This transcript was automatically generated and might contain errors.

[0:00] Devon McSherry: Hi, listeners.

[0:01] Devon McSherry: STAGE FRIGHTS is a Gather by the Ghost Light production and an immersive audio experience intended for adult audiences.

[0:08] Devon McSherry: Immerse yourself.

[0:10] Devon McSherry: And enjoy.

[0:12] Devon McSherry: Previously on STAGE FRIGHTS.

[0:15] Devon McSherry: So on today's episode, we'll be performing a sacrifice.

[0:22] Unknown speaker: Intruders!

[0:23] Unknown speaker: Ow!

[0:24] Unknown speaker: Get the axe!

[0:25] Unknown speaker: We're not intruders.

[0:26] Unknown speaker: This is our show.

[0:27] Unknown speaker: Well, our plan was to perform a sacrifice on tonight's show, and we were we were going to choose from one of these rascals.

[0:34] Unknown speaker: You need to perform a sacrifice, and we need to perform a show.

[0:37] Unknown speaker: So, what if you all stick around and we use these sacrificial candidates here as the performers in our show?

[0:45] Unknown speaker: What a great idea.

[0:47] Unknown speaker: Perfect.

[0:58] Unknown speaker: Well, Dr. Necropolis, you seem to be out of candidates for your sacrifice, which means the show's over, because we are out of actors.

[1:08] Doctor Necropolis: Oh no.

[1:09] Doctor Necropolis: I'll still be having my sacrifice.

[1:12] Unknown speaker: But you let everyone go.

[1:15] Doctor Necropolis: Not everyone.

[1:17] Doctor Necropolis: Caesar!

[1:18] Unknown speaker: Come here!

[1:19] Unknown speaker: Hey!

[1:20] Unknown speaker: Let go of it!

[1:21] Unknown speaker: Hey, whoa, whoa, what are you doing?

[1:22] Doctor Necropolis: Improvising.

[1:25] Doctor Necropolis: You promised me a sacrifice today, and that's what we shall have.

[1:29] Unknown speaker: No, grab her arm!

[1:30] Unknown speaker: Come on!

[1:33] Unknown speaker: Jonathan, aren't you going to do anything?

[1:36] Jonathan Cook: Well, we did tell him he could, you know, have a sacrifice.

[1:40] Jonathan Cook: And you're the only one left that hasn't performed, so you uh rude.

[1:45] Doctor Necropolis: Bring her to the altar.

[1:49] Unknown speaker: You are rude.

[1:51] Unknown speaker: Let go of me!

[1:52] Unknown speaker: Stupid selfish, and I hope to tease your car, and then you have a perpetual handle!

[1:57] Unknown speaker: Maybe throw a gag in her mouth too.

[1:59] Unknown speaker: Wait, you guys even helping him seriously?

[2:04] Unknown speaker: But Dr.

[2:05] Unknown speaker: The show's over.

[2:07] Unknown speaker: There's no more scripts.

[2:08] Unknown speaker: There's no more stories.

[2:10] Doctor Necropolis: Nonsense!

[2:11] Doctor Necropolis: We are going to perform one more for you right now.

[2:16] Doctor Necropolis: This one is called Sacrifice by Jack Willem Priscorn.

[2:21] Doctor Necropolis: Performed by me and my accolades and your failure.

[2:35] Doctor Necropolis: Now take your ghost light and get next to it.

[2:40] Unknown speaker: No, no, no, no, that is not how that saying goes.

[2:43] Doctor Necropolis: Whatever.

[2:44] Doctor Necropolis: Let the show begin.

[2:49] Doctor Necropolis: Oh, great deity, we bring to you this sacrifice.

[2:58] Doctor Necropolis: We ask that you accept this life, this blood, this flesh.

[3:04] Doctor Necropolis: We ask that you give us your favor so that we may bring glory to your name.

[3:17] Doctor Necropolis: We give so much glory to your name, but we want to know that you hear us.

