Each episode of the podcast is an individual letter in their correspondence, and the release schedule provides listeners with a real-time experience of postal communications in the 1870s. Some letters took him over a week to reach their destination, while others arrived the same day. This experience is recreated within the podcast itself. Each episode/letter arrives at the date of the original letter in the early 1870s. For example, the first episode/letter of the series dated April 24, 1872 will be published on April 24, 2024.
“As much as we want to understand who we are today, sometimes it's important to understand who we were,” London said. “Stories like this, told in such a special way, allow us to experience something like a time capsule of how people think, what they say, and how they express themselves. I've always been interested in how people tell stories and how stories are transmitted, so this is a concept of literature, reading a story, and how someone tells a story. It's an attempt to combine what it's like to experience. This is why the whole story is told through letters, artifacts and newspaper articles from the time.”
In addition to being a playwright, London is also a writer and serves as director of the Ohio Playwrights Circle. He is also the Ohio regional representative for the Playwrights Guild of America. In 2022 he received the Individual Artist Award from the National Endowment for the Arts and in 2023 he received the Ohio Governor's Award for the Arts.
For the podcast, London partnered with George Drake Jr., a radio and audio producer from Chicago. Drake is also the producer of Dayton's mystery podcast “Fifth & Ludlow” and Katherine Wright's history podcast “In Her Own Wright.” They met in her WYSO podcasting class a few years ago and are excited to finally share their collaboration with the public.
“Michael was the first to combine theater and literature, and with this podcast we're combining cultures,” Drake explained. “Episodes will be published quickly, but spaced out to combine the culture of 1872 Ohio. Each episode will be published on the date listed at the top of each letter. It will take me a few weeks or days to write it, and I don't know when that will be.”
The series is scheduled to run for approximately 100 episodes over 12 months. Drake expects the project to generate significant interest despite its unique format, which deviates from the typical podcast timeline.
“No one has ever done anything like this,” he said. “The name of the game in podcasting is consistency. Podcasts can be daily, weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly. Our intentionally inconsistent publishing fundamentals really resonated with me. Podcasting It's a breath of fresh air in the industry. This is a real passion project for both of us. We're making this work because we love this story and we love this way of telling it. We think people will find it impactful.”
Credit: NackVideo + Photos
Credit: NackVideo + Photos
“We're recreating the experience of that time,” London said. “In 1872, if you wanted to have a conversation with someone who didn't live next door, it was through a letter. Depending on the weather, you had to wait five days, a week, or even two weeks. Set that time frame. When you hear a story told and connect to that time frame, you experience what it means to communicate with someone just because you're really putting them in that same time frame.”
London received a 2024 Artist Opportunity Grant for Podcast Production, funded by the Montgomery County Arts and Culture District and managed by Culture Works. He is grateful for the financial support.
“It's very rewarding to take this story and find another way to connect it to the audience,” he said. “It’s great to have the support and recognition.”
Ohio actors who will voice the podcast's characters include Derren Brown, Christine Brunner, Brittany Sue Hines, and Tony Award nominee Micah Stock. Original music is provided by Mustafa Shaheen, who also wrote the music for Drake's aforementioned podcast “Fifth & Ludlow.”
London says establishing connections and deepening understanding through history is paramount to this effort.
“When you learn who you are and are honest about who you have been, you learn more about yourself,” London says. “This is an Ohio story that takes place along the Ohio River. If you're honest about who you have been, you'll understand more about who you are now.”
Podcast listeners can subscribe to the podcast and listen to the trailer at bit.ly/dearesttrailer. You can also sign up for our newsletter so you never miss an episode at bit.ly/dearestpost and follow the podcast on Facebook @dearestpodcast.
To learn more about London and see the original version of “Dearest,” visit michaelmlondon.com.
To learn more about Drake and his past accomplishments, visit georgedrakejr.com.
