Thinkery & Verse present

S03 Ep. 10 Season finale: Charlotte's Exit

Wed, 12 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0500

What does it mean to be haunted? For most people, it does not mean the strange or supernatural, but the all-too real: a scar from childhood, an opportunity missed, a wrong never righted. For the late Charlotte Mills, it was the murder of her mother on September 14th, 1922 on the outskirts of New Brunswick, New Jersey. Her mother's body lay beside that of their Episcopalian parish priest, Edward Hall. Love letters between the two were scattered about the bodies. Edward Hall had been shot once in the face. Her mother, however, had been absolutely brutalized. While the coroner failed to conduct a proper autopsy, he did, out of curiosity, cut open Eleanor to see if she was pregnant.

Charlotte Mills, just sixteen years old, was interrogated by the police and press corps about all possible suspects to the murder: Was it her father, an impovershed groundskeeper for the church? Was it Edward's wife, the solemn (and wealthy heiress) Frances Hall? Was it Edward's brother-in-law, the eccentric Willie Stevens? Was it the KKK? Was it thieves? Immigrants? Some other scapegoat? Nothing was simple, and nothing could be proved.

Charlotte, of course, could not do the police's job for them. But that didn't mean she didn't try.

But, by 1926 she had been driven to quit the chase when Frances Hall and her brothers were acquitted at trial. She then moved to New York City, and tried to "make it" as a clerk at a bank. She told the press that she considered herself a "flapper," but she never had the cash to run with that crowd.

She never felt safe after her mother's murder, and she died at the age of 45.

So today, we will be joining Charlotte in her own mind, as she lives and relives the moments surrounding her mother’s murder.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society, Thinkery & Verse and Butch Mermaid Productions. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Once again, today’s play featured talented voice actor Karen Alvarado. It was written, directed, and edited by JM Meyer and you may have recognized my voice for the hymn. As always, I’m your host and engineer, Erin Bogert, and one final time, thank you for listening.

S03 E09: Edison Sanitarium

Tue, 11 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0500

Today we’ll be taking a trip to The Edison Sanitarium, the site where Charlotte Mills, daughter of murder victim Eleanor Mills, lived out the last months of her tragic life. Today we’ll hear two stories centering Charlotte. The first explores Charlotte’s mental state whilst living and dying in the midst of a media frenzy dedicated to sensationalizing her mother’s death. The second is adapted from an article by a 1950s newspaper reporter who reflects on how and why Charlotte Mills ended up at the Sanitarium.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society and Thinkery & Verse. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play was written by Johnny Meyer, Whitney Bolten, and Ashley Bufkin. Ashely also directed this piece and performed alongside Karen Alvarado, who was our editor for this radio play. As always, I’m your host and engineer, Erin Bogert.

S03 E08: Voices from the Crypt

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0500

For today’s radio play, we will be joined by the ghosts Frances Hall and Willy Stevens. If you ever care to visit, these siblings can be found in Brooklyn, New York, in the Greenwood Cemetery, lot 10411, section 50. They lie together in the Steven’s Family Crypt, among their other brother Henry Stevens, and the murdered Edward Hall, late husband to Frances. Although, I should note, that none of their names are to be found on the site. As you’ll recall, Mrs. Hall together with Willy and Henry, though acquitted, were all accused of Edward Hall’s murder. Yet, together they remain. For all eternity, I suppose. Let’s take a visit.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society, Thinkery & Verse, and Butch Mermaid Productions. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play featured actual excerpts from the New York Times, followed by a short scene written by Johnny Meyer. It was directed by Ania Upstill, edited by Kendall Perry, and voiced by Ania Upstill and Frank Dolce. The hymn was sung by yours truly, also your host and engineer, Erin Bogert. I’ll see you next time, until then.

S03 E07: Courthouse Carnival

Sun, 09 Jan 2022 08:00:00 -0500

Hi, I’m your host, Erin Bogert, and you’re listening to another Ghost Hunt episode. Today I’m bringing you to The Somerset Courthouse of Somerset county, New Jersey, the large, towering marble building that remains as it did when the Hall-Mills trial was held there in 1926. The Hall-Mills trial became the first media circus of the 20th century. In today’s excerpt, we really dig into that theme… you’ll see what I mean. In with the mix of zaniness, you’ll also find disturbing verbatim content. It may not give you a lot of confidence in the justice system, but it does have the virtue of being a true story. So, please join me as we travel inside to hear echoes of voices from the past, reverberating off the courthouse’s cold, hard walls.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society, Thinkery & Verse, and Butch Mermaid Productions. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play was written by Johnny Meyer, directed by Rebecca Servon, and edited by Kendall Perry and JM Meyer. Our talented voice actors include Karen Alvarado, Ashely Bufkin, Celine Dirkes, Frank Dolce, Johnny Kavanagh, Johnny Meyer, Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson, Rebecca Servon, Lazarus Simmons, Joey Sponseller, Reagan Tankersley, and Ania Upstill. I’m your host and engineer, Erin Bogert.

