The Yorkieman Diaries

Just an add-on for any who might actually read this. I only have one follower so I really have no idea how often people look here. If you read please follow? Thanks! But, anyway, I'm starting a new show via Darker Projects called The Yorkieman Diaries. It's set in 1860s Yorkshire England and there are three people - the scientist Dr. Lucas Ramsey (played by Stevie Farnaby), Miss Francesca Dalton (me) the unconventional American heiress, and Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould who was a VERY interesting and eccentric historical person in the area at that time. He's actually up for audition. The three of them go around Yorkshire and eventually the rest of the world trying to find the scientific truth behind myths and legends. Oh, and it's a musical audiodrama. Yup. Singing is required. I actually CAN sing, surprise surprise, eh? And so can Stevie Farnaby and whoever plays Gould will need to as well. So, if you can sing and read this please audition? Heee. Anyway, I'm writing this one too and mixing and producing it but Eric's cool with me mixing it around Gaia so it's a bit more long term. I won't be releasing any episodes until I get a bunch mixed and in the can. No mixing Yorkieman month to month like I am Gaia. That's just nuts and will NOT be happening for Season 2. Anyway, here's the casting call info.

The Yorkieman Diaries



Premise: It is the year 1865 during the Victorian Age. Charles Darwin has published his Theory of Evolution and is causing uproar and interest in both scientific and religious communities. The British Empire is expanding and scientific interest in general is more acceptable than ever before. In the United States the Civil War tearing the country apart. Yet, in Yorkshire England things all seem rather peaceful. Yet that can be deceiving since the Moors are vast and are a breeding ground for myths, legends, and ghost stories. There lives the man, Doctor Lucas Ramsey, a Doctor of Geology who has embraced the Theory of Evolution. He is counted quite an eccentric and he believes that all legends have a basis in fact. He wishes to seek out the truth behind the legends of the moors and explain them through science. But, what he does not understand is that science cannot explain everything and he shall encounter things which he would never believe possible that will rock his world on its axis. Traveling with him is the unconventional American woman Miss Francesca Dalton. She is the last member of the exceedingly wealthy Dalton family, and, with no male relatives to order her about she spends her fortune as she would. She is Ramsey’s patron and calls him the Yorkieman. Also traveling with him is the Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould – a true eccentric of the age with an opinion about everything and a song upon his lips. The Yorkieman Diaries is their story… but every story must have a beginning.

Singing is required. I will ask any who audition for any role to please also submit an MP3 of them singing Greensleeves as best as they can. The major roles certainly need it but there is certainly a chance that everyone is going to be needing to sing at some point or another.

Audition deadline - Saturday Nov 29th.

Recording and Contact information –

-Record in [example format: 44100hz 32-bit Stereo MP3]
-Save the lines as " Charactername-line#-yourna

me.mp3"
-Send your auditions to ElainevBarrett@gmail.com Contact me at AIM Varalis, Yahoo xneyanax, or Skype ElainevBarrett with questions.

Characters

MALES – Main Star

Name: Reverend Sabine Baring-Gould
Age: early 30s
Bio: Sabine Baring-Gould was a real-life historic personage of the Victorian times up to the early 1900s. He was one of the most notable eccentrics of the time, having an opinion on pretty much any matter from Roman Emperors, to Saints, to Werewolves. He wrote over a hundred books and even more stories and such that were published all over the place. He was very intelligent and if he had stuck to one subject he might have been one of the great scientific minds. He was a Reverend in Yorkshire for about a decade but eventually settled and spent most of his life in Dartmoor where he is well known for having collected local folk songs and publishing them in volumes. For the purpose of The Yorkieman Diaries he is in his early thirties and has not yet met his wife. He’s within the very first years of his time in Yorkshire. I seriously suggest you check out his Wikipedia entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sabine_Baring-Gould . You can also do a google search and come up with information on him.

Voice type: Educated British. Later in life he would probably have had a more Devonshire accent but as he moved around so much in his early life and there are certainly no recordings of his voice I am unsure of his exact accent. He was an educated man so go from there. Note SINGING is required ESPECIALLY for this role so I shall need a vocal sample of your singing. This character is going to be part of the trio that is the main focus of this series and will be singing quite a bit considering Gould was especially interested in folk songs throughout his life. This character is also going to have a lot of lines so if you audition and get the part don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Audition line 1: I told you, she’s an eccentric and seems to have a fondness for unusual ventures. She is also very well educated. Unlike most wealthy people she actually seems to read the books in her library.
Audition line 2: (laughs sofly) Just don’t blow yourself up, my dear. I would hate to be deprived of the pleasure of your company and all the young bucks would mourn your loss.
Audition line 3: I’m a Reverend, Lucas… Not a monk. And I can certainly appreciate the virtues of a female behind when it is such displayed – especially out on the moor with only you and perhaps a fairy to hear.
Audition line 4: The Bible says that our God created the world and Jesus performed miracles. Why should I be surprised that such a miracle as the existence of fairies should be true as well?