[3:22] Doctor Necropolis: So we give you this sacrifice.

[3:30] Doctor Necropolis: We will now allow the sacrifice to speak so that you can hear her fear of your great power, so that her fear may feed you, please you, and move you to reward us for this sacrifice to you.

[3:49] Doctor Necropolis: Let the sacrifice be heard quit.

[3:57] Unknown speaker: That tastes terrible.

[3:59] Unknown speaker: Uh hear her cry and accept this sacrifice.

[4:04] Unknown speaker: Hold up.

[4:04] Unknown speaker: How exactly is killing me a sacrifice for you?

[4:08] Unknown speaker: What?

[4:09] Unknown speaker: Is it the definition of sacrifice to give up something precious?

[4:12] Unknown speaker: Am I precious to any of you?

[4:15] Unknown speaker: Do any of you even know my name?

[4:23] Unknown speaker: So, really, none of you would suffer if I were to die.

[4:26] Unknown speaker: That isn't a real sacrifice.

[4:28] Unknown speaker: Well, I do have to clean up after.

[4:30] Unknown speaker: That's not easy.

[4:31] Unknown speaker: Oh, that's true.

[4:32] Unknown speaker: It gets messy in here.

[4:34] Unknown speaker: Jerry can be here scrubbing for hours.

[4:37] Unknown speaker: Do you think that's enough suffering to be considered a sacrifice?

[4:40] Unknown speaker: It's pretty gross.

[4:42] Unknown speaker: Not gonna take that personally.

[4:43] Unknown speaker: Oh, you shouldn't.

[4:44] Unknown speaker: It's just business.

[4:45] Unknown speaker: Do not converse with the sacrifice.

[4:48] Unknown speaker: Ah, but that's what we're debating here, right?

[4:50] Unknown speaker: Whether or not killing me is actually a sacrifice or not.

[4:54] Unknown speaker: It is.

[4:55] Unknown speaker: Uh uh.

[4:55] Unknown speaker: Don't converse with the sacrifice.

[4:58] Unknown speaker: The great deity demands flesh and blood to prove our devotion.

[5:03] Unknown speaker: Well, that's different than a sacrifice, isn't it?

[5:06] Unknown speaker: I mean, you could pick a scab and lay it on your altar.

[5:08] Unknown speaker: Flesh and blood.

[5:09] Unknown speaker: Bam!

[5:10] Unknown speaker: Our deity is more of an all or nothing deity.

[5:13] Unknown speaker: I see.

[5:14] Unknown speaker: She shouldn't see.

[5:15] Unknown speaker: Who forgot the blindfold?

[5:18] Unknown speaker: I dropped it in a puddle.

[5:20] Unknown speaker: So?

[5:21] Unknown speaker: I don't know what kind of puddle.

[5:22] Unknown speaker: It was gross.

[5:23] Unknown speaker: But this is a sacrifice.

[5:26] Unknown speaker: It was gross, though.

[5:27] Unknown speaker: Sac revice!

[5:30] Unknown speaker: Yeah, you need to risk a little leptospirosis to make your deity happy, kids.

[5:35] Unknown speaker: That's not what I'm saying.

[5:36] Unknown speaker: But you get what I'm saying, right?

[5:38] Unknown speaker: Murdering a random stranger is hardly a sacrifice.

[5:41] Unknown speaker: Well, I mean, we could get arrested for murder if someone caught us.

[5:45] Unknown speaker: Oh yeah.

[5:46] Unknown speaker: Jail would suck.

[5:47] Unknown speaker: But you won't get arrested.

[5:49] Unknown speaker: You're all in the police force or work for the DA's office.

[5:52] Unknown speaker: We've talked about this.

[5:54] Unknown speaker: Still, the risk is there.

[5:55] Unknown speaker: But not really.

[5:57] Unknown speaker: What could you lose?

[5:58] Unknown speaker: What would you truly miss if you killed me?

