audio PLAYS
Stories through sound
Streaming Original Audio Fiction, On-Demand
Available On-Demand via Online Streaming or Download July 10. Pre-orders available now.
now available to Stream or download on demand
the 2022-2023 audio play season
or hear our other original audio plays, available on demand:
coming July 10, 2024
“Bio-Dad is an audio play for anyone who’s ever felt like an alien in their own life.”
-joolz stroop, playwright
Order your pre-recorded copy to stream or download on-demand, and you’ll receive login/download info when our audio play becomes available to the public early summer 2024!
SYNOPSIS
Known affectionately as “Kid”, our main character stumbles across a radio show made by their late biological father. The question of “Who was my father” cascades into meeting old friends, enemies, and recordings of the man himself through his Sci-Fi Radio Epic “Stranded Under Twin Blood Moons”. Combining the characters of this Space Adventure with the often unflattering recordings of their father blends into a complicated portrait of who Kid’s ‘Bio-Dad’ really was. Learning the virtues and flaws of the people Kid looks up to most lead them to develop their own project, and through the complicated process of discovery, find their passion along the way.
a note from our playwright
“Bio-Dad is an audio play for anyone who’s ever felt like an alien in their own life. A young person uncovers their family’s hidden origins in the form of an audio record that spans across galaxies. It’s about the people we choose to surround ourselves with and how those people and where we come from can influence who we are. It mixes audio that feels more “found” with audio that’s presented as if live (a kind of play within a play); the result is a kaleidoscope of two moments in a family’s history that are separate but very connected.” -j stroop
CREATIVE TEAM
pictured (L to R): E. Banks, J. Diaz, K. Higbee, C. Prince, B. Phipps, A. Slade, J. Whiston, j. stroop, G. Garrison, C. Bradberry
The Cast: ELI BANKS JEN DIAZ KAYLA HIGBEE BIANCA PHIPPS CHRISTIN PRINCE ALEXANDER SLADE JAMES WHITSON
Additional Voices: BERNADETTE STROOP GEORGE H BROWN KATE YEAGLE OMAR AMIR
Twin Blood Moons Sound/Music by DAVID MORELAND
Publicity: JOHN OLSON COMMUNICATIONS
Written by JOOLZ STROOP
Directed by GREG GARRISON
Produced by COREY BRADBERRY
This project is partially supported by an Individual Artists Program Grant from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs & Special Events.
A THEATER IN THE DARK
creates stories through sound, producing both streaming audio plays and in-person in-the-dark theatre experiences. Proudly established in Chicago, 2019.
Our stories combine the written word, human voices, rich soundscapes, and original music.
Before we switched to pre-recorded releases, our online audio dramas were broadcast LIVE to listeners in 40 states, 8 Canadian provinces, and 12 countries!
“A Theater in the Dark excels at the art of radio drama.””
OUR audio plays ARE:
CREATED IN REAL TIME: like live theatre, while connecting actors from across Chicago and beyond. All our stories are forged through a real-time rehearsal and recording process.
ONLINE: connect with us from anywhere on the globe.
AUDIO: the antidote to your visual world. Find a dark cozy space, turn off your screen, and crank up your headphones.
THEATRE: our signature blend of audio fiction is the the intersection of audiobooks, podcasts, and live theatre.
“The vibe of iconic pre-TV radio dramas, melded with the intimacy and immediacy of live performance, and the pure joy of being read to as a child. Highly recommended.”
Above: the ensemble of A WAR OF THE WORLDS (2020) in tech rehearsal.
“There is always something remarkable and noteworthy about A Theater in the Dark’s productions.””
Why the Dark?
One of the oldest traditions in storytelling…
…is the use of language as a main character. The descriptive text of Raymond Chandler, H.G. Wells, Charles Dickens, and Herman Melville serve as our set and setting, boosted with both live foley and pre-crafted original music. We lean so hard into the sound, when we’re in person we turn out the lights altogether. (And yes, we do mean 100% dark.)
Our stories use compelling characters, descriptive language, and stunning soundscapes to pierce through the dark. A Theater in the Dark is experiential theatre for audience members seeking a thrill in the dark.
Even if you’re listening at home, we recommend creating a dark cozy space to enjoy our stories, giving a whole new meaning to “the best seat in the house”.
“There is always something truly remarkable and noteworthy about A Theater in the Dark’s productions.””
Inspired by hard-boiled paperback novels and the radio mystery plays of the ‘30s and ‘40s, A Theater in the Dark invites audience members to tune out today’s visual barrage and explore three dimensional soundscapes combining the human voice, recorded sound, and live foley effects to create a theatre experience audiences will never forget.
Exceptional in engaging the audience and unique in offering low-vis audience members the same experience as the rest of the audience. Don’t be left in the dark: stream on of our audio plays on-demand today!
praise for A theateR in the dark
CHICAGO AUDIENCES REACT to “THREE STORIES UP”:
“THE ULTIMATE AUDIO-BOOK EXPERIENCE… live and immersive”
“…a really extraordinary experience. Everything about it, from the evocative dialogue to the the acting to the sound effects, was top-notch. And the solution to the whodunit was a totally surprising plot twist. This is definitely the kind of unique theatrical endeavor that we need more of! I'm planning to see it (well, listen to it) again”
“I’ve been attending Chicago storefront theatre for 30 years; I’ve never seen anything like this.”
Director Corey Bradberry (L) and actor Bethany Arrington (R, posing for a selfie) speak with WGN Radio’s Dean Richards.
“You’ve never seen a show quite like this before, because it’s performed completely in the dark.””
praise for THREE STORIES UP (2019):
“Three Stories Up is a thriller that keeps its audience guessing, but the originality behind the production--and its precise execution--makes it a must see as one of Chicago’s more creative theatre adventures… Theatre in the Dark masterfully succeeds in bringing to life a story that is sure to be different for each end everyone in attendance.” —Ken Payne, Buzz Center Stage
“…the execution of this set up was pretty near perfect. It really was startling to not be able to see anything the entire time… the sound happening all around you is something that wouldn’t come out the same way if I were listening with headphones.” —Kevin Curran, Chicago Theatre Review
“Theatre in the Dark completely lives up to their name… While radio plays are by no means new, the experience of being in a space, in the dark with voices and sounds moving all around you, takes it to the next level. The format is perfect for adventurous theatre-goers looking for a unique experience.” -Taryn Smith, Picture This Post
“Three Stories Up has the vibe of iconic pre-TV radio dramas, melded with the immediacy of live performance, and the pure joy of being read to as a child. Highly recommended… pretty ingenious.” —— Bonnie Kenaz-Mara, ChiIL Live Shows
from the low-vision community:
From the low-vision community:
“I would happily attend another production where the audience members are all on an even playing field. The entire experience created some interesting discussion for the ride home.”
“I felt like I was on a level playing field with all the members of the audience who were sighted. The acting was quite well done and I was impressed that they did not bump into the audience or chairs as they moved so adeptly around the room. Personally, we should have more of this type of play.”
A group prepares to enter the performance space for THREE STORIES UP before the lights go out and the blindfolds come off…
Audience members entering the darkness for 2019’s THREE STORIES UP
from general audiences:
“It was like listening to the old BBC radio plays that I grew up with—though my childhood radio wasn’t playing in three dimensions!”
“Noirish, eerie, moving… is a must-see! Do not miss.”
“I highly recommend it. Uniquely immersive. Intimate and aurally spatial.”