S03 E06: A Proper Woman

Sat, 08 Jan 2022 15:00:00 -0500

Hello everybody and welcome back to another Ghost Hunt episode. I’m your host, Erin Bogert, bringing to you (you guessed it!) another radio play. In the last episode, I mentioned how Frances Hall, a prime suspect in the Hall-Mills double homicide case, took a vacation to Europe not long after the grand jury failed to indict anyone. In today’s radio play, we find Mrs. Hall, joined by her friend Sally Peters, embarking on that journey.

It’s early February, 1923, and at Manhattan’s Pier 55, a band of newspaper photographers are swarming the S.S. Mauretania (MORE-EH-TAY-NIA), an ocean liner setting out for Europe. They had been tipped off that Mrs. Frances Hall would be aboard, but when they searched the ship with the help of the passengers, no sign of her could be found. Instead, Mrs. Hall is forty blocks to the north of Pier 55, on the steam liner “America'' bound for Genoa (JEN-O-UH) and Naples in Italy. Her and Sally Peters had asked that their names be left off the guest list in order to avoid those same reporters. And so, the two are able to enjoy a peaceful departure…

Tale as old as time, isn’t it? Money talks so the wealthy don’t have to. The murders of Eleanor and Edward happened in September of 1922. By the end of that November, the grand jury had failed to indict anyone. While the Mills, especially Eleanor’s daughter Charlotte remain desperate for answers, for justice, wealthy Frances Hall, a prime suspect, travels abroad to Europe, where she remains for months. How would this case have been different if Eleanor Mills and her family had been wealthy? If Frances Hall and hers had been poor? I wonder, I wonder…

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society and Thinkery & Verse. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play was written by Ania Upstill and performed and edited by Karen Alvarado. I’m your host and engineer, Erin Bogert.

S03 E05: Maid in Middlesex

Fri, 07 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Hello folks, and welcome back once again to another episode of Ghost Hunt: the podcast where I, your host, Erin Bogert, bring you short and not-always-so-sweet radio plays that delve into the details surrounding the Hall-Mills murders. Today’s radio play brings us into the home of Edwin R. and Elovine Carpender. The affluent Edwin R. Carpender was the first cousin of Mrs. Frances Hall. According to Middlesexcreates.com, his wife, Elovine Carpender was one of the founders of the Urban League in New Brunswick and the first female member of the Federal Housing Authority; prominent among Republican women in New Jersey. She was elected a delegate to the convention for the repeal of the 18th Amendment to the US Constitution repealing the prohibition of alcoholic beverages. On September 16, 1922, Elovine was the family member who first informed Mrs. Hall of her husband’s death. Edwin had been the family member who identified the body of Rev. Edward Hall when it was found on DeRussey’s Lane, and was in charge of the funeral arrangements for the rector. The couple lived caddy-corner and across the street from Frances Hall and her mansion at 23 Nichol Ave. In the 1920s, the Carpenders were one of New Brunswick’s wealthiest families. Today, however, we will not be joining them in the great room for this radio play. Instead, we find ourselves in the kitchen, eavesdropping on the internal dialogue of their gossipy maid, Anne...

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society and Thinkery & Verse. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play was written by Ania Upstill and performed and edited by Karen Alvarado. I’m your host and engineer, Erin Bogert. Thanks again for stopping by and I hope you’ll join me again soon.

S03 E04: Pretty Pearl

Thu, 06 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Hi, I’m Erin Bogert, your host, welcoming you back to Ghost Hunt. Today we visit a ghost near and dear to my heart, Pearl Bahmer, and I think you’ll see why once we get started.

In the summer and fall of 1922, New Brunswick teenager Pearl Bahmer was sexually assaulted by her father. To escape his abuse, Pearl sought the companionship of a young man named Raymond Schneider. But this didn’t make things better. Raymond proved manipulative, jealous, and violent. On the morning of September 16th, 1922, Raymond pressured Pearl to go to DeRussy’s lane, a so-called “Lover’s Lane” outside of town. The details of what happened next are disputed. But what is known is that they saw the maimed corpses of the Reverend Edward Hall and the choir singer Eleanor Mills. At Pearl’s insistence, they reported the bodies to the police. The political and criminal circus that became known as the Hall-Mills investigation had begun. And Pearl was at the center of it all. As more and more details came to light, Pearl began to receive death threats from Schneider’s ex-wife, his friends and his family. Her father was arrested, and the newspapers tore apart every piece of her tragic life. She then tried to drown herself in the Raritan River. The police got her out and incarcerated her in a reform school.

If you are experiencing suicidal ideation, going through difficulties, or just need someone to talk to, please call the New Jersey Hope line at 1-855-654-6735. Don’t face it alone.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society and Thinkery & Verse. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play used actual transcripts of the testimony that Pearl delivered to the detectives in the course of their investigation. These original 1922 depositions were provided by The New Brunswick Free Public Library. The episode was directed by Johnny Meyer, and edited by Karen Alvarado. It was performed by Erin Bogert. Audio engineering and audio editing for Season 3 also provided by Erin Bogert.