[6:01] Unknown speaker: I rather enjoyed stalking you the last few days.

[6:04] Unknown speaker: Right?

[6:04] Unknown speaker: You go to such interesting places.

[6:06] Unknown speaker: I never even knew we had an art museum in town.

[6:09] Unknown speaker: But the art museum will still be there, even if I'm not.

[6:12] Unknown speaker: True, but I enjoyed watching you enjoy that art.

[6:16] Unknown speaker: Aww, I'll miss those times.

[6:18] Unknown speaker: You were a true connoisseur.

[6:21] Unknown speaker: Still not a sacrifice.

[6:23] Unknown speaker: No?

[6:23] Unknown speaker: You'll move on to your next sacrifice to stalk eventually.

[6:26] Unknown speaker: You won't have a gaping hole in your life where I used to be.

[6:30] Unknown speaker: Just a gaping hole where your heart used to be.

[6:34] Unknown speaker: Really?

[6:36] Unknown speaker: That's where all the blood is.

[6:38] Unknown speaker: This needs to stop.

[6:40] Unknown speaker: You're right, dear leader.

[6:41] Unknown speaker: This sacrifice has removed the lepdose sp blindfold from all of our eyes.

[6:48] Unknown speaker: The what?

[6:49] Unknown speaker: I get it now.

[6:50] Unknown speaker: This is just a party where we kill a stranger at the end.

[6:52] Unknown speaker: Party where we have to clean up after and provide our own cleaning supplies.

[6:57] Unknown speaker: You you you really don't want to look.

[7:00] Unknown speaker: You're an extremely charismatic leader.

[7:02] Unknown speaker: It's hard to tell you no, but here it goes.

[7:06] Unknown speaker: No.

[7:07] Unknown speaker: No?

[7:08] Unknown speaker: We can't just blindly murder for you or the great deity.

[7:13] Unknown speaker: Divod the devourer, anymore.

[7:16] Unknown speaker: We have questions.

[7:18] Unknown speaker: We admit we probably should have asked them before the first five sacrifices.

[7:23] Unknown speaker: Hindsight's 2020.

[7:25] Unknown speaker: For sure.

[7:26] Unknown speaker: But we're asking questions now.

[7:28] Unknown speaker: And we're letting you go.

[7:30] Unknown speaker: Really?

[7:30] Unknown speaker: Don't!

[7:31] Unknown speaker: You're right.

[7:32] Unknown speaker: Killing you isn't a sacrifice.

[7:34] Unknown speaker: We should only do what would truly please the great deity.

[7:37] Unknown speaker: This isn't true.

[7:39] Unknown speaker: A murder masquerading as a sacrifice is really just a blasphemous lie, isn't it?

[7:45] Unknown speaker: Here, let me get these chains off you.

[7:48] Unknown speaker: Don't!

[7:48] Unknown speaker: You're right.

[7:50] Unknown speaker: The great deity loves the truth.

[7:53] Unknown speaker: Another thing you're right about.

[7:55] Unknown speaker: All the blood is in the heart.

[7:58] Unknown speaker: I knew it.

[7:59] Unknown speaker: Wait, what?

[8:01] Unknown speaker: Oh my god!

[8:02] Unknown speaker: No!

[8:03] Unknown speaker: But we saved you.

[8:04] Unknown speaker: Please!

[8:05] Unknown speaker: No, he's good.

[8:13] Unknown speaker: He can go well inside of you.

[8:31] Unknown speaker: You come here!

[8:38] Unknown speaker: The truth is delicious.

[8:42] Unknown speaker: You you ate them all.

[8:44] Unknown speaker: Okay.

[8:45] Unknown speaker: Well, I guess I'll find you when you have your next sect assembled.

[8:50] Unknown speaker: Uh who's going to clean this up?

[8:52] Unknown speaker: Thank you for your sacrifice.

[8:57] Devon McSherry: Well, Doctor Necropolis.

[9:00] Devon McSherry: Looks like you've got your sacrifice as promised.