MALE –Reccuring

Name: William Absertwythe
Age: 50s
Bio: Butler at Briarsgate and husband of Molly, father of Eloise and Alistair, formal.
Vocal type: Butler from Yorkshire, male in his middle years.

Audition line 1: Yes, of course. He is expected. Welcome to Briarsgate, Dr.
Audition line 2: Miss Dalton is awaiting you with drinks in the library.

Name: Prince Calanvor
Age: Immortal
Bio: Prince of the Fairy kingdom called WildHeart – only 6 inches tall with wings and all. Tinkerbell type fairy. Romantic. Well-spoken and gallant. Fairy Prince Charming.
Vocal type: Needs a sexy voice with a more British accent. They live in Yorkshire so a Yorkshire accent would work but I’ll certainly listen to others. A good singing voice is required since this character WILL BE SINGING.

Audition line 1: Hair as dark as the midnight sky with glints of starlight captured therein and such eyes! The exquisite richness of fresh spring violets covered by dew in the first light of morning. You might be wingless, my flower, but eyes such as those no fairy can claim.
Audition line 2: It’s alright. We are used to the reactions of mortals by this time. Most run in fear. You are the first to actually speak civilly instead of screaming for several centuries.
Audition line 3: (laughs) Then don’t tell them. You ladies make sure these gentlemen have a pleasant day. I shall be giving the lady here my close… personal… attention.

FEMALE - Recurring

Name: Molly Aberstwythe
Age: 40s
Bio: Housekeeper of Briarsgate and wife of William as well as mother of Eloise and Alistair.
Vocal type: Yorkshire housekeeper in her middle years, motherly and no-nonsense.

Audition line 1: Drinks, Miss?
Audition line 2: Ahhh, Reverend Baring-Gould, welcome to Briarsgate.

Name: Queen Desmerelle
Age: Immortal
Bio: Beautiful Queen of the Fairy kingdom of WildHeart. Think the quintessential Fairy Queen out of myth and legend/
Vocal type: Regal with a more Yorkshire accent though I’ll certainly listen to others. Musical voice and SINGING IS REQUIRED.

Audition line 1: My son, who are these mortals that you bring before us? You know that mortals are not allowed. And enchanted by your magic, none the less.
Audition line 2: A scientist? I have been watching this world through my glimmering pool. Scientists are convinced we do not exist. We are ‘stuff and nonsense’. Why, even your reactions have shown that you thought we were not real.

Name: Liseth
Age: Immortal
Bio: Fairy handmaiden to the Queen
Vocal type: More Yorkshire accent like all the Fairies – very flirty.

Audition line 1: (laughs) The Prince is showing off. It has been several centuries since he last found interest in a female.
Audition line 2: (purrs) And now it is just you and me.

Name: Celeste
Age: Immortal
Bio: Fairy handmaiden to the Queen
Vocal type: More Yorkshire accent like all the Fairies – very flirty.

Audition line 1: He thinks us beautiful, Liseth. I think I might keep him.
Audition line 2: OH yes…. This shall be quite… invigorating. It’s been so long since I’ve had a mortal.

MALE – Non-recurring

Name: Dragon
Age: N/A
Bio: Typical dragon going after virgins, loves singing, eats cattle, etc
Vocal type: Probably a deep bass but a baritone or tenor would work too. A specific accent isn’t really needed but whoever gets this role MUST be able to sing and put a lot of character into this voice. This is a singing dragon (yes, it happens) so I will need a few takes of you singing Greensleeves.

MALE OR FEMALE – Bit parts

This is for anyone who’s ever wanted to play a Fairy. I have some group lines that need a decent group of Fairies so I’m going to list them here. If I like what you do I’ll stick it in and put you in the credits. Most of them involve improv so just send them to me and if I like them I’ll just up and stick them into the episodes. If you wish to sing please do go ahead. If I like your singing voice you might end up cast again as something else later on.

