building stood proudly at the northwest corner while across the street, a very different iconic structure housed the museum and library celebrating the renowned author. But the museum provided much more than a historical celebration of the author, the museum promotes a forward looking mission to inspire future generations of writers, and readers and indeed, of all Americans. The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library’s focus is on First Amendment advocacy.

The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library from the corner of Indiana Ave and West Street, Indianapolis, IN

It seems a primary focus of the Vonnegut Museum and Library is to combat the scourge of book banning, the absurd and destructive action that is antithetical to the First Amendment of the Constitution. On the first floor, there is a framed letter Kurt Vonnegut wrote in response to a ban of his book. It is not only eloquent, it highlighted the fact that, as is so often the case, the “book banner” had not actually read his work. The act of book bannings is born from ignorance. The museum carries on the legacy of fierce First Amendment advocacy and the Vonnegut’s message rings as true today as it did back when his response letter was penned.

“Perhaps you will learn from this that books are sacred to free men for very good reasons, and that wars have been fought against nations which hate books and burn them. If you are an American, you must allow all ideas to circulate freely in your community, not merely your own.”

— from Kurt Vonnegut's letter to Charles McCarthy

The museum features reading areas, multiple locations for seating and a museum store and it appears to be a wonderful location for events, depending on the projected attendance size. Of course, the museum hosts exhibits on every floor. For aspiring writers everywhere, the selection of Vonnegut’s many rejection letters are hung proudly in the second floor. The third floor has what I believe to be the hallmark exhibit that emphasizes his seminal work, Slaughterhouse Five or The Children’’s Crusade: A Duty Dance with Death.

If one is a writer, if one is an avid reader, or indeed if one is inspired by the First Amendment and the rights protected therein, then The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library is an essential visit in any journey to Indianapolis. I was well justified in my initial hope that I would be inspired by a visit to the Museum. As I left and began my walk past the Canal, I resolved to have some portion of the upcoming Barnaby Druthers mystery story based in Indianapolis have some nod toward the Museum and its worthy message and mission.

Next week’s post: FORT WAYNE, INDIANA!

INDIANA (Part One: Indianapolis and The Morning Explorations)

When embarking on the journey of creating a syndicated audio theater program for radio, I long held the intention of visiting every radio station that airs the Barnaby Druthers program. It is a lofty aspiration and one that would provide great insight into the world of non-commercial community radio where Barnaby Druthers finds a home. By visiting each station, I can learn more about how each station operates and witness how each one reflects their community. But in the past three days, a greater concept that sat dormant in the recesses of my imagination found new life. Learning about each station is a good idea. Learning about each community where each station resides is better. Telling a unique story inspired by these communities is the mission of a lifetime. I intend to embrace that mission. The final chapter in this series of posts on Indiana will be the first of many Modern Druthers Indiana scripts. (continued below)

Indianapolis skyline

Indianapolis is ideally suited for conventions. Centrally located in the country as well as being a central hub to major metropolitan areas in the Midwest, the city is aptly described as “The Crossroads of America”. The streets are built on a foundation of grids making the city particularly pedestrian, bicycle and electric scooter friendly. Featuring a plethora of museums and cultural sites, my 15,000 steps on Wednesday took me to as many city attractions as my feet could take me, maximizing the opportunity of my visit.

My preference is to always visit the local historical societies, libraries and the art museums, especially if they showcase local artists, however with only one Wednesday to explore, and with the Indiana State Museum, Eiteljorg Museum, Indiana Historical Society and Newfields, all being important options whose time to properly take in would exclude time for others, they will have to be stops on my next visit to the Hoosier State. I charted a walking course from the hotel past the beautiful canal and in no time at all, visited the Indiana State Library.

