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Dungeons + Drama Nerds is a podcast produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percy Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, three dramaturgs interested in the intersection of theatre and tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGS). Episodes release weekly alternating between Actual Play and Commentary episodes investigating a certain TTRPG system. Season 2 will feature: Blades in the Dark, Bluebeard's Bride, Kids on Bikes, Oh Dang! Bigfoot Stole My Car With My Best Friend's Birthday Present Inside!, and Lancer. Season 1 featured: Dungeons & Dragons (Eps 1-13), Apocalypse World (Eps 14-33), and Paranoia (Eps 34-46).
Episodes

Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
To Be, Or Not To Be Dead: Part 2
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
Wednesday Jan 11, 2023
After a tragic death at the invited dress rehearsal for the local community theater production of Hamlet, the Mavens look around for clues, demonstrate their expertise in lighting fixtures, and try to figure out who murdered the production's lead.
Just as a heads up, for the rest of our Brindlewood Bay campaign, we'll be bringing you back to back episodes of actual play followed by a commentary episode!
Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.
Our Brindlewood Bay campaign features Christopher Diercksen as Eddi-Rue Dubois, Ben Ferber as Lane Walther, Kory Flores as Bebe Garcia, Shannon Wade as Doris Mackowiak, and our Keeper, C. Meaker.

Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Spooky and Safe: Coziness and the Murder Mystery Genre
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Wednesday Jan 18, 2023
Nick and ensemble member Leo Mock chat about coziness in theatre and in TTRPGs - what makes something cozy? What's the value of coziness? How can we embrace spookiness and the benefits of scary play in both mediums?
Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.

Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
To Be, Or Not To Be Dead: Part 3
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Wednesday Jan 25, 2023
Our Mavens continue their investigation of a murder at the local community theatre, uncovering more and more clues and facing the creeping dangers of the void...
Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.
Our Brindlewood Bay campaign features Christopher Diercksen as Eddi-Rue Dubois, Ben Ferber as Lane Walther, Kory Flores as Bebe Garcia, Shannon Wade as Doris Mackowiak, and our Keeper, C. Meaker.

Thursday Feb 02, 2023
To Be, Or Not To Be Dead: Part 4
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Our Mavens theorize just who is behind Hamlet's murder at the local community theatre, and go on a quest to find their missing acquaintance, Teddy...
Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.
Our Brindlewood Bay campaign features Christopher Diercksen as Eddi-Rue Dubois, Ben Ferber as Lane Walther, Kory Flores as Bebe Garcia, Shannon Wade as Doris Mackowiak, and our Keeper, C. Meaker.

Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Jessica Fletcher is a Gay Icon: An Interview with Jason Cordova and Joel B. New
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Wednesday Feb 08, 2023
Percy and Todd sit down to chat with composer Joel B. New and TTRPG designer Jason Cordova about New's EP, Cabot Cove, and Cordova's game Brindlewood Bay. They talk about what inspired their respective works in conversation with Murder She Wrote, their connections to the show, and why Jessica Fletcher is a gay icon.
Joel’s website: https://joelbnew.com/
The Gauntlet: https://www.gauntlet-rpg.com/
Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.

Friday Feb 17, 2023
Amicable Autumnal Abattoir: Part 1
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
The Mavens regroup and recover after investigating their friend Teddy's disappearance, then stop by the new District Attorney's office for a quick meeting on the way to an autumn festival at Brindlewood Bay Community College, where nothing could possibly go wrong ... right?
Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.
Our Brindlewood Bay campaign features Christopher Diercksen as Eddi-Rue Dubois, Ben Ferber as Lane Walther, Kory Flores as Bebe Garcia, Shannon Wade as Doris Mackowiak, and our Keeper, C. Meaker.

Friday Feb 24, 2023
Amicable Autumnal Abattoir: Part 2
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Friday Feb 24, 2023
Shaken by their encounter with the new District Attorney, the Mavens head to the Autumn fair at Brindlewood Bay Community College and attend a magic show, uncertain what new horrors might be hidden among the magician's tricks.
Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.
Our Brindlewood Bay campaign features Christopher Diercksen as Eddi-Rue Dubois, Ben Ferber as Lane Walther, Kory Flores as Bebe Garcia, Shannon Wade as Doris Mackowiak, and our Keeper, C. Meaker.

Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Brindlewood Bay and Aging as Performance
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Nick, Todd, and Percy talk about the intersection of ageism and sexism in theatre and in media, how it limits the kinds of stories we see about older women, and the intervention Brindlewood Bay makes in its centering of characters who are elderly women.
Works referenced:
- Diane Riggins - "Gender in Fiction: An Autoethnographic Approach to J.R.R. Tolkien, Female Characters and Gamers"
- Robert K. Fleck and F. Andrew Hanssen - "Persistence and change in age-specific gender gaps: Hollywood actors from the silent era onward"
- Sylvia Henneberg - "Moms do badly, but grandmas do worse: The nexus of sexism and ageism in children's classics"
- Raisborough, Watkins, Connor, and Pitimson - "Reduced to curtain twitchers? Age, ageism and the careers of four women actors"
Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.

Friday Mar 10, 2023
Amicable Autumnal Abbatoir: Part 3
Friday Mar 10, 2023
Friday Mar 10, 2023
The Mavens begin to investigate the murder of the Great Grievous and sink ever deeper into the broader conspiracies at work in Brindlewood Bay. But first, brunch!
Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.
Our Brindlewood Bay campaign features Christopher Diercksen as Eddi-Rue Dubois, Ben Ferber as Lane Walther, Kory Flores as Bebe Garcia, Shannon Wade as Doris Mackowiak, and our Keeper, C. Meaker.

Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Amicable Autumnal Abbatoir: Part 4
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
Wednesday Mar 22, 2023
The Mavens continue their investigation of the murder of The Great Grievous and the looming presence of the Midwives of the Fragrant Void that overshadows their efforts.
Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Season Three features contributions from Christopher Diercksen, Ben Ferber, Kory Flores, Tess Huth, Romana Isabella, Leo Mock, Jon Jon Johnson, and Dex Phan.
Our Brindlewood Bay campaign features Christopher Diercksen as Eddi-Rue Dubois, Ben Ferber as Lane Walther, Kory Flores as Bebe Garcia, Shannon Wade as Doris Mackowiak, and our Keeper, C. Meaker.
