Still Lives - A Pastoral Post-Apocalyptic Audio Drama

Still Lives - A Pastoral Post-Apocalyptic Audio Drama

Project Overview

Still Lives is an upcoming post-apocalyptic audio drama. Five people who believe themselves to be the last people alive hear a knock on the door, and come to terms with the idea that they may not be alone after all. While it takes place in the future and after the fall of modern civilization, we spend most of our time on an isolated farm. The focus is on our characters, and the way their relative harmony with one another gets shaken up by a new person's arrival.

We hope to record on January 19th and 20th, but there may be some flexibility in remote recording. If you happen to be in the Raleigh area, you could also record locally! The show will be released in late winter/early spring of this year.

This show will run for eight episodes. Payment listed is for all eight episodes. We can pay via Venmo or Paypal, whatever you find easiest.

If you have any questions, or there's anything we can explain further, just let me know. We're happy to talk through things further!

Approximate per-character wordcounts:
The Archivist: ~7,500
The Soldier: ~6,500
The Scientist: ~5,500
The Kid: ~3,000
The Traveler: ~3,500
The Cook: ~100, plus a number of coughs, grunts, etc.
Javier: ~700
Atta: ~500

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Latest Updates

  • Casting is Done!

    Hello all! We sent out our casting decisions last night, and are just waiting on acceptances now. Unfortunately, that means that if you haven't heard from me by now, we couldn't find space for you in this particular project. We received so, so many fantastic auditions, and were really spoiled for choice in casting. Thanks so much to everyone who sent something in. We'll get specific feedback to everyone who requested it over the course of the next few days. Hopefully we'll hear from some of you again whenever our next project rolls around! Thanks so much!

  • Thank You! Final Cast Coming Soon!

    I'll be honest here: we planned to finalize our casting tonight, but we wound up with about ten times as many auditions as we expected, and so, so, so many of them are phenomenal. We're sorting through everything now, and we'll have the final cast chosen and announced by Tuesday night. Thank you so much to everyone who auditioned. It's been an amazing and surreal experience getting to hear so many great takes on these characters. Unfortunately, there are only so many roles on this show, but we'll be sure to keep you all in mind for any future projects. Anyway: Final cast will be decided by Tuesday. You're all amazing. Thank you.
Project Roles: The Archivist The Soldier The Kid The Scientist The Cook The Traveler Atta Javier
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
The Archivist
closed
Unpaid
Role assigned to: Devontleaver

The Archivist, a person in their 20's who works to record everything they can about the pre-apocalypse world. Enthusiastic and energetic, with a consuming passion for their project, the Archivist is constantly thinking about their place in a lost past and an uncertain future.

  • You hear that?
    (beat)
    Nothing. Birds are gone, river’s quiet. I think it’s going to snow tonight. I can’t wait.
    (beat)
    You know how the first snow feels every year? You wake up a little too early, and it’s quiet in that particular way, and you just know. And then you walk out and the edge of the forest is sparkling and it’s -- I mean, there’s icicles as thick as my fist holding on above the porch and I’m just, every time! Every time, it’s like it was just spring, just now, I don’t know how time passes so fast, right?
    (beat)
    Anyway, the Soldier’s been saying this is going to be the longest, coldest winter in years. That’s
    what her joints say, and her joints are surprisingly accurate a lot of the time. So I suppose I should enjoy the kind of, um, the early glow as long as I can.
    (beat)
    What else happened this week. Ummmm, um-um-umm. Oh! The hens are better. The Scientist worked his
    magic and one of the sick ones is back to giving eggs again. So the Kid’s obviously ecstatic about that. It’s lucky, actually, ‘cause the Scientist is also starting the Kid on trigonometry and she hates it, reeeally hates it. So she needed a win this week to -- you know, to counterbalance all the theorems. As for the Cook, she always seems a little down and out at the start of winter, but of course it’s tough to tell with her. So that’s where everybody is right--

    (WHACK! The Archivist releases a startled noise, then laughs.)

