An Audio Drama ~ Written, Directed and Produced by Rick Coste

The world of audio dramas is essentially an autonomous bloom of creative personalities and one might wonder what it takes to stand out in a Great Barrier Reef of podcasts. Unfortunately, being colorful and quirky may not be enough to hold an audience for very long. The key is being a good storyteller and always keep listeners hanging on to what might possibly happen next. It’s a formula as old as the ability to talk in a communal setting.

One of the natural inclinations of human consciousness is coming to terms with the realization of ourselves and the existence of others in our domain. Under the surface of a simple curiosity, of asking “is there anybody out there?” is a forceful undercurrent of our innate necessity to connect with compatible people. It is an unrelenting demand that others relate to us in some ways. There exists positive and negative triggers that essentially steer our focuses and acceptance of our place in this world. The perception that we are not alone extends to the intimate responses and sympathies we give and receive. Communicating ideas and feelings to others is simply not enough; we need to connect emotionally or risk our minds slipping into utter madness.

Rick Coste has put together an audio drama that tugs at this primary need to infuse ourselves into a personal society construct. The show’s protagonist, Ryan, unloads his frustrations of using an old ham radio in jagged rants and shallow anecdotal references. He jabs at his ex, and makes believe he is speaking to a ubiquitous person, but doesn’t think anyone is listening. Until one day, someone responds. A woman named Zoey has been listening to Ryan this whole time, and it thrusts him into a goofy, apologetic temperament.

But the story quickly turns cosmic as Zoey hesitantly gives morsels of herself; who she is, where she is. Zoey explains communicating with Ryan is simply impossible because Ryan lives on earth and she is…well, 54 light years away.

I took the liberty of communicating with the show’s producer, Rick Coste, to ask him a few questions about this interesting audio drama because these questions, quite frankly, were just gnawing at me.

Interview with Rick Coste.

Q: How much (if anything) of Ryan is you? Or is someone an inspiration for this character?

There’s a lot of me in Ryan. But then again I could say the same of Zoey and the characters in my other shows. Ryan is the first male lead character I’ve built a show around. Most of my focus in my other shows are on female protagonists (Madison in The Behemoth is a perfect example). I typically ask myself how I would react in the situation my character finds herself, or himself in, and take it from there. I’d be hard pressed to find a character in a show that doesn’t have a bit of me in them.

Q: At the time of this interview, you are 6 episodes in. How many episodes are planned for this audio drama?

There are 11 episodes in Season 1. This is also the first show I’ve written with multiple seasons in mind. It was originally going to be two seasons but, as of this moment, I have five in mind. I usually focus on mini-series that have a definitive beginning and end. With ‘Is There Anybody Out There?’ I felt that both Ryan and Zoey had a much stronger story to tell that couldn’t justifiably be contained in one season.

Q: Why did you decide to produce episodes that are less than 8 minutes?

I like to think of them as book chapters. Have you ever read a book and flipped to see how many pages were in the next chapter before continuing? If it’s too long you might set it down for when you have more time. If it’s only a few pages you might think “Great, I can get through another chapter!” I think of each episode as being like that for the listener. When they see that the next ‘chapter’ is only 8–10 minutes long they might dive right in. Back to back, if listened in full, each series can be consumed within the time it takes to watch a 90 minute movie. One of these days I’d like to go back to each show and create an extended cut that contains all episodes.

Q: Zoey appears physically trapped. Ryan appears emotionally trapped. Yet, they are simultaneously these things in each other’s worlds. Was this juxtaposition deliberate or did it happen naturally as you wrote this story?

Great observation! I’d love to say it was deliberate but no… that happened naturally. Perhaps subconsciously it was. During read throughs with Mark (Ryan) and Mackenzie (Zoey) I was very aware of the strong connection they made in character and that, in a short period of time, Ryan and Zoey’s relationship could develop in a seemingly natural way. Even at a distance that seems impossible.

Q: Is it your intention for listeners to doubt Zoey? Doubt the impossible?

Yes. Zoey is a mystery. She’s Ryan’s mystery. As much as he wants to believe her there is something there that doesn’t feel right to him, and he says as much throughout their interactions. Zoey’s irritation with Ryan’s doubts pop up occasionally and Mackenzie does this well in her portrayal of her. But there is a resolution and I promise it will happen in Season 1.

For more on Rick Coste’s production “Is There Anybody Out There?” and to listen for yourself, click HERE.

I also recommend some other audio dramas for your listening pleasure, each very distinct from each other. The following are just some of my picks for those seeking a little something different.

Slumberland: A mysterious person commissions a soundman to document oral histories of an obscure island town in the Great Lakes area. Some episodes are short while others have some depth, but all peer into the odd happenings in this offbeat place. It has some humor and plenty of intrigue.

Chronosphere Fiction: A traditional storytelling narration about a character named Gafgarn in some rather magical adventures. This audio drama is quite imaginative and entertaining.

Lesser Gods: A well written, thought-provoking dystopian audio drama about humankind on the brink of extinction. The characters provide insights into this world and try to keep a semblance of normalcy (in the modern, Millennial sense) in spite of the never-ending dangers and complications.

Still Human: A very descriptive audio drama set in the colonization of an alien plant (g159c). The narrations paint vivid imagery of the alien life and compares earth experiences with these encounters. It’s hard not to hang on every word.

JV writes, directs and stars in the audio drama “The Rise of King Asilas.” He’s also the author of the textbook for Level 1 English learners, “I Want To Learn English.” JV has written for various publications over the years, most recently a very short stint with the Huffington Post. If you have an audio drama you would like reviewed, email JV at jvmyka@gmail.com.