S03 E03: Her Sister’s House

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 12:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to Ghost Hunt. I’m your host, Erin Bogert, and today’s radio play brings you the ghost of Augusta Tennyson. Augusta was Eleanor Mills younger sister, the aunt to Eleanor’s children, Charlotte and Daniel Mills. In fact, on the very night of their mother’s infamous murder, Charlotte and Daniel happened to be visiting their aunt in her home. But we won’t be joining them. Insead, we will join Augusta the morning of Sept 16, 1922 when she and Eleanor’s husband, James Mills, first learned that two bodies were discovered on the outskirts of town. We find Augusta speaking to her husband, Edward Tennyson, from their home in New Brunswick. So please, do come in.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society and Thinkery & Verse. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play was written, performed, and edited by Karen Alvarado. Thank you again for listening; I’m your host and engineer, Erin Bogert.

S03 E02: A visit to Broadway, or, 'a good way to get killed'

Tue, 04 Jan 2022 11:00:00 -0500

Welcome back for our second Ghost Hunt episode. I’m your host, Erin Bogert. In this episode, we’re jumping back to 1921, and we’re just shy of backstage at Daly’s 63rd Street Music Hall, at 22 West 63rd Street, between Broadway and Central Park West. A performance of “Shuffle Along” ended about thirty minutes ago, and the Reverend Edward Hall and his date, Mrs. Eleanor Mills, stayed behind to grandstand the fact that Edward Hall knows (in passing) the already famous Rutgers alum Paul Robeson, here making his Broadway debut in the choir while attending law school. The stars of our little story are not the doomed lovers or the great Paul Robeson, but two other choir singers, Nelly and J.E.B. are waiting for the theater patrons to leave the theater so that they can get on with their evening. Oh, and for those who don’t know, Shuffle Along was the first Broadway smash hit with an entirely Black cast: it not only changed who belonged on Broadway’s biggest stages, it also introduced an entirely new sound and feel to the music and rhythm of American popular music. But in both 1921 and now, success on the stage did not result in equal treatment, a dichotomy reflected in the thoughts of our radio play’s protagonist, J.E.B.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society and Thinkery & Verse. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org, and our closing jazz loop is by Anechoix. Today’s radio play was written by Johnny Meyer and James Edward Becton, and edited by Johnny Meyer and Karen Alvarado. It featured voice actors Ashley Bufkin, James Edward Becton, Joey Sponseller, J Meyer, and Kaitlin Omerod Hutson, and songs from Shuffle Along.

S03 E01: Introducing 'Ghost Hunt' -- A visit to Lake Hopatcong

Mon, 03 Jan 2022 17:00:00 -0500

Welcome back to another season of That’s How the Story Goes, this time: Ghost Hunt edition. I’m your host, Erin Bogert, and in this ten episode series, I will be bringing you short radio plays through which the events of the Hall-Mills murders of 1922 will be brought back to life, so to speak.

Now, if you’re new here, don’t worry, because before we really begin, I want to spend just a little bit of time going back to the beginning. So let’s start with the Hall-Mills murders.

In the early 1920s, in New Brunswick, NJ, Reverend Edward Hall and choir singer Eleanor Mills were having an extra-marital affair. Police would later discover that there were few members of their church--the church of Saint John the Evangelist--who were not aware of the torrid romance occuring in the tiny Episcopal parish. In September of 1922, the priest and choir singer were murdered in a ruthless double homicide that was never solved. Obviously, their respective spouses became the prime suspects. Edward had been married to the fabulously wealthy Frances Stevens Hall, while Eleanor had married Edward Hall’s sexton (a sort of grounds-keeper for the church), a lanky, somewhat dim fellow named James Mills. The police quickly ruled James Mills out as a suspect--he had a locktight alibi. Frances Stevens Hall, however would eventually be put on trial for murder, along with her brothers, by a special prosecutor. But the star witness--a woman the press referred to as ‘‘the pig lady,’ failed to persuade the jury. And the case remains open to this day with little hope of ever being solved.

A few years ago, this compelling true crime story caught the eye of local theater group Thinkery & Verse, when artists JM Meyer and Karen Alvarado had their son baptized at the church of St. John the Evangelist. Yes, the very church where Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills worked and worshipped when they were alive. And when theater makers are presented with an interesting story? Well, they tell it.

It started with Thou Shalt Not, an immersive, site-specific play that reimagined the events of the Hall-Mills murders in theater-form. (This was my first involvement with the story too, when I was cast as one of the ensemble members of the show, primarily playing Pearl Bahmer, who’ll meet in this iteration of the project, too.)