    Annnd that’ll be the Soldier fixing the henhouse, which she’s been working on for ... two weeks now, I guess? Three? Hold on, let me check.

  • (This side takes place after a heated argument. The Archivist desperately needs
    medicine -- the Axathin -- for a friend. You don't need to record anything for Atta's lines -- just pause between yours.)

    (The crowd simmers back to a disgruntled mutter.)

    ATTA:  If you have so many problems with the way we run this place, then you’re no longer welcome here.

    ARCHIVIST: Wait! No, please. Let me get Javier.

    ATTA: Did you two work something out?

    ARCHIVIST: No. I mean, maybe. I mean, we talked about -- I can give you this recorder for the Axathin.

    ATTA: I can’t make that deal.

    ARCHIVIST: I’ve got more equipment back at our farm. I have a second recorder. We have logs of -- remember, the logs I told you about? Even just some of the tablets --

    ATTA: (sighs) I’m sorry. I like your gadgets, I do. I like your project. But I’ve got a responsibility to everybody
    here, and their safety. That has to be my priority.
    (beat)
    Travel safe.

    (Her footsteps crunch away.)


    ARCHIVIST: Wait. We -- we can give you food.

    (Atta’s footsteps stop.)

    ARCHIVIST: We had a bumper crop this autumn. We’ve got more than we need for five people. Give us the medicine
    and we can bring you a loaded cart in another couple weeks.

    (beat)
    Please.


    ATTA: I can spare enough for three days' treatment.

    ARCHIVIST: Great. Perfect.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 87 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
The Soldier
closed
Unpaid
cast offsite

The Soldier is a person in their 40s who likes the farm as it is, and who fears what a new arrival might bring. Gruff, protective, and kind-hearted, the Soldier sees the farm as a family.

  • (No need to record anything for The Scientist. Just pause where their lines would be.)

    (The sound of cold wind and whack, whack, whack. We hear the Soldier humming to themself.)


    SCIENTIST: Careful you don’t break any eggs.

    (The Soldier whacks themself in the thumb.)


    SOLDIER: OW! Jesus Christ, Doc, what have I told you about sneaking up on me?

    SCIENTIST: Sorry. I’m just looking out for the safety of the eggs among us.

    SOLDIER: Well, we’re gonna steal ‘em no matter what, so looks like you need to do a better job of that.
    (They suck on their thumb for a second.)
    God, my thumb. I swear you do this
    on purpose.

    SCIENTIST: (innocently) Me? Scare you on purpose? Would I ever?

    SOLDIER: You and the Kid both. Have you seen them, by the way? I think they've been fooling around in the woods all day.

    (Beat. Whack.)
    I told them to coil up the fence wire for the season. Once it snows we’re going to have a real time of digging it out.
    (Beat. Whack.)
    I told the Archivist -- I can feel it, you know. Snow’s coming. Feel
    it in my hands. Five inches, maybe more.
    (Beat. Whack.)

    SCIENTIST: Your hands must be freezing. Don’t you have gloves?

    SOLDIER: Ah, I wore ‘em through last winter, remember? It’s fine, I’ll make do.

    SCIENTIST: Or you could wear these.

    (They toss the Soldier a pair of gloves.)

    SOLDIER: Doc. Where’d you get -- did you make these?

    SCIENTIST: You know that coat the Kid grew out of? Voila. (proudly) They have a layer of foil for insulation, too. Try them on!

    SOLDIER: Oh, they’re warm. (Beat. Suspiciously:) This isn’t some sort of passive aggressive hint, is it?

    SCIENTIST: What hint?

    SOLDIER: That I should have made a scavenger trip to the city before it got properly cold?

    SCIENTIST: (grinning) Sarge, I’m not that cryptic.

    SOLDIER: Mm. Sure you’re not. (beat) Thanks for these. I owe you one.

  • (This is a story The Soldier tells The Archivist and Traveler partway through a difficult journey home. We pick up when The Traveler starts listening, but The Soldier has already told The Archivist part of the story. Again, just pause for other characters' lines)

    SOLDIER: Don’t hold your breath. I told the Archivist and I’ll tell you – this isn’t a happy story. But it’s a true story. And you’re welcome to leave if you don’t want to hear it.