FAIRIES: (partying – yes Fairies partying with wine, folk music, dancing, good food, etc)

fairies: (reactions to a well-spoken human, comments on her eyes and beauty, comments on the appearance of Gould and Lucas)
fairies: (curiousity about the scientist part and that a mortal would seek them out)
fairies: (laughter)
fairies: (reactions to the mention of the dreaded bargest)
fairies: (laughter and comments about Gould and Lucas’ shock)
fairies: (Different comments about the evils and horrors of the Unseelie Court)
fairies: (reactions to Fran’s acceptance – some think her brave, others foolish)
fairies: (murmurs of appreciation at Gould’s words “I am a Reverend, Your Majesty. The Bible says that our God created the world and Jesus performed miracles. Why should I be surprised that such a miracle as the existence of fairies should be true as well?)

NOTE TO ALL INTERESTED

This is a new series just starting out so I am going to need a lot of different character types from Fairies to Dragons, Trolls, Yorkshire townspeople, ghosts, werewolves, vampires… etc

So, if you think you can do a voice for any type of creature out of myth or legend or just have an interesting voice in general send it to me! And send me your singing if you’ve got vocal talent! If I like what I hear I could very well end up designing a character around that voice and you might end of cast later on. So, send them my way!

Remember:

Audition deadline - Saturday November 29th.

Recording and Contact information –

-Record in [example format: 44100hz 32-bit Stereo MP3]
-Save the lines as " Charactername-line#-yourname.mp3"
-Send your auditions to ElainevBarrett@gmail.com Contact me at AIM Varalis, Yahoo xneyanax, or Skype ElainevBarrett with questions.

A Case of the Blahs

I'm sitting again in class listening to lectures. This one normally would be interesting but I already know the material the teacher is covering. He's talking about the Native American groups in Ohio pre-Columbus and last spring I had an entire class with him devoted to just that so now that I'm in his Native American class that covers all of the Americas that segment of the class (for the past 3 weeks) has been stuff I already learned. That means I don't have to pay much attention and does allow me to get script writing done. We have a test Monday and then we should start the American Southwest which should be interesting.

Math is math and Cultural Anthro is blah too considering we are just going over various issues and listening to powerpoint presentations from students. I got mine done Wednesday. Forensics is actually rather interesting and Dr. Bob is quite insane. He's the one who had us watch a complete autopsy on TV on Halloween. That was sadistic! UGH! I'm not squeamish normally. I have no problems cleaning dead animals and fish. But I draw the line at cutting open dead people. That's why i'll be going into archaeology. By the time we come across dead people they are just bones and bones don't bother me. My Forensics class is in a room completely filled with Human and primate bones on every available surface. I call it the Boneyard. One creepy fact about Cleveland I bet you never knew - Our Natural History Museum has one of the only two huge collections of human bones (THOUSANDS) in the world that all the forensic and medical standards and studies on bones use for their reference subjects. The only other such collection is in the Smithsonian in Washington DC. What it is doing in Cleveland of all places I wouldn't know. Just one of those quirks of fate. We found Lucy too - the first Australeopithicus Afarensis. But considering Cleveland is a dead zone having a ton of bones in the museum vault is rather fitting.

I'm actually thinking of seeing if I can write a murder mystery script for my big final paper in Forensics. I spoke to one girl and he's letting her write a story as long as she cites scientific evidence. I might make it into an episode of Gaia. Murder on the Zooship! LOL. I'm actually serious. Don't worry, cast, I won't be popping an extra episode on you last minute before the semester ends. There's only a month left. Though I might work it in with a smaller cast. I actually debated having the pilots be off on a mission somewhere. Or maybe put it on Gaia and have Creeper start pestering Borask (Detective Creeper on the case)! Only the cast would know who Creeper is but you'll run into him in the December episode along with a lot of other cool characters and one that is positively creepy. I wrote the lines and he still creeps the HELL out of me every time I listen.

I plan on finishing for certain Gaia 3 for Monday. I have a few tweaks to do and a Secret Scene to put in -- if Rene gets me her lines. So if you've listened already then be ready to listen again. I know I sent it out to a few people. Next week I will be starting the mixing on Gaia 4 - probably starting with Scene 2 and moving to the end simply because I have been wanting to mix all that for MONTHS now. Things on Gaia REALLY get interesting from Episode 4 on. Eps 1-3 were just setting the stage. Episode 4 is where things REALLY begin. I can't wait to hear those scenes come to life. It's one of the nice things about doing what I am doing - writing, mixing, and producing. Everything is mine from start to finish and I get to hear the lines people send to me and my characters and stories literally come to life. It never ceases to give me a thrill.

In any case, we are now listening to stuff on the American Southwest so I better start paying attention. Class ends in 20 min and then I think I shall take a nap.