In this first episode, we will be traveling to Lake Hopatcong, the last known location where Edward Hall, Eleanor Mills, and Frances Stevens Hall were seen alive together. Along with Sunday school teacher Minnie Clark they had all traveled together to this lake on September 13th, 1922, the day before Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills became the two victims in the Hall-Mills double homicide. The ostensive reason for the trip was to reward Eleanor Mills and Minnie Clarke with a day-trip for their hard work of holding together the parish while the wealthy Edward and Frances Hall had vacationed in Maine for the entire month of August. At the lake, the (supposedly) secret lovers intended to enjoy a day trip on what turned out to be their last full day alive. Wonder what was said and unsaid? Well, keep listening to hear whispers of these voices from the past.

This episode was brought to you by the New Brunswick Historical Society, Thinkery & Verse, and Butch Mermaid Productions. Grant funding has been provided by the Middlesex County board of chosen freeholders through a grant award from the Middlesex Cultural and Arts Trust Fund. Our theme music this season comes from Blimp66 of Freesound.org. Today’s radio play was edited by Kendall Perry, written by Johnny Meyer, and directed by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Karen Alvarado. Our featured voice talent include Rebecca Servon, Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson, Ania Upstill, Joey Sponseller, and Karen Alvarado.

S02 Ep. 04: AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica - Navigator (Finale)

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Finale: Episode four explores navigating life after war. Tejana Host, Karen Alvarado, shares audio-adapted Latinx stories from the 2019 stage play AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica. Alvarado then interviews combat veterans Colonel Lisa Carrington Firmin and Jenny Pacanoswki as well as Latinx educator/artist Oscar Franco about their experiences with PTS, homecoming and how Latinx youth are engaging with veterans.

***Warning: This episode contains references to sexual trauma, discrimination, post dramatic stress & graphic war imagery. There are sounds of gunfire, explosions and adult language***

Audio Scenes (from AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica:

“Going Home” by JM Meyer & Alvarado, performed by:
Idelisse Collazo Guzman as "Martin"
Estrella Grace Saldana as "Perez"

"Nerve" Poem by Victor Inzunza, performed by Victor Hugo Jaramillo

“Letter to my Brothers and Sisters of the Wars in Afghanistan and Iraq” by Everett Cox, performed by:
David Segura
Victor Hugo Jaramillo
Estrella Grace Saldana
Christina Tiffany Romero
Idelisse Collazo Guzman
Diana Guizado

Guests:
US Army Veteran and Poet, Jenny Pacanowski
Lisa Carrington Firmin, MS, Colonel, USAF Ret
Oscar Franco

Resources:
Women Veterans Empowered and Thriving
Poetic Theatre Productions Veteran Voices
Office of Veteran and Military Affairs, The University of Texas at San Antonio
Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance Board of Directors
Military Times, Article: A call to Action: Sexual Assault and Harassment in the Military
Voces Oral History Center
Teatro Vivo
Thinkery & Verse
Art Spark Texas

This podcast was produced by Art Spark Texas and made possible by grants from National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts. AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica PODCAST is a collaboration by Thinkery & Verse and Celia Hughes of Art Spark Texas.

Direction and hosting by Karen Alvarado, management and sound engineering by Erin Bogert, original sound design by David Demaris, image design by Paul Del Bosque, video trailer by Jose Lozano of Magic Spoon Productions, guitar by Estrella Saldana and Ulises Ortega Escalante, and vocals by Estrella Saldana(Maria Consuelo Arroyo) and Diana Guizado (Cielito Lindo).

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe Alvarado-Meyer, Babylove, Teatro Vivo and Voces Oral History Center.

If you enjoy AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica PODCAST, click below or go to thinkeryandverse.org to check out Thinkery & Verse’s other FREE content: Decameron 2020 PODCAST: Survival Through Stories, That's How the Story Goes - the Hall-Mills Murders PODCAST and Ghost Hunt: a geocache & audio adventure exploring an unsolved 1920s true crime.

S02 [Bonus] AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica: Spotlight on Liz Hensel

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0400

In this BONUS Episode, Tejana Host Karen Alvarado spotlights Liz Hensel - - Latinx Marine, Podcast Host, Mother, Military Spouse and Writer! Through her piece called "Little Medina" Liz Hensel shares what it was like to care for a wounded little girl while serving in Afghanistan. Liz unpacks how that experience changed her and eventually reinforced the mothering of her own children back in America. Because April is Military Child Month, this episode is dedicated to military children everywhere!

***Warning: This episode contains references to ethnic discrimination and graphic images of war.***

RESOURCES:

Latina She Served Podcast
PTP Veteran Voices
Teatro Vivo
Thinkery & Verse
Art Spark Texas

Direction and hosting by Karen Alvarado, dramaturgy by Dr. JM Meyer, sound engineering by Erin Bogert, *Bonus episode edited by Karen Alvarado, original sound by David Demaris, image design by Paul Del Bosque, video by Jose Lozano/Magic Spoon Productions, guitar by Estrella Saldana and Ulises Ortega Escalante, and vocals by Estrella Saldana and Diana Guizado.