The Indiana State Library is a cathedral to learning. The stained glass windows, the exquisite paintings adorning the walls and the exhibits in the display cases in various rooms all tell stories worth being told. In one entrance was a bookcase filled with free books on Indiana history, so I now have a 625 page “Readings in Indiana History” by Gayle Thornbrough and Dorothy Riker courtesy of the Indiana Historical Bureau to enjoy at my leisure. There was an “Indiana Authors” room featuring the works of celebrated local writers of note and although I am not an Indiana author, it was right here that I felt the itch to tell an Indiana story. Had I my ““druthers”, I would spend a day with my laptop or bristol board, pen and ink in the library in the ambience and simply create. In earlier days, when time seemed to be in vast supply, I would sit in at a desk amidst stacks of books and allow the imagination to find a voice on the page. I can not wait for that luxury of time to return before creating these stories because even back then, time was never truly in vast supply anyway.

Across from the Indiana State Library is the Indiana Statehouse. Under the extraordinary blue stained glass dome, the statehouse is replete with history, art and civic pride. Obviously the General Assembly, the Governor and  Lieutenant Governor’s offices, the state Supreme Court and other administrative offices are located here, but so are busts, plaques, and displays worthy of attention. The Supreme Court room is said to be “largely unchanged from the way it looked in 1888” (*self-guided tour brochure). The tour guides, security personnel, even those conducting business inside these walls were all knowledgeable, professional, and friendly. The tour professionals were extremely kind and generous with their time and if one’s own time allowed, a guided tour would provide greater depth and understanding to the experience.

My exploration of the Canal, Library and Statehouse took place before lunchtime. Walking past the iconic Monument Circle, I took note of the Hilbert Circle Theater before making my way to the famous City Market. There are catacombs underneath City Market that are accessed only through scheduled tour times and though the catacombs took hold of my imagination, at tour was not in the cards for me on this day. I followed a path that took me by the renowned Repertory Theater before returning to the hotel for lunch and to work on the radio program.

The great walk of the afternoon commenced up West Street to the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library, which deserves its own post next week. Inspired, I took the long trek from the museum northeast to the Benjamin Harrison House and Presidential Site. The welcome center in the barn behind the main house had an exhibit in one room and a small gift shop on the other while the desk for sales, information and tour tickets was centrally located. The house is an important setting as Harrison was in his parlor when he heard the news he was nominated for President by his party. According to Jared Hay’s article in Indianapolis Monthly “Benjamin Harrison addressed more than 300,000 people in 80-plus speeches from his compact front porch” (1)

(1) Hay, Jared “Political Campaigning from 1888, Benjamin Harrison’s Front Porch Campaign" Indianapolis Monthly 2016, 11/6

The evening closed with a visit to the bottle district which was an enjoyable experience as I was able to visit with my sister , Dr. Maureen Manning, who was in Indiana for a conference she was attending in town.
As mentioned previously, my afternoon was planned to include The Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. That will be the story for the next post, which will feel slightly different than this one because I’d like to address what I believe to be the compelling mission of the Vonnegut Museum and Library: free speech and combatting the appalling past, present and future danger of book banning.

Until the next post, please continue to enjoy Barnaby Druthers and look forward to the Indiana stories coming soon!

The author, J. Timothy Quirk, in the bottle district of Indianapolis June 14th, 2023

Dr. Maureen Manning with J. Timothy Quirk in Indianapolis

Spotlight on Kurt Boucher: Producer and Actor in Barnaby Druthers

What prepared you most for the role of producing and acting in Barnaby Druthers?

I think that lots of things have prepared me for my roles with Barnaby
Druthers and Nutmeg Junction, including improv, and role-playing games
like Dungeons and Dragons, where it is like make-believe but on a
different level. I had my first acting role in a school play when I was
in second grade.

As for producing, I've always been interested in audio and video
production, even as a child. Friends and I would make up little skits
that we'd record on tape recorders, and then try to add in other things
later on. Super simple techniques compared to what is possible on even
the most rudimentary computer or even phone nowadays. But back in the
late 70s and early 80s, we were using audio cassettes with monaural tape
recorders.

