When we sent out the casting call for voice actors several months ago, we didn’t know if anyone would respond. We had nearly 100 applicants. From that number, the director selected 11 as the core characters on Restless Shores.

It is difficult to describe the solidarity that this cast established almost immediately – they just clicked right from the beginning. They come in ready to perform and do yeomen’s work. As a result, their talents and the scripts by Greg Tulonen, have garnered 12 reviews on iTunes, 467 downloads, and now two newspaper articles in less than a month.

We were delighted to see the Restless Shores thespian troupe get recognized publicly. Many thanks to Nathan Strout at the Times Record for the nod to these artists.

The reviews speak for themselves.

This one is from an email sent to one of the Restless Shores actors.

“Just tried the first episode, and could not stop. Went for all the episodes straight away! Absolutely love it. All the best for the team.”

The following five and four-star reviews are on iTunes.

“Scandalous!!! I wish the music at the beginning of the episodes wasn’t so long. Other than that, I love it! – by Wilmarie9”

“Interesting to see where this goes. Intrigued by this and will look forward to other episodes! – by Northeastern Scott”

“Oooo the drama. Ugh I love the billionaire intrigue. Let’s keep up the good story! I’m hooked. –by Lion boo”

“Intriguing story. Oh, dastardly things are happening in Gamote Point! Milton, Rhonda and Uriah are creating a web of blackmail and intrigue. Wonder where this will go??? –Stevie in Maine”

“So original. I cannot wait for the next episodes! The suspense is killing me. Love love love the characters. – by hipstervenus”

With a shout out to Wilmarie9, thank you for the feedback on the length of the music. You make a good point and we are working to shorten the length.

Thanks to all of you fans who take the time to leave a review.

Restless Shores podcasts are now available on all major podcast sites. Chose your favorite and subscribe. Never miss an opportunity to stay restless.

We wish that we had some slick, catchy words to add, but we don’t. Kathryn Skelton, in her Sun Journal article on our writer, Greg Tulonen, does an excellent job of highlighting Greg’s skill set and achievements. The only thing we can add about this writer who’s abilities outstrips ours is we are fortunate to have him working for us. Go check out the article, and you will be as amazed as we continue to be at Greg’s creative genius.

Thanks to all of you, we had a successful launch, and we are humbled. The momentum built by this achievement is energizing all of us. Moving forward, we will be streaming new episodes of Restless Shores on iTunes once a week.

Thank you for supporting Restless Shores, and we hope you enjoy listening as the denizens of Gamote Point continue to scheme and maneuver for control of Roupp Pharmaceuticals.

Stay restless.

Restless Shores is now live and available on iTunes. Follow the podcast that explores the intrigue surrounding Roupp Pharmaceuticals, a billion-dollar enterprise located in the coastal city of Gamote Point.

Will Uriah thrive in his new job, or will he collapse under the pressure?  Will Milton’s iron grip over his grandson ever loosen?  Will Rhonda’s plan to use Uriah as a canary in the coal mine work?  Who is this stranger in town? Why did he stop at Gamote Point?

Get your weekly fix for intrigue and scandal and spend 15 minutes on Restless Shores. You know you want to.

Please follow the above link and listen to the first episode. If you enjoyed listening to Restless Shores, please take a moment to subscribe and leave a review. Until next time, stay restless.

Restless Shores is almost there. Work on the first episode is in progress. However, for those of you that are too restless to wait for that initial offering, here is a teaser for you to listen to.  Enjoy.

I like to cook. Sometimes I need to shake the measuring cup to help the ingredients to settle to make sure I get the right amount. Sometimes, after I shake it down, I still have more than I need and the cup is so full, it spills over the top.

That happened last night with Restless Shores. We had the first recording session, and it was amazing. It was so much more than I had imagined. The cast was incredible. The writing perfect. The energy exhilarating.

If what I saw and heard last night is any indication, Restless Shores is going to be a thing.

Well, here we are. The cast has been selected, roles assigned, and the first recording session is just days away.  Production is finally beginning on our podcast melodrama, Restless Shores.  This ongoing serialized story explores the intrigue surrounding Roupp Pharmaceuticals, a billion-dollar enterprise located in the coastal city of Gamote Point. Lead scriptwriter, Greg Tulonen, pulls us in as he weaves the multifaceted tale of intrigue, scandal, and seduction surrounding the lives of the Roupp family.

