10.10.09. It's been three weeks since Darien's Rise made its official debut on the radio and we're back to talk about the first three episodes! Have a listen and then let us know what you think! Are you happy with Shane Baumel and Rachel Fox as Kyle and Anna? Has Darien's Rise captured your interest or does it leave you wanting more? Don't forget to check out part four over at the Official Site!
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Running Time: 30:24
09.19.09. After several months of great anticipation, Darien's Rise finally makes its official radio debut today! If you haven't heard it yet, head on over to Whit's End and check out part one of this exciting drama. When you're done, be sure to have a listen to our latest podcast, which features our special guest, Paul McCusker, who joins us to talk about his time with Focus, Passages, his work on various Radio Theatre projects, as well as the upcoming season. You won't want to miss our exclusive interview with this long time writer and director for Adventures in Odyssey!
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Running Time: 50:22
09.05.09. We're finally back after an extended hiatus, just in time to see Odyssey's hiatus come to a close. In this podcast, we address some of the biggest news since sliced bread! Included in our list of topics are Passages: Darien's Rise, Andre Stojka, and Album 51. Leave a comment or email us at aiofanpodcast@hotmail.com.
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Running Time: 23:48
Over the last couple weeks, a lot of new and exciting stuff has been coming out, the most significant of which was the first episode of Darien's Rise. If you haven't had the opportunity to have a listen, be sure to check it out soon! I'd love to hear your thoughts on Andre Stojka, Shane Baumel, and Rachel Fox.
Also making headlines this past week was the release of the album artwork for Album 51: Take It From the Top. It features a very stylish, green-sweater-deprived Connie with Eugene getting what appears to be a buzz cut. I'm thinking Eugene loses a bet, or maybe does this to raise money for Hand Up. I like how the album title has both a literal interpretation - as seen in the illustration - as well as a figurative meaning, which will probably be made more clear once we hear the episodes. I get the feeling that Odyssey is returning to the style of the more "classic" shows from its earlier years. In many ways, Odyssey will be going back to the beginning... or taking it from the top. ;)
The repackaging project continues its gradual march towards completion, as Album 43: Along for the Ride recently received its re-framed cover. Once again, as is the case with much of Gary Locke's designs, the colors are fresh and vibrant. I probably sound like a broke record by now, but it's true - this new cover is a definite improvement over the original cover.
Many thanks to all of you who participated in the Ultimate Passages Fan Scavenger Hunt. We received an overwhelming number of responses, with lots of great story ideas. Judging is currently underway, so stay tuned to the Odyssey Scoop to see if you're our grand prize winner!
Last, but not least, Sarah and I will be making our return to the podcast airwaves! There's certainly no lack of news to discuss, so be prepared for an onslaught of Odyssey discussion this weekend. As always, feel free to send us your comments or questions to aiofanpodcast@hotmail.com.
Almost a couple months ago, Rachel Fox, voice of Anna in Darien's Rise, posted a video of herself in studio with Shane Baumel (Kyle) and Pete Reneday (Old Judge). Over at the Town of Odyssey, one fan has made another fantastic discovery - a ten minute video clip of Shane Baumel recording a scene with the actors who play Darien and Michelle. What's particularly interesting about the video is getting to hear Paul McCusker direct the two actors. Take a look and let me know what you think!
Sorry I haven't updated in a while! Things have been crazy busy on my end, and I'm currently enjoying my final few days on vacation. However, after the latest news released on the Official Site earlier today, I couldn't keep silent any longer.
But first, allow me to quickly get this out of the way. As many of our loyal listeners have astutely pointed out, the cover art for Darien's Rise has been updated to a much more original and artistic design. I love how they kept the castle theme in the artwork, while using the evening setting to highlight the two moons of Marus. A vast improvement, in my opinion, from the original design.
Now to the biggest news we've heard since Walker Edmiston's passing. John Avery Whittaker, perhaps the most beloved character to grace the show, will no longer be voiced by Paul Herlinger. After fourteen years of dedicated service, Paul will be handing the reigns over to Andre Stojka, a talented actor who has reprised the role of several characters played by Hal Smith (including Owl from Winnie the Pooh). You can find out all the details by checking out the Official Podcast's latest episode. Have a listen and let me know what you think! I'll be posting my full thoughts on it later this month.