    TRAVELER: I want to hear your story, Sarge. Even if it’s... I want to hear it.

    SOLDIER: So. I’d left five of my fellow soldiers at an ambush in town and headed towards base camp for reinforcements.

    TRAVELER: Wait, what?

    ARCHIVIST: Shhh... I’ll play you the beginning later. Just listen.

    SOLDIER: I almost yelled at my commanding officer to assemble a rescue mission and I was about to turn around and go straight back after them when I was shouted down. Told not even think about setting foot outside camp.

    ARCHIVIST: What?

    SOLDIER: Said it was too dangerous now that the sun went down. No visibility. And the temperature drops. Said we’d sent in a team as soon as the sun came up.

    TRAVELER: With your friends in a... an ambush... situation?

    SOLDIER: I didn’t understand, I didn’t care that it was dangerous for us. That seemed – we were soldiers! Our team was in danger. In real, immediate danger and it was nonsense to use “too dangerous” as an excuse. But it was an order. And I never... I never once thought of disobeying an order.

    ARCHIVIST: So what did you do instead?

    SOLDIER: We gathered a rescue team. And prepared to go out the next morning. But we knew…when the commander said to wait for sun up. Hell, I might have known the second I turned around to get help.

    TRAVELER: Wait, but... so how did you save them?

    (Pause.)


    ARCHIVIST: Oh.

    SOLDIER: We didn’t even get to town before we got word. The worst part was... they had us talk to the families. When we came back home. And this – this is what I wanted you to know. Not that people die. You know that. We all know that. Maybe you even know what it’s like to feel guilty about people dying. But talking to someone’s family? Someone who wants to know how it happened? How their loved ones died? “Did you do everything you could?” And you have to look them in the eye and think, “maybe if I did better they’d still be alive.”

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 37 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
The Kid
closed
Unpaid
Role assigned to: Hailey_Bird

The Kid is a person in their early teens who grew up on this farm after the collapse of civilization. The Kid is mature for their age and had to grow up a little bit too fast, but still struggles not to be coddled on a farm full of adults.

  • (This happens after the Kid talks the Archivist into investigating a broken fence post. The Kid thinks this might be evidence of an unknown entity or threat near the farm. You don't need to record anything for The Archivist -- just pause when they would speak,)

    (Crunching sounds of feet on frost, overlaid by a wintry wind. We hear the Archivist pushing the fence back into the dirt.)

    ARCHIVIST: Are you sure the goat didn’t do this herself?

    KID: Yeah. Why would the goat mess up a fence post?

    ARCHIVIST: I mean, I’m not suggesting there’s some secret goat motive. Just that maybe she could have bumped it free by accident. It doesn’t look like we hammered it in right.

    KID: So I’m just making things up?

    ARCHIVIST: Hey, I didn’t say that. It could be any number of things, I just don’t know that it’s a threat, huh? We don’t want to get all worked up over nothing. You know how the Soldier gets.

    KID: Yeah, I know.
    (They sigh.)
    So what else could it be?

    ARCHIVIST: I don’t know. A strong wind? ... A weak bear?

    (The Kid laughs.)

    ARCHIVIST (CONT’D): Ghosts, maybe? Really bored ghosts?

    KID: Or aliens.

    ARCHIVIST: You know what? Yes. It’s probably aliens. The fence aliens.

    KID: We are the fence aliens, from Jupiter! We come to steal your fences!

    ARCHIVIST: Oh no! Too bad I’ve contacted the wire aliens from Mercury to foil
    your plot!

    KID: Or it could be -- what if it’s a person?

    (Sudden silence. The wind whips back and forth.)

    ARCHIVIST: Listen, point is, it’s nothing to worry about, okay? But it’s getting dark, and I think the Cook’s already making dinner. I’m going to go ... yeah, help her with that. Would you mind hunting the patch and making sure we didn’t miss any pea pods? I think it’s going to snow tonight, so, last chance.