Hello, beautiful

No, this is not going to be a blog about David Ault. Though I suppose he figures into it a bit considering it is his catchphrase. They're going to put it on his tombstone, I swear. Anyway, this is more a blog about me and the two people I work for.

I work for this elderly couple, the Starkeys. He's 85 and she just turned 82 a few weeks after i started working there. She has had altzheimer's for 10 years now and is pretty much gone mentally. There's nobody home. She can feed herself but she has problems following the simplest instructions. She's skinny as can be - even skinnier than me and I didn't think that was possible. She doesn't do much but sit in her little chair and rock back and forth talking to herself. She can't even dress herself or decide she should go potty. You have to put the clothes on her and sit her on the pot. She forgot how to use silverware and now eats with her hands. She's very much a child again. I talk nice to her though and am always telling her how wonderful she is.

That's where "Hello, beautiful" comes in. I say that whenever I walk in the door and she's in her chair or when I get her up from naps to have lunch or take a bath. It's always "Hello, beautiful." And she is. It never was a conscious thing on my part. I mean I listen to Vegas and David's in Gaia and Rene's my sidekick so it's probably stewing in the back of my mind along with all the other bazillion things spinning around but it works.

Yet, she's still beautiful. She's so sweet and uncomplaining and when you look at her you can't help seeing what a beautiful woman she once was. And I watch her husband with her. They're so sweet and have been married so long. He's taken care of her - mainly by himself until very recently when I was hired to come in and help. We haven't talked about it but I can imagine how hard it's been on him to just watch her fade away til there's pretty much nothing left of her. It's really sad.

But what is even sadder is that we found out about a month ago that her breast cancer's back. Yup, she's dieing. I noticed the lump when I first started working there and I just thought it was scar tissue from the masectomy she'd had. But then a month or two after I started working there it started bleeding cause she would always rub at it (she's too far gone to know not to) and we took her to the Doctor. The Doc took one look at it and said it was breast cancer. We've been to various specialists but there's nothing to be done. Radiation isn't an option cause she just couldn't be trusted to cooperate and stay still long enough for it to work. She'd move and get zapped in the wrong place. Pills won't work cause she doesn't know enough not to spit them out. And the lump is too huge and deep rooted for an operation. And, she's 82... It's too much for her system and at this point since she's not in pain it's almost kinder to let her fade away.

Another sad thing is these folks haven't had a holiday season in a decade. No XMas or Thanksgiving with their family. They HAVE no family cept a Son in law and granddaughter who pretty much want nothing to do with them and haven't even bothered coming by since the cancer came back. Not even a phone call. They certainly don't bother sending XMas cards. That just made me so damn mad. This old guy takes such good care of her and she's so sweet and beautiful and no Xmas in 10 YEARS?! Heh. No way in hell that's happening this year. I'm sort of the adopted granddaughter and pretty much the closest thing to family. So, by God they will be having a holiday season this year - especially since it looks to be their last together. My Mom and I are going to make them a Thanksgiving dinner with all the fixings to take over. I'm going to get out my army of twinklie lights and XMas dcorations as well as a little tree we have and I'm going to make their house beautiful and get them each an XMas present. And they'll have an XMas dinner and I'll go over Xmas morning. I'll be playing XMas music too. Xmas is a big thing for me and I want to make this holiday season really special. It's almost like in The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe when Lucy says "No Christmas in a hundred years?" How horrified she was. Well, now I know how she feels and they are NOT sitting at home alone in that house with nothing special this holiday season. No way in the world.

I go there three days a week and tell her "Hello, beautiful." She giggles and says thank you and we waltz over to the kitchen table for lunch. She is beautiful even now. Beautiful where it matters the most - inside - and she always will be.

The Muse at Lightspeed

Well, it's been an an amazing few days since the election. We're still all in shock and wondering at the changes in store for this country. I just hope that Obama doesn't fail. But that's not what I want to write about today.

I've been writing Gaia Episode 8 like mad today. I'm twenty pages in and I just finished a really big important action/character building scene between Elizabeth, Mycroft, and two characters I can't talk about yet or the spoiler gerbils will get me. I suppose the code name Badass will continue to suffice. He'll be introduced in Ep 4 (all listeners will REALLY not want to miss that episode cause that's when things get really interesting). And Ep 7-8 shows us the big intro of not 1 or 2 but 3 rather important recurring characters. All ninjacast, already but there will be another casting call eventually - just not for a few months. This scene though has been stewing forever cause I've been wanting to have Elizabeth really fight and kick butt - Mycroft too. I can't get into details cause the episodes won't air til April and May and that's REALLY far away. Way too much spoilerage. Just suffice it to say that after Ep 3 things start to get really interesting and convoluted. I have also snagged a REALLY great actor to play a fun character starting Episode 10. Can't give any spoilers but Happy happy joy joy!