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe, Kelly Teaford, Jeremy Karafin, and Babylove.

For more FREE content go to thinkeryandverse.org Decameron 2020 PODCAST: Survival Through Stories, That's How the Story Goes - the Hall-Mills Murders PODCAST and Ghost Hunt: a geocache & audio adventure uncovering a true1922 double homicide.

S02 [Bonus] AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica: Spotlight on Johnny & Karen (creators)

Sat, 10 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0400

In this BONUS Episode, the tables turn on Tejana Host Karen Alvarado and Veteran Scholar Dr. John Meyer, the co-producers of Thinkery & Verse's AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica Podcast. Instead of Karen & Johnny interviewing veterans, instead veterans interview them! This interview originally premiered as part of Poetic Theatre Productions Veteran Voices: The Interview Sessions, hosted by Veterans Jenny Pacanowski and Omar Columbus. In this spotlight bonus, Karen & Johnny talk about their intercultural marriage, military service, veterans work, and their artistic projects inspired by the team's Latinx and Military backgrounds. - - Note on Schedule: another Bonus airing Thu 4/15, then the 4th and Final/Series Finale episode will air Sat 4/17!

**Warning: This episode contains references to gender and ethnic/cultural discrimination as well as Post Traumatic Stress.**

RESOURCES:

Ghost Hunt, geocache/audio adventure
The Joyce Kilmer House, virtual tour
New Brunswick Historical Society
Bride of the Gulf
10th Annual Poetic License Festival - April 11th, @poetictheater on Instagram, Twitter, & Facebook for info!
PTP Veteran Voices
Next Veteran Voices: The Interview Sessions installment will be happening April 10th, get tickets here!
PTP's next FREE playwriting workshop produced in collaboration with New York Theatre Workshop. Find out more information and apply here.
Women Veterans Empowered & Thriving
Jenny Pacanowski
Omar Columbus
Teatro Vivo
Thinkery & Verse
Art Spark Texas

This podcast was produced by Art Spark Texas and made possible by grants from National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts. AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica PODCAST is a collaboration by Thinkery & Verse and Celia Hughes of Art Spark Texas.

Direction and hosting by Karen Alvarado, dramaturgy by Dr. JM Meyer, sound engineering by Erin Bogert, *Bonus episode edited by Karen Alvarado, original sound by David Demaris, image design by Paul Del Bosque, video by Jose Lozano/Magic Spoon Productions, guitar by Estrella Saldana and Ulises Ortega Escalante, and vocals by Estrella Saldana and Diana Guizado.

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe, Kelly Teaford, Jeremy Karafin, and Babylove.

S02 [Bonus] AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica: Spotlight on Dr. Tom Palaima

Thu, 08 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0400

In this Bonus Episode, Tejana Host Karen Alvarado interviews Dr. Tom Palaima, MacArthur “Genius” and Classics Professor. They discuss ancient warrior culture including burial practices, and they unpack the Greek virtue called “Arête” and its relation to Latinx “Machismo” behavior.

***Warning: This episode contains references to suicide, trauma and descriptions of graphic violence. ***

RESOURCES
"Disillusionment of the War” - Sigmund Freud
Billy Joe Shaver "I'm gonna live forever"
Wisconsin Death Trip - Michael Lesy
My War, My Art By Ovidio Garcia, Book Review
Korean Love Songs by Rolando Hinojosa, Book Review
Bill Ehrhart Poetry, Poetry Review
University of Texas, Thomas Palaima
"When War is Performed, What do Soldiers See and Hear, Think and Say - or Not Say?" - Video Lecture
Warrior Chorus- Ancient Greeks Modern Lives
Teatro Vivo
Thinkery & Verse
Art Spark Texas

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe, Susan Slattery, April Sullivan and Babylove.

S02 Ep. 03: AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica -- Grenade Launcher

Sat, 03 Apr 2021 10:00:00 -0400

Episode three explores the explosive nature of RELATIONSHIPS while serving in the military. Tejana Host, Karen Alvarado, shares audio-adapted Latinx veteran stories from the 2019 stage play AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica. Alvarado then interviews combat veterans/writers Rocio Iribe (Marine) and Dr. John Meyer (Army Ranger), as well as Latinx Historian, Mary Alice Carnes who is the daughter of a WWII veteran.