We now have the final artwork for both the two highly anticipated dramas coming this fall! The first one features virtually the same illustration as the book. It's definitely disappointing not to see much originality in the design, save for the titles. This could have been a really exciting cover.
In my opinion, the cover for The Screwtape Letters is significantly better. It's unique, it's eye-catching, and it's not a replica of a previous book cover.
One fan over at the Town of Odyssey discovered the following YouTube video of Rachel Fox in studio recording for the upcoming radio adaption of Darien's Rise. In it, she also has a short "interview" with Jim Cummings, voice of Winnie the Pooh and Tigger.
Although we're still eleven weeks away from the first episode of Darien's Rise, we're steadily getting more and more information. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm getting excited! Here's a rundown of the known actors' list.
Rachel Fox - Anna
Shane Baumel - Kyle
Pete Renaday - the Old Judge
Jim Cummings - King Lawrence
Darien's Rise
by Paul McCusker
Summary: Rising out of obscurity into a position of prestige and power, a young man remains humble as he demonstrates abiding loyalty to his king. Sound familiar? Maybe that's because it is! Except this tale has a twist involving two siblings from Odyssey. When Kyle and Anna find themselves inside the strange and mystical land of Marus, they are initially incredulous of their surroundings. With swords and pistols being brandished as modern weaponry, the two children seem to have been transported a couple centuries back into the past. However, they aren't just any normal strangers to Marus; it appears they have both been called for a purpose. As the plot unfolds, Kyle and Anna find themselves on two different paths. Yet by the end of it all, they both learn valuable lessons that will stick with them for a lifetime.
Review: I had the "advantage" of reading 1 Samuel at the same time, so I was constantly making comparisons as I read Darien's Rise. One of the things which stood out to me was the tale of David and Goliath retold as Darien and Soren. It's one of the most well-known Bible stories and has even morphed into one of the most commonly used themes in film and literature - "overcoming the giants in your life." I'd heard the story so many times I'd never really given it a second thought. Until I read it again in Darien's Rise. David used a pebble and slingshot to kill Goliath. What an incredible demonstration of faith! How it must frustrate our Lord when we gripe and complain about our difficulties. We so quickly forget that us plus Jesus equals a majority! I've heard it said before that we need to stop telling God how big our mountains are and start telling our mountains how big our God is. That's what Darien did. Amidst relentless persecution from the very person he swore to protect, Darien remained steadfast in his faith.
Another person who never wavered was Anna, the one called by the Unseen One to be a prophetic voice. She believed the Unseen One would protect her and Kyle - even when it seemed like the odds were stacked up against them. Much like Darien, Anna gradually grew into spiritual maturity by stepping into and then exercising faith. Kyle, on the other hand, never fully accepted his calling and instead began to allow pride to get in the way. His actions mirrored that of King Lawrence, who glorified himself instead of the Unseen One. In a way, it was fitting that they both met their doom in the Valley of the Rocks. As the Palatian soldiers closed in them, Kyle and Lawrence each recognized that the cause of their impending demise was lack of faith. Furthermore, they both lacked humility. Kyle wanted to be the hero and Lawrence wanted to remain king. But as Luke 14:11 reminds, "Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
I especially enjoy how Paul McCusker's Passages series, which is essentially a contemporary version of C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia, creates an environment in which the Unseen One is so tangibly real and alive. As Christians, we often forget that God is real and alive in our own world. The problem isn't that He isn't doing anything - the problem is that we aren't paying enough attention! Like Kyle and Anna discovered, we too have a specific and unique purpose in life. Our responsibility is to pursue Christ so that he will reveal his good and perfect will to us. Are we up for the challenge?
Rating: 4 out of 5
Unless you've been living under a rock the last couple weeks, you've probably already watched the most recent video podcast. It was a real treat to actually see the Odyssey crew in action and hard at work - proof that they've been keeping busy during the current hiatus. And they shared a lot of inside information. All this time I thought they were just lounging around eating fizzy cola, greasly chips, and jello pudding pops.
