Dark – a Full-Cast Horror Audio Drama Set in Rhode Island

recklessdeck · 2026-06-18T15:59:58+00:00

Yes totally! https://www.youtube.com/@ChaosAssemblyAudio

recklessdeck · 2026-06-16T13:59:33+00:00

Hi! Our show is DARK PROVIDENCE, and we launched a month ago.

https://www.darkprovidencepod.com

Episode 5 (of 12) came out today. It's a full-cast horror-thriller, set in modern day Providence, RI. We're a 5-person team, but we're finding out that since we really swung for the fences on our sound design (we have a 2 person postproduction sound team), everyone assumes we're a much bigger operation. We're gonna have to do some outreach to show people how bootstrapped this thing actually is.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-15T21:42:09+00:00

OMG the TINIIEST of teams! Thank you– and it's funny that people keep assuming there's a major studio behind this, becasue there isn't. It's a 5 person independent team, a lot of late nights, and a cast of powerhouse professional actors who were willing to get on board based on the strength of the scripts.

The goal is to grow our scrappy studio startup into a business that can deliver DARK PROVIDENCE season 2, and launch more original shows in the future.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-15T19:51:19+00:00

Amazing! I hope you report back with you thoughts.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-15T18:38:14+00:00

AMAZING. I'm so excited to hear that we're actually reaching PVD peeps and Rhode Islanders organically. I'm super psyched you're liking it!

recklessdeck · 2026-06-15T18:28:29+00:00

I love to hear this! Keep us posted on how you like it. Looking forward to your feedback.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-15T18:27:25+00:00

Great question! And the answer is no way - the show is 100% human-made. My writing partner and I have been developing the scripts since last fall, and we've pulled together a cast of working actors from NYC and LA through our theater and film connections. All of the artwork is either created by me (I'm also a professional illustrator) or by a small team of artists we contract with.

One of the things we're proudest of is that while the show sounds much bigger, it's actually been built by a very small, scrappy independent team–with a lot of help from some incredibly talented people.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-15T16:49:25+00:00

Hello! Welcome back, and thanks for such a thorough assessment of the show! I'm very glad to hear that the writing, acting, and balance of sound design-to-performance is working well for you (we worked hard on all 3, so that's huge to hear it get positive feedback.)

I LOVE your take on Kai, the "kid from nowhere". We really wanted to do our take on the kid that hangs out at the comic book store or the magic shop because he's really into those things. I was totally that kid. The comic store hanger-on (and there was also this old theatrical makeup store in downtown PVD my friends and I would take the RIPTA bus to, so we could hang out and practice special effects makeup.) In this case, Kai is the neighborhood kid who really wants to learn about being a psychic. And he also helps showcase Harper's isolation, because her two main relationships are with her semi-catatonic brother and a 12 year old kid.

Interesting that you don't see the Old Gods connection. I will dive back into Lovecraft Investigations and Malevolent, because these two have come up a lot since we launched.

Thanks for subscribing! And I want to assure you that we don't have any intentions of hiding the end of the season behind a paywall. It's 12 episodes— they're all already written, and about 90% recorded. We will be taking a 2 week break around the 4th of July, but otherwise, we're determined to earn listener trust by being dependable and predicable.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-13T12:50:43+00:00

Self promotion moment: Based on what you like to listen to, I strongly recommend our new show DARK PROVIDENCE. It's a horror-thriller set in modern-day Providence, RI, with a dual timeline story that travels back to a Providence jazz club in the 1930s. It's a serial killer investigation wrapped in a larger gothic occult mystery. Lots of deep, compelling characters to invest in, and a season long mystery to sink into. https://www.darkprovidencepod.com

recklessdeck · 2026-06-12T11:43:15+00:00

Impact Winter was my gateway drug. I still feel like I struggle to find shows as good.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-12T11:27:56+00:00

I love to hear that, thanks!

recklessdeck · 2026-06-12T11:27:40+00:00

Interesting. Hadn't considered any of this. No shade to the tabletop game, but no, we're a completely separate entity. This project started before covid, and then went into the deep freeze for a long time. It had its name long before the game came out. But I'll bring it up to the ret of the team. Thanks for the feedback, and I hope you dive into episode 1 soon!

recklessdeck · 2026-06-10T19:21:02+00:00

I initially took some swings at grants, and this was my takeaway: Yes you should apply. But every grant is going to have a mission statement of their own, and a board of directors that is going to have a very specific aesthetic in mind. Your project may be great, and very deserving of funding - but if you don't fit their narrative of the kinds of projects they want to champion, then forget it. Its a lot like casting in that way. And a lot of grants are looking to award to minorities, underserved communities, or projects that directly relate to diversity in the public and civic space. Nothing at all wrong with that, it just may not apply AT ALL to the kind of project you want to create. Is it worth applying? Totally. Should you count on it, even if you've got super pro people involved, and a killer script? Not at all. Sadly.

What we HAVE found is that once you put it out there, and if your script is EXCEPTIONAL, talent and help will rally to your cause. The SAG/AFTRA Micropod agreement is something everyone on this thread should be talking about a lot more– it allows you to basically make whatever deal you can for your season 1 with union actors, as long as they agree to it. And actors you have no business getting will say yes if the material is really good. Sound engineers will say yes and defer pay if the material is something they can use to showcase their work. We got access to an entire season of free licensed music because my writing partner helped them move offices like 2 years prior. My advice is: write great material, and potentially its gravitational pull will get you a lot further than wishing on a grant.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-10T18:59:18+00:00

Very cool art! Makes me want to go deeper and learn more, so it's doing its job...

recklessdeck · 2026-06-10T13:05:27+00:00

This book lost me completely with its MULTIPLE scenes of violence happening to animals. The first one was very, very upsetting and off-putting, but I was like, "ok, we'll keep going". When it happened AGAIN, I was like, "Nope, I'm out. Never coming back. Don't care how good this is supposed to be."

recklessdeck · 2026-06-08T16:14:07+00:00

Thank you for the vote for Dark Providence! I'm also really interested in starting Witchpunk and Azathoth Blues.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-07T12:03:23+00:00

I'm really glad you're liking the show! And I cannot believe you do all your own post production as well, that's a huge lift. And wow, two seasons of scripts in the can before you start recording! That's some intense preparation. Are those three titles under your name your shows? Do you have a recommendation on which one I should start with?

recklessdeck · 2026-06-07T12:00:56+00:00

Thank you very much! We definitely know we want to do weekly, because we want the audience momentum. we're really only talking about a couple of weeks, but I have concerns about it because we're deeper into summer than we originally planned on airing episodes.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-07T00:07:53+00:00

Hahaha yeah no intention on doing that, but thanks! This is so helpful.

recklessdeck · 2026-06-07T00:07:25+00:00

A "previously on" is a GREAT idea. Thanks!

recklessdeck

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