Directed by Thom Hinton, cast members include:

Zachary Hoogkamp as Milton Roupp the iron-fisted head of Roupp Pharmaceuticals;

Sally Kent as Lorna Roupp the Machiavellian wife of Milton;

Nathan Austin as Uriah Roupp the pawn in the battle between his grandparents;

Denise Shannon as Rhonda Weppler the efficient and seductive administrative assistant;

Emily Grotz as Elise Geltz the young beautician at Permfection;

Aaron Sanchez as Miguel Rios the mysterious newcomer in town;

Shirley Savage as Regina Miranda the hard as nails manager of the night club Distractions;

Josh Flanagan as Buddy Price the dock worker who has a history with Rhonda;

Katrina Loef will be adding her talents for a variety of characters in the production;

and, of course, Stan Allen will guide the listener as the series announcer.

We launch on January 22, on iTunes. Until then stay Restless.

From the moment that the idea for a podcast soap opera arose from the depths of our subconscious musings, we have found that there are several people who in general object to the term “soap opera” or have no idea what a soap opera is.

People involved with small business loans have suggested that we might use terms like “audio theater” or “audio drama” to describe this project to make it more palatable. Younger folks have given us a blank stare when we use the term “soap opera.” At first, we were puzzled by these responses.

When televised soap operas were in their prime in 1969, we all watched them. They dominated daytime television. We ran home to from school to be in time to watch Dark Shadows. All we could talk about was what was going on with Luke and Laura on General Hospital. Twin Peaks riveted our attention.

Times have changed.

The very words we used to use in 1969 have different meanings today, and some are even considered racial or discriminatory. The term “soap opera” has as well. Oh, these soap operas are still around, and we all still love them. The dawning of realization spreads over the faces of the confused when it is pointed out that Game of Thrones is a soap opera. “I like Game of Thrones,” is an almost universal response. Indeed.

What is the definition of a soap opera?

Think of a storytelling entertainment venue that is typically open-ended. It provides the fan with an intimate view of the life struggles and emotional inter-connections of many characters. A soap opera is a melodrama.

Okay, so what is a melodrama?

Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary Eleventh Edition instructs us.

The first thing Merriam tell us is that it is from the Greek and means song+drama. “A work (as a movie or play) characterized by extravagant theatricality and by the predominance of plot and physical action over characterization; the genre of dramatic literature constituted by such works; something resembling a melodrama especially in having a sensational or theatrical quality.”

If the plot pokes at our emotional triggers or feeds our love of scandal, provides sensationalism using stereotyped and simply developed characters, then you have a soap opera. Usually, the setting is in the private life sphere of the characters and focuses on moral turmoil, love, lust, marriage, peril, betrayal, illicit yearnings, and the ever-present evil seductress or nefarious bad character. They have impossible plot twists, farfetched emotional responses, and rely on well-worn tropes.

Soap operas are fun escapism entertainment.

It appears that for some, a soap opera is considered poorly-acted, over-the-top pulp drama and not something an educated, enlightened person would enjoy.

Kind of like the Kavanaugh hearings.

We all watched that happening.

The rumor went around during the disco age that Distractions has been around in one form or another since shortly after the Revolutionary War. Not true.

When prohibition started, a couple of enterprising brothers started making runs into Canada to buy liquor and turned their parent’s basement into a speakeasy.

Now, it wasn’t like the speakeasies you see in movies. There were no ladies dressed to the nines, sexy torch singers, top-notch bands, scantily dressed waitresses, or suave gentlemen. These were farmers who sat on benches and drank from dirty mason jars. The floor was dirt, there wasn’t much light, and the potbellied stove kept it warm enough for the patrons. While the boy’s mother was not happy, she couldn’t argue with the money it brought in. It was hugely popular.

This continued through prohibition until things really got out of hand one evening and the house burned to the ground. Of course, there was plenty of money to rebuild, but now the G-men were on to them, and the boys didn’t reopen.

In the late 1950s one of the heirs, who grew up hearing the tales of the money his grandfather had made selling liquor during the roaring twenties, turned the house into a bar. Roupp Pharmaceuticals was beginning to make profound changes to the town of Gamote Point, and a divide between the white-collar sections and the blue-collar sections began to clearly define itself.

At first, the bar did well in the blue-collar district it was located in. Over time various owners tried to make it trendy. By the eighties, most of the blue-collar clientele had abandoned it. It fell into decline until Lorna Roupp through her shell companies purchased it. Lorna returned it to a working-class sports bar, and the blue-collar patrons returned. It gained some popularity among the young white-collar bucks who felt like they were living on the edge by going there.