AUDIO: This Sweaty City: An introduction

Today marks the inauguration of a NEW weekly audio spotlight series on NolaVie. Each week, we’ll highlight various local audio efforts — from live storytelling events to digital podcast platforms to serial radio dramas like This Sweaty City. TSC is a new project by Goat in the Road Productions, a New Orleans-based performance ensemble dedicated to the production of original and invigorating new works of theater, dance, performance art, and educational programming. Last May, Goat made its foray into the audio world with Episode One of a 12-part performance+podcast series. On November 22 and 23, the group will perform Episode Two at Luthjen’s Dance Hall located on the corner of Marigny and Chartres streets as part of the 2013 New Orleans Fringe Festival.

The series follows Peter Demeter, a late-night experimental radio DJ, fathered by the god Pan, as he explores a water-laden city (similar to you-know-where) in which bicycles have personalities and bureaucratic offices operate on moving steamboats. The second episode includes the voices of many local performers across production companies, including Dane Rhodes, Chris Kaminstein, Andy Vaught, Shannon Flaherty, Aurora Nealand, William Bowling, Jen Pagan, Francesca McKenzie, Dylan, Hunter, Bonnie Gabel, Pam Roberts, Veronica Russell, and Todd D’Amour, with original music by Peter Bowling.

The cast of Sweaty City Episode 1

For the remaining Wednesdays in November, we will feature three guest blogs by each of the creators of This Sweaty City. Will Bowling will kick off the series to discuss the recent interest in radio by other local theater companies and the different ways people have gone about producing that work. Then, Chris Kaminstein will explore how the themes in This Sweaty City are aligned with what folks in their late 20s/early 30s are dealing with in their NOLA lives. And, finally, the lens will turn on the cast themselves when Shannon Flaherty closes out the series by talking to some of the (15) cast members about why — from their perspective as artists — they live in this here city. Each post will have an audio component, so have dem earphones ready.

But before we get ahead of ourselves, listen to Episode One, “Dead Man Wakin’ Up” and either refresh your memory or discover how this all began.

Check back next week for Will Bowling’s guest blog on the recent radio insurgence in New Orleans Theater.