**Warning: This episode contains references to trauma and discrimination.**

GUESTS:
Rocio Iribe
Dr. John Meyer
Mary Alice Carnes

Audio Scenes from AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica: (4)

“Mr. Perfect” written by Karen Alvarado, performed by Diana Guizado
“Element of Freedom” written by Rocio Iribe, performed by Christina Romero
“Dear John” written by Dr. John Meyer, performed by Diana Guizado
“Lamppost” written by Mary Alice Carnes, performed by David Segura

RESOURCES:

Divorce Statistics - Military.com, Marketwatch.com, Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Instant Separation: A Journal of Military Experience featuring Iribe’s “Element of Freedom”
Architectural Foundation of Santa Barbara
UCSB INT 185VW: Writing Workshop for Student Veterans
Summer writing workshop for U.C. Veterans
“Luis Leyva” Interview by Mary Alice Carnes for Voces Oral History Center
"An Oral History: A Lifetime of Learning" by Mary Alice Carnes for Voces US Latina & Latino Oral History Journal
Shakespeare at Winedale
Teatro Vivo
Voces Oral History Center
Thinkery & Verse
Art Spark Texas

This podcast was produced by Art Spark Texas and made possible by grants from National Endowment for the Arts and Texas Commission on the Arts. AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica PODCAST is a collaboration by Thinkery & Verse and Celia Hughes of Art Spark Texas.

Direction and hosting by Karen Alvarado, dramaturgy by Dr. JM Meyer, management/ sound engineering by Erin Bogert, original sound by David Demaris, image design by Paul Del Bosque, video by Jose Lozano/Magic Spoon Productions, guitar by Estrella Saldana and Ulises Ortega Escalante, and vocals by Estrella Saldana (Maria Consuelo Arroyo) and Diana Guizado (Cielito Lindo).

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe, Babylove, and Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez at Voces.

For more FREE content go to thinkeryandverse.org; check out Decameron 2020 PODCAST: Survival Through Stories, That's How the Story Goes - the Hall-Mills Murders PODCAST and Ghost Hunt: a geocache & audio adventure uncovering a true 1922 double homicide.

S02 [Bonus] AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica: Spotlight on Maria Mia Salazar

Thu, 01 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0400

In this BONUS Episode, Tejana Host Karen Alvarado spotlights Maria Mia Salazar - - Latinx Marine, Mother, Sculptor, Painter, Entrepreneur and Poet! Maria’s interview originally premiered as part of Poetic Theatre Productions Veteran Voices: The Interview Sessions, hosted by Veterans Jenny Pacanowski and Omar Columbus.

***Warning: This episode contains references to gender and culture related trauma.***

RESOURCES:

Maria Mia Salazar
Claymore Vets
Claymore Vets Facebook
HerStory Fundraiser Merchandise
10th Annual Poetic License Festival begins April 11th, @poetictheater on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook for more info!
PTP Veteran Voices
The next Veteran Voices: The Interview Sessions installment will be happening April 10th, get tickets here!
PTP's next FREE playwriting workshop produced in collaboration with New York Theatre Workshop. Find out more information and apply here.
Women Veterans Empowered & Thriving
Jenny Pacanowski
Omar Columbus
Teatro Vivo
Thinkery & Verse
Art Spark Texas

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe, Kelly Teaford, Jeremy Karafin, and Babylove.

S02 Ep. 02: AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica -- the Door Kicker

Sat, 27 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Episode Two explores how the cultural condition called “Machismo” (toxic masculinity) can influence soldiering and trauma associated with war. Tejana Host, Karen Alvarado, shares audio-adapted Latinx stories from the 2019 stage play AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica. Alvarado then interviews combat veterans/artists Victor Inzunza and Dr. John Meyer, as well as MacArthur Fellow/Professor of Classics Dr. Thomas Palaima about the historical ties to military masculinity.

**Warning: This episode contains references to suicide, trauma and discrimination. There are sounds of gunfire, explosions and adult language.**

Audio Scenes: (3)
1) “La Top 8 Incentives” by Karen Alvarado and Dr. John Meyer, performed by:
Idelisse Collazo Guzman as “La Virgen de Guadalupe”
Victor Jaramillo as “Hijo”
Diana Guizado as "Esposa"

2) “Machismo de Hijo” by Estrella Saldana, performed by Victor Jaramillo as “Hijo"

3) “Whispering Death” by Victor Inzunza, performed by:
Diana Guizado as "Esposa"
Estrella Saldana as “Perez”
Christina Romero as “Rodriguez”
Idelisse Collazo Guzman as “Martin”
David Segura as “Drill Sergeant”
Victor Jaramillo as “Hijo”

GUESTS:
Victor Inzunza
Dr. John Meyer
Dr. Tom Palaima

RESOURCES:
"Whispering Death" - Tin House
More Poetry by Victor Inzunza
Artie Shaw - Nightmare
Peter Molin - Time Now
University of Texas, Thomas Palaima
Homer’s Iliad - Stanley Lombardo translation
Jonathan Shay - Achilles in Vietnam
Stand in the Trench, Achilles - Elizabeth Vandiver
Review of Bill Ehrhart's Poetry
Teatro Vivo
Voces Oral History Center
Thinkery & Verse
Art Spark Texas

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe, Susan Slattery, April Sullivan and Babylove.

For more FREE content go to thinkeryandverse.org Decameron 2020 PODCAST: Survival Through Stories, That's How the Story Goes - the Hall-Mills Murders PODCAST and Ghost Hunt: a geocache & audio adventure.