I love audio production, because one can create the most beautiful
visuals ever, inside the mind of the listener. It's a different kind of
magic.

What was it like to have your son act with you in Druthers?

It is great to have Ray be a part of Nutmeg Junction. He's super
talented as a composer, and to see him get his feet wet with voice
acting has been amazing, watching him try new things and grow as a
person and as an artist. I'm super proud of all of his hard work!

What is the most challenging part of being/acting as Barnaby Druthers?

Probably the hardest part of acting and being is Barnaby Druthers is
trying to live up to the high standard that our other actors have
brought to the table. Seriously, Devon and Humphry are hard acts to
follow!

You take on a wide variety of roles on Druthers/Junction. Do you find that challenging? what is your process?

I can often hear the voice in my head that has been written for me.
Sometimes I will run a couple different voice past our director, AJ Lin,
who is simply amazing and provides insightful feedback, as well as just
letting me run with a role. Really, the whole team is amazing and
supportive of one another, and that's a fantastic place to be in.

What were your expectations/thoughts when you first joined Nutmeg Junction and how have those expectations changed, met or been not met?

I don't know if I had expectations; I like to just say Yes to things. It
sounded like a great idea, and a lot of fun, so I just dove right in. I
don't think that I've ever turned down a role that was offered to me for
Junction or Druthers.

Where do you see Barnaby Druthers/Nutmeg Junction going in the new season?

Wow, well, I'm really looking forward to seeing more how the characters
grow. Looking back on earlier episodes, Humphry and Devon have always
been such an balanced team, and really beautiful, charming people, and
watching their characters develop has been a real treat, so I'm looking
forward to seeing what happens next.

I'm also looking forward to recording season two of Level One Human, and
to get some more episodes of Cosmic Ventures in production, as well. I
really love where Level One Human is headed this season, and both Devon
and Humphry are a big part of that, as well.

Photos of Kurt Boucher performing during the LIVE performance in Litchfield, CT.

Barnaby Druthers Team supports the WGA

The Barnaby Druthers team morally supports the WGA.

Who we are: None of the creators of Barnaby Druthers are members of the WGA but we whole heartedly believe in and support the WGA position in the ongoing strike. The Barnaby Druthers audio theater program is created on an all-volunteer basis and is a non-monetary endeavor in every respect.  We do not solicit funds for our program, we do not sell advertising, and, when performing live, we do so only in support of non-profit organizations. Our show airs on non-commercial outlets only, specifically community radio stations As of this writing in May of 2023, we are not a non-profit ourselves because no money of any kind finds our way to us in any regard. There is a lane for us in the world of entertainment; it is a non-monetary, non-commercial lane of entertainment. Our work is heard on non-commercial community radio stations, an outlet that provides a voice for those who have something to contribute that can’t be found on commercial stations. Radio play/audio theater entertainment is generally not found over the airwaves on commercial radio in 2023.

Our lane of non-monetary, non-commercial content creation should not be confused with the landscape of commercial entertainment. Commercial entertainment involves, but is not limited to, production companies, commercial platforms and distribution channels and most notably, it involves the hardworking individuals, from writers, directors, actors and those behind the scenes, who create the content, the artistic product that generates revenue. There is an enormous need for that method of content creation and in that respect, every individual should be paid fairly.  

What we believe when it comes to writers: The writers who craft the stories are the essential foundation of the creative content.  They utilize their skills to deliver a quality product upon which the rest of the entertainment endeavor is built. There is no television series, no movie, not even a reality show, without stories.  Writing a program/movie/etc is not a “gig”, it is an indispensable professional job for commercial entertainment and writers should be paid like the essential professionals they are. (Ed: We also add actors to this position. Actors utlize their skills to create the product and they are professionals and should be compensated fairly including residuals -JTQ 7/2023).