    KID: Okay.
    (beat)
    Um, I didn’t mean --

    ARCHIVIST: I’ll see you in there.

    (The hurried crunch of footsteps.)

  • (This takes place when the Kid, Scientist, and Cook and alone at the farm. The Cook is very sick, and the other two are taking care of them.  Again, no need to record the other character's lines. The scene begins when The Kid follows the Scientist out into the woods at night.)

    (The sound of a shovel being tossed to the side.)

    SCIENTIST: Kid, what are you doing here? You should be back at the house.

    KID: I had to come find you, Cook is – why were you digging?

    SCIENTIST: You need to go back home. It’s cold out here –

    KID: I thought you were working on helping the Cook, not digging a hole in the woods.

    SCIENTIST: Kid, please, let’s talk about this later. Let’s go back to the house. Kid. Kid?

    KID: Doc? What’s the hole for?

    SCIENTIST: I’ll tell when we get back to the house, let’s just –

    KID: That’s a pretty big hole to be digging. When the ground’s so cold. And there are chores to be done in the house and Cook needs your help.

    SCIENTIST: Kid, listen. I don’t know what—

    KID: Are you digging a grave, Doc?

    (A long pause. The wind in the trees.)

    SCIENTIST: Kid—

    KID: And here I was thinking you’d missed something, that you didn’t know how bad it was—

    SCIENTIST: Listen, the others could be back any day, we don’t know—

    KID: I thought you were working on a cure! I thought you were trying to help them!

    SCIENTIST: I never—

    KID: And you’ve just given up!?

    SCIENTIST: Kid listen to me, it’s a precaution, alright. I needed to. Cook wanted me to.

    KID: Bullshit.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 62 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
The Scientist
closed
Unpaid
Role assigned to: AllisonMcGrath

The Scientist is a person in their 50's who cares for the people around them but sees little hope for the future beyond the farm. Wry, articulate, and short-term-focused, the Scientist doesn't consider their own outlook depressing, but others often do.

  • (This takes place as the Scientist cares for The Cook, who has been mute up to this point. The Scientist runs a cloth over the Cook's forehead.)

    SCIENTIST: I promise I'll make sure you're okay. As okay as you can be. But there's something we need to discuss. You've been hiding something. The Traveler found the machine in the basement of the shed. I know there's no one else here who could've built it. It is yours, isn't it?

    (A rustling.)


    SCIENTIST: Is it what I think it is?

    (More rustling.)


    SCIENTIST: Why? Why would you think that was okay? All the times I've told the Archivist that we needed to focus on things that mattered, all those times we sent the Soldier into town for supplies -- you were wasting time and, and supplies down in a basement you never mentioned?

    (Coughing. A glass against wood. Water sloshes, spills.)

    SCIENTIST: Listen to me. There is a lie implicit in that machine, Cook, it's the same on the Archivist keeps telling. You know that, don't you? That's why you didn't tell anyone? Things don't get better, Cook. Call it fate, or entropy, or bad luck but -- This -- the situation we are in right now -- this is all we get. It's a plateau, things have leveled off for a while, but they're still declining, and pretending they aren't is just -- it's cruel. You're smart, Cook. You know that.


    (A rustle.)

    SCIENTIST: No, I won't tell anyone. I'm going to scrap it for parts.

    (Quick rustling.)

    SCIENTIST: Why shouldn't I? It's yet another mistake of yours. You have somehow found a way to make things even worse.

    (Coughing.)

    SCIENTIST: It's your fault, Cook. The truth isn't cruel. If you don't want to hear it, you shouldn't have done it.

    (Rustling.)

    SCIENTIST: Give. Me. A. Reason.

    COOK: Please.

    SCIENTIST: Did you --

    COOK: Please.

    (Coughing).

    SCIENTIST: I'm sorry. No, it's okay. I won't tell them. We need to talk more about this but -- I'll keep it safe. Here, you should keep drinking. Fluids are --

    (The door creaks.)