S02 Ep. 01: AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica -- Suppressive Fire

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0400

Episode One explores Latinx Identity and Women in War. Our Tejana host, Karen Alvarado, shares audio-adapted Latinx stories from the 2019 stage play AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica. Alvarado then interviews combat veterans Colonel Lisa Carrington Firmin and Jenny Pacanoswki about their personal experiences with identity, gender and culture in the US Armed Services.

***Warning: This episode contains references to sexual trauma and gender/ cultural discrimination. There are sounds of gunfire, explosions and adult language***

Audio Scenes from AFTERSHOCK / La Réplica:
“I want to be a US Soldier” written by Mary Alice Carnes and Thinkery & Verse, performed by:
David Segura as “Padre”
Victor Hugo Jaramillo as “Hijo”
Estrella Grace Saldena as “Perez”
Christina Tiffany Romero as “Rodriguez”
Idelisse Collazo Guzman as “Martin”
Diana Guizado as “Esposa”
and
“Combat Dick” written by Jenny Pacanowski, performed by Estrella Grace Saldena as Perez

Guests:
US Army Veteran and Poet, Jenny Pacanowski
Lisa Carrington Firmin, MS, Colonel, USAF Ret

Direction and hosting by Karen Alvarado, management and sound engineering by Erin Bogert, original sound design by David Demaris, image design by Paul Del Bosque, video trailer by Jose Lozano of Magic Spoon Productions, guitar by Estrella Saldana and Ulises Ortega Escalante, and vocals by Estrella Saldana and Diana Guizado. Marketing assistance by Susan Slattery and April Sullivan.

Special thanks to Mateo Marlowe Alvarado-Meyer, Babylove, Teatro Vivo, Voces Oral History Center and Poetic Theatre Productions.

S01 Episode 13: Epilogue - "When all is said and done."

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 11:00:00 -0400

In this finale episode Kaitlin and Johnny take a look at what happened to the major players after the 1926 trial, and how they chose to spend the rest of their lives in the shadow of scandal and loss. It is a bitter sweet end to our theatrical exploration of The Hall-Mills Murders. Please check back with Thinkery & Verse to hear a few more BONUS episodes about the case, and perhaps, a NEW SERIES exploring a totally different, potent human story too.

Need more NOW: like us on Facebook or go to thinkeryandverse.org to engage with...

>GHOST HUNT: The Hall-Mills Double Homicide GEOCACHE & AUDIO Encounters
>A Brunch with POE: a Halloween Day-Time Reading of Edgar Allen Poe stories & poetry
>Macábaret: a spooky virtual variety show at The Melbourne Fringe
>Decameron 2020 PODCAST: streaming NOW

S01 Episode 12: "My Community Walks Free" - The Community of Saint Johns

Fri, 23 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0400

Kaitlin and Johnny interview four unique parishioners from The Church of Saint John the Evangelist, home parish of the slain rector and choir singer. The first interview is with Judy and Cassie Vaz. This mother and daughter duo have attended St. Johns since birth and grew up learning the lore of the scandal from within the walls of where the scandal took place. The second interview is with Father Leroy Lyons, the current supply priest at the church. Father Lyons gives a fascinating account of what it feels like to preach at a church where the old preacher committed adultery, and how he spiritually navigates the congregation today. The last interview is with Dr. Susan Huslage, current church organist and human psychologist. Dr. Huslage speaks to both the psychology associated with the act of murder and also gives first hand stories about the late and beloved Catherine Rastall (choir singer who was ALSO on Lover's Lane the same night the couple was murdered).

S01 Episode 11: [BONUS] "I want to go. I want to go now, mommy!" Mateo and Mommy explore "The Murder Church"

Mon, 12 Oct 2020 10:00:00 -0400

In July 2020, Mateo ( 2 years old) and "Mommy" (Karen Alvarado, Producer of Podcast/Co-AD of Thinkery & Verse) walked through the empty chapel and small rooms of The Church of Saint John the Evangelist, the home parish of the slain preacher and choir singer. As they explore you will hear Karen reminisce on how the church entered their lives and wonder what it was like in the 1920s when Edward and Eleanor shared the space... with possibly their murderers. As Karen unpacks the aesthetics and "feel" of the rooms, Mateo plays, asks questions, sings and offers emotional responses to certain sections of the church. Listen to hear what this mother-son team unpack in their impromptu exploration of "The Murder Church."