There was a time when players of professional sports teams made very little money relative to the revenue generated by the enterprise, but it was their work, what they produced, that was the actual product upon which revenue was generated. Eventually strikes in professional sports led to fair compensation for the players’ work.  The same should occur here and ultimately, that’s going to be the only solution.

The symbiotic relationship: The producers and the writers (and for that matter all content creators and their unions) actually have a symbiotic relationship and success does not mean one side must crush the opposing side.  All parties seem to recognize that the media industry changed with the advent of streaming, which has become a dominant form of entertainment distribution. New guardrails need to be in place to ensure those creating the content, in this case specifically the writers * and actors, are fairly compensated for their efforts.***ed: We now wish to add the actors into this equation, emphatically adding that they need to be fairly compensated for their efforts (JTQ 2023)

Because of the extremely high dollars at stake, there is a projection that the strike will last a while.  It doesn’t have to be that way.  As creators of content, we find the WGA’s position in this dispute to be the most reasonable, and we support them. As consumers of content, we recognize that all strikes end, so the question is how much money will be lost until the end is negotiated?  

Thoughts on the future:

The future is not AI generated content and if producers believe that it is the case, we wonder how soon would it be before an AI’s algorithm to be utilized to streamline the producer function?

The future is not entirely having only one lane of non-commercial content. The lane of commercial entertainment content is vital. Professionals deserve to be paid. We are very happy producers have jobs, writers have jobs, actors have jobs, directors have jobs, lighting/sound/special effects/production teams have jobs, and that lane of entertainment content should thrive in the new realities of content creation.

There was a time when streaming wasn’t a model of entertainment distribution. Now that it is a reality, adjustments need to be made. In the future there’s going to be some other distribution model and adjustments will have to be made at that point.

I can see a point where a commercial entertainment entity works on an entirely profit-sharing model and where the risk and reward is shared between all parties in an entertainment endeavor. In such a model, there would not be a need for an adversarial relationship, it would accentuate the very real symbiotic one.

As creators of content, we support and value writers and actors * who create and perform* the stories we enjoy. To every writer, especially professional writers in the WGA, and to every actor in SAG we say, “May your stories provide both a window and a mirror on our shared humanity and may the universal truths you share reach the generations beyond you.”

-J. Timothy Quirk

J. Timothy Quirk

Spotlight on Humphry Rolleston: THE Barnaby Druthers

Humphry Rolleston performs in the role of Barnaby Druthers for the Barnaby Druthers audio theater program.

We asked Humphry about the experience

What prepared you most for the role of Barnaby Druthers?

Being an Englishman from an upper middle class background born in London!

What is the most challenging part of being/acting as Barnaby Druthers?

Doing justice to the wonderful scripts and being consistently on character. 

What were your expectations/thoughts when you first joined Nutmeg Junction and how have those expectations changed, met or been not met?

I thought it might last a few weeks at most and now we are in so many states, different eras, formats etc. I had no idea it would grow so much and last this long. I love playing him!!!! 

Where do you see Barnaby Druthers/Nutmeg Junction going in the new season?  

I think we will continue to innovate with new formats, potential live performances and Barnaby Druthers will become more self aware, more sensitive and perhaps find love! 

Humphry Rolleston as Barnaby Druthers

Notes on The House at the End of Sycamore Lane

The House at the End of Sycamore Lane  By J. Timothy Quirk

They say the house at the end of Sycamore Lane is haunted by the ghost of Sophronia Lancaster, a serious woman of determined disposition.

Far from the city, the gothic steeples tower above untamed woods where no living thing dares to surface for long. One fateful evening, a horse drawn carriage stops for a passenger to disembark before speeding away like the howling wind. Footsteps take the gravel path down the lane and up to the steps to an unlocked door. The aged wood announces an arrival as the connection with the outside world severs. The door closes and all is quiet, save for a grandfather clock that marks the time to match a heartbeat even the angels could hear. One set of footprints across the dusty floor belies the truth that there are two occupants now in this space that was once called a home.

In the house at the end of Sycamore Lane, a confession is prepared.