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 33 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
The Cook
closed
Unpaid
cast offsite

The Cook is a mostly silent character in their fifties or sixties. They’ve been working on a secret project for some time before the series begins

  • (The Scientist has agreed to keep the Cook's secret project safe and secret. Most of the farm believes the Cook to be mute.)

    SCIENTIST: No. Now shut up and take your aspirin.

    COOK: Please.

    SCIENTIST: What?

    COOK: Please.

    (Pause.)

    SCIENTIST: 15 years. And you choose now.

    COOK: Yes.

    SCIENTIST: Okay then. What do you want me to do? Even if I could finish it, I'd have to spend time that could be spent...making you better.

    COOK: I am not the future. The project is.

    SCIENTIST: The future is now, Cook. We lost everything. And you know, I thought, I really thought we could be better out here. Without anything from before. Just the five of us. Ending the human story with dignity.

    COOK: There's no dignity in death. Just death.

    SCIENTIST: Oh and suddenly you're a philosophical expert?

    (The Scientist takes a couple of deep breaths.)

    SCIENTIST (CONT’D): I think this is a waste of effort. Also, need I mention, incredibly
    risky.


    COOK: I DON'T CARE.

    (The door unlatches.)

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 12 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
The Traveler
closed
Unpaid
Role assigned to: Bayliun

The Traveler is a person in their 20's-30's from a small farm community who stumbles upon other people while looking for food. The Traveler is somewhat eccentric and can be unintentionally abrasive. Others find them a lot to deal with, and they have been shunted to the fringe of their home community as a result, despite their good intentions.

  • (This takes place after the Traveler has been kicked out of the small farm they happened upon, and the Archivist, a member of that farm, goes looking for them. They find the Traveler wandering around the snowy woods alone. No need to record anything for the Archivist's lines -- just pause when they would speak.)

    TRAVELER: (good to see you!) Hey!

    (The Traveler is excited to be talking. They cut the Archivist off a little bit almost every time they speak.)

    ARCHIVIST: Wha!

    TRAVELER: Hi! Sorry! I didn't think you'd be -- I didn't think I'd see you again. Any of you. Good to see you!

    ARCHIVIST: Uh, yeah. You too.

    TRAVELER: Got cold fast, huh? I didn't expect the snow. I thought I had a few more weeks at least.

    ARCHIVIST: Yeah, it seems like it comes a little earlier every year.

    TRAVELER: Do you know anything about making a
    fire?

    ARCHIVIST: Sort of. It's been a while since I had to make one outside.

    TRAVELER: I could use a hand.

    ARCHIVIST: You already have the wood?

    TRAVELER: Yep! Right over here.

    ARCHIVIST: What do you need help with? Do you have, like, a starter, or tinder?

    TRAVELER: I had a lighter, but I lost it.

    ARCHIVIST: No kindling or anything?

    TRAVELER: Nope!


    ARCHIVIST: Cool. Some of this wood is good. Some of it's pretty waterlogged. We can't use that. I didn't bring much
    with me...we can just use sticks. It's been a while. I think I've got some twine in one of these pockets...

    TRAVELER: What should I do?

    ARCHIVIST: We'll need dry leaves, or moss, or something along those lines. See if you can track some down.

    TRAVELER: I'm on it!

  • (This takes place when they return to their home with someone from the settlement they discovered, the Soldier. That's who cooked the meal they're eating.)

    SOLDIER: A blight?

    TRAVELER: Yeah. We lost around a third of our crops. That’s actually why I was out and about near your farm, see? Because Atta’s hoping there are some winter plants to forage we just haven’t found yet.

    SOLDIER: And what’s the verdict?

    TRAVELER: Don’t tell her, but I think it’s a lost cause. I do know some safe mushrooms, okay, and there’s some decent yellowfoot chanterelles near your place, and some rose hips a couple days out, but it was barely enough to keep me going while I was out there, let alone make a difference in our stores.

    SOLDIER: Mm.

    (A pause while they eat.)


    SOLDIER (CONT’D): I’m not trying to criticize again, I swear, but -- they sent you out alone?