As we've known for the last month or so, Darien's Rise will be adapted for an epic 9-part radio dramatization. I'm a huge fan of Paul McCusker's work, so it'll be fun to see this Odyssey classic turned into an audio drama - much like Focus' Radio Theatre has already done with books like The Chronicles of Narnia. Like the beloved series by C.S. Lewis, Passages is built around this idea of normal kids visiting an alternate reality. But the similarities don't end there. Many Biblical parallels are drawn throughout the kids' journeys in the land of Marus. What's particularly special about Passages is that it offers a story simple enough for children and yet deep enough to be enjoyed by adults.
Something that hasn't been brought up much is the casting for Passages. Up until the video podcast was released, we didn't know who would be voicing the two main characters, Anna and Kyle. After hearing the short clip from Jonathan Crowe, we now know that these two roles will be filled by Rachel Fox and Shane Baumel. These two actors are better known for playing Kelly and Everett, so it'll be interesting to see if those two characters will be returning in Album 51. I've already made it clear that I wouldn't mind hearing more from Kelly now that she's a Christian, but what I'd really love is to hear episodes with Everett and his father, Leonard. Either way, I'm looking forward to hearing from both Rachel and Shane in Passages.
Most book adaptions will inevitably involve some sort of change to the script. Darien's Rise is no exception, as it appears Whit will be narrating at least part of the drama. With news leaking out that there will be a new Whit, it would definitely make for an interesting surprise if listeners tuned in on September 12 to hear part one of Darien's Rise and were greeted by a new John Avery.
Speaking of surprises, I really enjoyed getting a look inside the renowned Odyssey vault - otherwise known as Focus' audio library. Among the multitude of audio cases neatly arranged on the shelves sat some real gems, such as Bonhoeffer and Father Gilbert. With thousands of individual episodes and radio broadcast archives sitting on those shelves, it's no wonder they're all stored inside a locked room! Watching the guys recreate the scene from A New Hope was priceless, especially Rudy's "call" for C-3PO. Haha.
It was nice of Paul McCusker to invite the Official Podcast hosts to his home - it took me a moment before I realized that. We hadn't heard much about what's going to happen in Album 51 since the March 11th Q&A with the producers. And, sadly, Paul doesn't divulge too more information, other than the fact that the first episode of the March 2010 season is tentatively called The Inspiration Station and will probably be a two-parter.
Does this Inspiration Station have anything to do with the red button Connie pushed at the end of The Best Small Town? Quite possibly. Over at the Town of Odyssey, different theories have been floating around. All we know for sure is that it was part of Whit's new invention that looked like a radio. That immediately makes me think is has something to do with story-telling, although I'm not sure in what way. Does it alter the way Adventures in Odyssey is told? Or would that be breaking the third wall too much?
One thing we know with absolute certainty is that several new families will be introduced, including the Parkers. We also know a little bit about one of the Parker kids, Camilla - she's an eight year old athlete who reminds me of a young woman who helped raise seven kids in Austria (hint: she climbs a tree and scrapes her knee). According to the character description we heard from Carol Rusk, Camilla is also "prone to pranks and trouble." Between her boisterous and tomboy-ish personality, Camilla sounds like a cross between a Curt Stevens and Traci Needlemeyer.
While there's still ten months to go before Album 51 episodes air on the radio, there's only three months left until Passages: Darien's Rise hits the airwaves. But if you're the impatient sort, you can always pre-order your copy of the 9-part drama at Amazon.com or Amazon.ca. Then let me know your thoughts on the future of Odyssey!
What did you think of the latest video podcast? And which was the best moment?
(a) Jesse high-fiving Whit
(b) Jonathan asking for a sound of a guy being punched in the face
(c) Bob skipping out of Christopher Dehl's studio
(d) The recreation of the garbage compactor scene
(e) Carol Rusk inviting Tom Hanks and George Clooney to a party
(f) Andy Serkis