————————————————————————————————————-

The parlor had never been a room for music or joy but was usually kept tidy and was efficiently organized with only one book that Sophronia called her own, making a bookcase unnecessary. The Lancaster’s limited income went to their debts, not to entertainment, except for a bottle of spirits that Benjamin Lancaster replenished and kept in his study, and another bottle that stored his dreams and imagination. The latter lay shattered on the floor as the remains of a partially completed model of Nelson’s HMS Victory and that glass bottle that was meant for it represented two decades of struggle that came to nothing.

The Lancasters had no children and as their ancestors had long since departed from the earth, the Lancasters were an island to themselves, eking out an existence in a world that barely acknowledged their presence.  Dreaming of the sea, Benjamin Lancaster remained at the mill where the flowing river constantly reminded him there were adventures just downstream that would never be his. Sophronia labored in the house, taking on sewing tasks whenever possible for extra money.  When they were newly married, the Lancasters’ paltry inheritance was invested poorly, a decision that gave way to a desperate second failed investment. Their third failure was the death knell to happiness.

On the very day that all creditors were paid in full, Benjamin and Sophronia sat silently in the parlor in peace, unsure of what would come next. Sophronia decided she would like some tea at the time Benjamin decided he would retire to his study. When they unexpectedly rose together, the table shook and the bottle holding the partially completed model of the HMS Victory fell to the floor.  Benjamin stared down at his unfinished work that lay in ruins before him.

“This won’t do,” he said. Taking his coat in his hands, he walked out of the parlor and out of the house at the end of Sycamore Lane, and his steps followed the river.

Sophronia was a strong and determined woman. She did not die of a broken heart or wilt under the pressure of his sudden departure; however, she did not enjoy her unexpected freedom either. She utilized her skill at sewing and her physical labor to wash strangers’ clothes. She kept the house tidy and efficiently organized, but she left the remnants of the broken ship and bottle where it had fallen on the floor.  After toiling away her remaining years, a sudden sickness took her body, while her spirit persisted unsatisfied. 

One cold autumn evening, Benjamin Lancaster returned to the house at the end of Sycamore Lane. Upon entering the house, he made his way to the parlor and sat in an old, familiar chair.  After some time, he lifted Sophronia’s book off the table and read the title for the first time: “House and Home Papers”, a series of dated essays about domestic life in 1865 by Harriet Beecher Stowe under the pen name Christopher Crowfield. Benjamin looked from the book back to the floor.

Upon further consideration, he found the broom in the closet and soon discarded the broken glass and wooden and cloth pieces of the ship, however he placed the ship’s name card into his breast pocket. Returning Sophronia’s book to its rightful place on the table, he sat in the chair once more.

Looking up, with a voice weakened by time, he said, “I did not find adventure; there was only a different mill further downstream. Any man can see…this will do.”

The night air whispered a response only he could hear. His eyes closed and within the hour, only the sound of the grandfather clock remained.  

  End

Notes on House at the End of Sycamore Lane

Nearly every story started with a kernel of an idea that seeped like tea in the waters of imagination until a script was formed, then edited and then sent to the director for casting and recording. The House at the End of Sycamore Lane did not begin or end that way.

This story began simply by the sound. I created the soundscape first, overlaying the sound of a heartbeat and a horsedrawn carriage with a nightscape. We hear the carriage stop and then ride away as footsteps continue a path up the steps to a door. After creating that portion of the soundscape, I began to write the story.

Initially I was writing in the first person, with the intention of the narrator being the ghost of the owner of the house. As the words poured onto the page, and I added the heartbeats, footsteps on the floor of the old house into a parlor, I found the motivation of the person whose footsteps we were hearing as something different than and Edgar Allan Poe murderer defeated by their own conscience. A story could be written that way, but I didn’t find that to be this story.