    TRAVELER: Yeah, why?

    SOLDIER: I’m just ... surprised. You probably got this back at ours, but that’s just not something we’d ever do.

    TRAVELER: Yeah. I ... yeah, I did get that. But that’s just how our farm is.
    (beat. An unhappy laugh.)
    I don’t know, maybe that’s just how our farm is to me. I get the sense people here don’t like me? I joined a little late, I guess, and …
    (beat)
    Never mind, I’m being stupid.

    SOLDIER: Hey, no, it’s all right. You’re not being stupid.
    (beat)
    Listen, I’m sorry I was so hard on you at first. Keeping you out, and everything. That’s another part of how home is for us, you know? With just the five of us, we gotta keep everyone safe, and we’re responsible for that. So not having locks, or sending people out alone,that’s ... I don’t get that.

    TRAVELER: Yeah, I know. I don’t hold it against you. I know why you did it.
    (beat)
    It’s nice to see that, you know? The way you five are. I guess I just haven’t had anything like that, since Before.

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 44 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Atta
closed
Unpaid
cast offsite

Atta is a woman in her 40's-50's who leads a small farm community of about twenty people. Level-headed and pragmatic, she is used to leading and holds the respect of her community.

  • (This takes place as a member of her community unexpectedly returns home from a long-term foraging trip. You can just pause when another character would have a line.)

    (Footsteps jogging down a set of stairs.)


    ATTA: Sam?

    (The Traveler startles.)


    TRAVELER: Ah! Yes! Ha ha, it’s me. Um, surprise!

    ATTA: What are you doing here? We thought you wouldn’t be back until midwinter. You can’t have covered the whole valley already.

    TRAVELER: Well, it’s ... I came across this... you won’t believe it.

    ATTA: ... you forgot to pack something? Run out of provisions?

    TRAVELER: No, no, nothing like that.

    ATTA: Then why are you back? (hopefully) Did you find too much to bring back by yourself? We can send a whole foraging party if you --

    TRAVELER: No, I found something more important.

    ATTA: Sam. There’s nothing more important. Our situation’s already -

    TRAVELER: Just hold on, okay? Let me show you.

    (They open the door.)

Favorite role Save Role for Later Total Submissions Toggle 15 Submissions Apply / Audition
Voice Actor
Voice Actor
Javier
closed
Unpaid
Role assigned to: avenir

Javier is a person in their 30's who lives in a small farming community. They are steady and rooted, a thorough and critical thinker who does not flinch from the past.  

  • (This takes place as Javier gets to know The Archivist, the first new person they’ve met in some time.)


    (Cat purring & recorder whirrs, fade in on:)

    JAVIER: I'm not really scared by any of it anymore. I think when I couldn’t talk about it, that was when it scared me the most. Because I’d think of the last moment I saw my sister and think, what if this happens to everyone else I know, and that secret horrible thing was just hiding in me and terrifying me. But now that I can say it ...

    ARCHIVIST: It doesn’t have so much power.

    JAVIER: Exactly. I think a lot of people won’t say the things that matter to them, because they feel like …feel all sorts of things. Maybe … like it matters less once it’s out there, like describing something makes it simple. But you can try to describe something for a thousand years and it’ll never be perfect, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. So --
    (laughs)
    That’s my very long-winded answer. Sorry.

    ARCHIVIST: No, this is great. This is great. I completely agree. I want to talk about things. I want to stop being scared of what already happened. I don’t know how that even -- it doesn’t make sense.

    JAVIER: Okay, then.

    ARCHIVIST: Okay.

    JAVIER: Where were you from, before everything?

    (The Archivist takes a deep breath and hits stop on the recorder. The whirring ends.)

    ARCHIVIST: Baltimore.

    JAVIER: Yeah?
    (beat)
    Did you like it?

    ARCHIVIST: I loved it.

    JAVIER: How long’s it been since you talked about it?

    ARCHIVIST: Thirteen years.

    (The flickering of the fire rises, then fades into music.)

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