I write a ton. It's kind of surprising really how EASY the scripts for Gaia and Yorkieman come. The muse just flies off with me at lightspeed. I always have all these ideas stewing around in my brain that just keep coming out and I am constantly talking things through with Rene, Kristy, Paul Lavelle and sometimes a few other people I can't talk about yet=). I find that talking it through either voice or via text really helps solidify the ideas in my mind. And then when I start writing whenever I am at school or get a chance at work the ideas just fly onto the page and really need very little revision. Writer's block is something I have not had any real problems with since I first thought up the idea for Gaia and the show is evolving in ways I never could have expected.

Everything has moved so fast. I literally got the show at 4AM out of the blue and then from that it's been a constant sprint to get character sketches made, scripts written, casting calls out, lines in, and then mixing. I'm doing it all for Gaia pretty much. It's my baby and it's a lot more work that I expected. I warn you all ahead of time that there WILL be a break of several months between this season and next so that I can get a bunch of episodes in the can and no longer am mixing month to month. To anyone looking to start a show... NEVER mix month to month. Baaad idea. That's why I'm working my ass off right now finishing Gaia 3 by the deadline monday. It's half done and I'll get it done in time but if I had waited I wouldn't have to rush. I'd have an episode at least done to fall back on.


Another thing I never get over is my cast. They are so damn fantastic it constantly blows me away. Gaia is my first foray into writing and mixing and really serious acting and to get such a cast my first time... just wow. Thank you all SO much if you ever read this! It means a lot! They do such a great job and yet most people don't even know about Gaia. I'm hoping to change that and have more listeners as time goes on but even if I don't it's so much fun to just let my ideas take flight and hear them come to life. I never stop just going SQUEEEEEEEEEEE! when I listen to lines or just shiver with the chills when I get totally creeped out by others or laugh my arse off at the improvs and bloopers yet others give me. I know what's going to be said cause I write it all but just hearing it come alive is just amazing and I'll never tire of it. So, if anyone reads this please go to www.misfitsaudio.com and check out Gaia's Voyages? I'll give you a cookie!

A Ray of Hope

Well, Obama just won the Presidential election. I don't know if anyone's going to bother reading this but me but I thought to put down some of my thoughts. Personally, I've never been so relieved over the results of an election in my entire life. It's sort of like this country ever since Bush got elected has been steadily sinking into a deep black pit of despair and FINALLY, after so long, there's a ray of hope. Someone's finally extended a rope and perhaps - just perhaps - this country might have a future that's going to be something happy instead of full of fear and hardship and war. It's just... undescribable. I just finished listening to Obama's speech and I am literally giddy with relief. I'm not a religious sort at all but maybe here is a God afterall.

I've been busy mixing Gaia 3 so I didn't really even know the results of the election until I checked Yahoo news about midnight EST. My reaction was HOLY SHIT! OBAMA WON! THANK GOD! I have been so damn afraid that McCain would win and we'd have another 4-8 years like the last 8. These last few months since the economy crashed have been especially hard. I mean, McCain's policies... he has blinders on and not a clue or one good plan that I think would have a chance of helping us. And there was Obama who actually talked and planned SENSE and I've been so afraid that we Americans wouldn't wake up in time. Yet, we did... and there's hope for the future afterall.

I was listening to Obama speak and I was marveling how good he was. He wasn't overly wordy but every word he said hit home and made such an impact. Such a triumph for Democrats but also for the American people and especially for people who are different. Tonight, I think, might be the deathknell on racism against African Americans and perhaps eventually towards all people who are different. I don't think that we don't have a HELL of a long way to go but still... we elected an African American to the White House for the first time. It wasn't based on his race but because he was the right man for the job and represented what most of American was yearning for so greatly. But still, when you think of all that African Americans have gone through over the centuries in this country... you can't help but feel the power of the moment. I can also relate cause I am a woman and women have also been persecuted throughout the centuries. Obama won and perhaps, someday, we'll see a woman in the White House and we'll get our turn too. We didn't get Hillary but I am damn glad we got Obama. Baby steps but still steps all the same. He's the next MLK, Lincoln, and JFK and our country is finally in line for some changes - for the better. It's the beginning of a whole new day and I really can't wait to see what it brings. Finally.... FINALLY... some hope again at last.