I began to write the backstory, of the childless couple struggling through financial difficulty until something snaps. The catalyst is the breaking of a ship in a bottle, the HMS Victory, Nelson’s iconic vessel. It made sense to have victory slip from the man’s grasp, motivating him to walk away, only to discover where he walked to wasn’t better.

It is entirely possible to write a different story. In fact, if there is interest, I am happy to share just the soundscape audio and if the gentle reader wishes to write a story of their own based upon it, you might come up with something unique and special and entirely different or a version of the story, only better!'

Spotlight on AJ LIN: Director of the Barnaby Druthers Program

The director of the Barnaby Druthers audio theater program is AJ Lin.

We asked AJ Lin about the experience

What prepared you most for the role of directing Barnaby Druthers?

The best preparation I had was being a voice actor, and maybe some of my college theater experience.  Honestly though, being a teacher during Covid helped me to be better at moderating large groups online, which has been invaluable in terms of getting recordings completed well.

What is the most challenging part of being the director of Barnaby Druthers?

The most challenging part would probably be casting.  We have an incredibly talented group of adults and a few youth actors that have come to be a part of the Nutmeg Junction team, but I keep getting it in my head that I use the same people too often.  At the same time, I don't want to ignore anyone whom I know could do a role with ease.  I do a lot of re-listening to older NJ episodes when I'm not sure of what I'm looking for, and that's very time consuming.  Overall though, I'm just enjoying getting to hear the many different things our cast has pulled off together!

What were your expectations/thoughts when you first joined Nutmeg Junction and how have those expectations changed, met or been not met? 

I had no idea what I was walking into, and my first script terrified me.  It was a Professor A story and I was playing a snake-like alien who had this ridiculous "ssssssssss" sound at the end of lots of my lines.  Meeting everyone for the first time that night, learning how to use the mic in the studio, and wondering how I was doing made me super nervous.  However, I had a blast (obviously, I kept coming back)!  So, there's no expectations to have been met, but I've had a great time and am looking forward to seeing how far this goes and what new challenges lie ahead.

Where do you see Barnaby Druthers/Nutmeg Junction going in the new season? 

I love the direction Barnaby is going with the prequel stories so we really get to the heart of what makes Barnaby and Harper tick.  I think the new season will present depth, and our listeners are in for some twists and turns along the way.  However, we still have our beloved Barnaby and Harper at the end of the day, so it won't depart TOO much from the show you love.  As for Junction, I think we're going to be seeing more of each other as a group virtually or in person soon, and I think more of our one-off style scripts are headed to the airwaves as well.  I also can't wait for continuing the series of Cosmic Ventures and of Level 1 Human.  Sarvol may be my favorite character out of any I've played before, and I think you'll enjoy her story soon on Cosmic Ventures.

Photos of AJ Lin performing during the LIVE performance in Litchfield, CT.

Notes on Goodnight Selene, My Love

“Goodnight Selene, My Love” short story (15 min approx) holds a mirror to the Harper Thorne short story “Curse of Sallowe Manor” that was shared last week. Both short stories are solo adventures involving only two parties, the protagonist and antagonist and a knock at the door on a moonlit night.

This story has now been released with the original title (Goodnight) but during the time of recording, I intended the title to be “Goodbye Selene, My Love” because i envisioned these would be the last words of Lord Mayton (Endymion). “Goodbye” has the proper finality to it, but when asking Devon to record the credits, I asked her to record the title as “Goodnight” and therefore that’s where we will land forever and anon. Come to think of it, “Forever and Anon” would make a great title to a Druthers story too, so watch this space :)

There’s more I want to do with astronomy in this time period, so most likely the Endymion telescope will come back in another adventure.

The Keats poem “Endymion” is referenced and quoted in the story as is Homer. As the Keats poem is in the public domain, I recorded a narration of the poem to add to the radio program.

We will certainly get back to the Case of the Five Buttons but we may do a few more short standalone stories but the Case of the Five Buttons will conclude by the end of March, consistent with the 2023 plan.