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 10: [BONUS] "Careful, very fragile!" The archives at Saint John's, Part 2

Mon, 05 Oct 2020 14:00:00 -0400

Our collaboration with the Church of Saint John the Evangelist has enabled us to access their archives, a collection that dates back to the church's founding in 1861. In the vestry book, Karen Alvarado finds the moment where Edward Hall hires James Mills to work as the groundskeeper at the church, signalling increasing contact between the Hall and Mills families. We also explore the vestry's response to the death of Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills, the decision to quickly hire a new priest, and strange evidence of a carefully removed section from the notes of the Men's Council.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson, with special guests Karen Alvarado and J. M. Meyer.
Introduced by Erin Bogert.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Karen Alvarado, Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Copy writing by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editing by Karen Alvarado.
Episode directed by Karen Alvarado.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 09: The Doctor is in! Unpacking the theories with Dr. Bob Belvin

Mon, 28 Sep 2020 21:00:00 -0400

If you've been listening along, you know what hosts Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh think about whodunit. However, their theory is just one of many. Tune in this episode to hear what other theories there are, and to discuss the case with none other than New Brunswick historian Dr. Bob Belvin.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Erin Bogert assisted by Sean Ullmer.
Copy writing by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editing by Karen Alvarado.
Episode directed by Erin Bogert.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 08: "The Fires of Hell." Frances Hall and the Stevens brothers are brought to trial

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 12:00:00 -0400

Without further ado, let’s jump right back in to where we last left off in the summer of 1926. It has been almost four years since the murders, and it seems like everyone has forgotten about Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills. But a mix of partisan politics and provocative New York City media coverage ensures that the case will go to trial....

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 07: [BONUS] The Archives at Saint John's, Part 1

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:00:00 -0400

Our collaboration with the Church of Saint John the Evangelist has enabled us to access their archives, a collection that dates back to the church's founding in 1861.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson, with special guests Karen Alvarado and J. M. Meyer.
Introduced by Erin Bogert.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Karen Alvarado, Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Copy writing by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editing by Karen Alvarado.
Episode directed by Karen Alvarado.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 6: Two in a field

Mon, 07 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

On September 15th, neither Frances Hall nor James Mills report to the police that their spouses are missing. On September 16th, two young people stumble across the bodies of Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills on a lover's lane just outside of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The investigation begins, but almost immediately falls apart due to county disputes, class deference to the Stevens family, and general incompetence. This episode features special guest Erin Bogert.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Copy writing by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editing by Karen Alvarado.
Episode directed by Erin Bogert.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Warning: the violence against Eleanor Mills is graphic and strange, and will be upsetting to many listeners.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 5: The events of September 14th, 1922

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 00:00:00 -0400

So far on this journey through the Hall-Mills story, we’ve been focusing on the background information about our main players and how they all came to be where they were in the fall of 1922 and now we have arrived at the other day that will live in infamy: September 14, 1922.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Copy writing by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editing by Karen Alvarado.
Episode directed by Erin Bogert.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 4: "I am on my knees, darling." The Affair.

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 21:00:00 -0400

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Copy writing by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editing by Karen Alvarado.
Episode directed by Karen Alvarado.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 3: Back Alley: Eleanor Reinhardt Mills, James Mills, and their children Charlotte and Daniel

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 18:00:00 -0400

Eleanor Reinhardt Mills attended Saint John's almost her whole life, and for much of that time she performed as a soprano in the church's choir. She married young, and her husband, James Mills, proved to be a man without any obvious ambition, but after her murder he became both a suspect and a scapegoat.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh.
Special guests: Karen Alvarado and Celine Dirkes.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Copywriting by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editing by Karen Alvarado.
Episode directed by Karen Alvarado.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 2: The Hall Family Album

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 15:00:00 -0400

Episode 2 explores the dynamics of the Hall family: Edward, the adulterous priest found murdered outside of town; Frances, the somewhat older wife of Edward--and a wealthy, heiress who played a pivotal role in New Brunswick society prior to her arrest; and Willie Stevens, Frances' odd brother who lived with his sister and brother-in-law and was kept on an allowance. They all lived at 23 Nichols, a stately house now belonging to Rutgers University, just up the hill from the church at the center of Edward's extra-marital affair.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh.
Special guests: Ania Upstill, Frank Dolce, Sean Ullmer.
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Copywriter Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson.
Copy editor Karen Alvarado.
Sound design and editing from Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Episode directed by Karen Alvarado.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com

S01 Episode 1: "They found mom side by side with Edward Hall / the circus began"

Mon, 31 Aug 2020 12:00:00 -0400

On September 16th, 1922 a small city priest and a choir singer were found slaughtered in what became the most infamous unsolved double homicide of the 20th century. In this pilot episode, hosts Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh introduce us to the Hall-Mills murders, and then interview Thinkery & Verse co-artistic director J.M. Meyer about collaborating with the Church of Saint John the Evangelist on re-imagining the the crimes associated with the church.

Hosted by Kaitlin Ormerod Hutson and Johnny Kavanagh.
Special guest: J. M. Meyer
Chorus of voices: Ensemble of "Thou Shalt Not".
Sound design and editing from Erin Bogert and Sean Ullmer.
Episode directed by Karen Alvarado.
Produced by Karen Alvarado and Thinkery & Verse.

Want to support, work with, or give feedback to us? Email: thinkeryandverse.merchandise@gmail.com