[9:03] Doctor Necropolis: I don't understand.

[9:05] Doctor Necropolis: It wasn't supposed to be this way.

[9:07] Doctor Necropolis: We were summoned here.

[9:08] Doctor Necropolis: We w we were summoned here by the great deity herself, Devon the Devourer.

[9:13] Devon McSherry: It's pronounced Devon, and she's right here.

[9:16] Doctor Necropolis: Hi.

[9:17] Doctor Necropolis: You were behind this the whole time?

[9:21] Devon McSherry: What can I say?

[9:22] Devon McSherry: She has a whopper of an appetite for human hearts.

[9:25] Devon McSherry: My favorite.

[9:26] Doctor Necropolis: Right.

[9:27] Doctor Necropolis: Well, I think I'm gonna go.

[9:30] Doctor Necropolis: Um I I suppose I can find more acolyte for next time.

[9:35] Doctor Necropolis: Thanks for letting me stick around and hear your scary stories.

[9:39] Doctor Necropolis: Terrifically terrifying.

[9:41] Devon McSherry: And thanks to your listening audience for tuning in.

[9:44] Devon McSherry: Be sure to check out my show, Frightmare Theatre, wherever you get your podcasts.

[9:50] Devon McSherry: Join us.

[9:51] Devon McSherry: It'll be a scream.

[9:57] Unknown speaker: How about that guy, am I right?

[9:58] Unknown speaker: You know, I like it.

[9:59] Unknown speaker: I I like the vibe.

[10:00] Unknown speaker: Yeah, he's a pretty he's a pretty fun guy.

[10:02] Unknown speaker: All right.

[10:03] Unknown speaker: All right, well, uh, well, that's our show.

[10:04] Unknown speaker: Let's uh let's I guess we can start cleaning this mess up.

[10:07] Unknown speaker: Clean up the dirty dungeon, all right.

[10:09] Unknown speaker: My mic's here.

[10:10] Unknown speaker: Oh, you got some bread on you.

[10:12] Unknown speaker: Oh, um, okay.

[10:13] Unknown speaker: Oh, you didn't get it?

[10:15] Unknown speaker: Uh is it in my teeth?

[10:16] Unknown speaker: No, no, you didn't get it.

[10:17] Unknown speaker: You know what?

[10:18] Unknown speaker: Don't worry about it.

[10:19] Unknown speaker: You're fine.

[10:19] Unknown speaker: Uh okay.

[10:20] Unknown speaker: Uh, don't forget your box of uh goodies here.

[10:22] Unknown speaker: Oh, yeah.

[10:23] Unknown speaker: Oh, can can you hear me that?

[10:25] Unknown speaker: Yeah, sure.

[10:26] Unknown speaker: Um what is this?

[10:28] Unknown speaker: Don't worry about it.

[10:29] Unknown speaker: Maybe you'll hear it next year.

[10:31] Unknown speaker: Next year?

[10:31] Unknown speaker: What?

[10:32] Unknown speaker: You want to do this again next year?

[10:34] Unknown speaker: Uh, yeah.

[10:35] Unknown speaker: Okay.

[10:35] Unknown speaker: Okay, but if we do, I don't want to do it in a dirty ass dungeon again.

[10:38] Unknown speaker: How about how about this?

[10:39] Unknown speaker: This is gonna blow your mind.

[10:41] Unknown speaker: How about we do this in an actual theater?

[10:43] Unknown speaker: On a stage.

[10:44] Unknown speaker: In front of a live audience.

[10:46] Unknown speaker: Oh, an actual STAGE FRIGHTS with a stage?

[10:50] Unknown speaker: Yeah, and we can maybe call it uh uh uh uh if we can get Dr. Necropolis back, we can call it Dr. Necropolis Strikes Back.

[10:56] Unknown speaker: Or uh STAGE FRIGHTS 2.0.

[10:59] Unknown speaker: 2.0, and maybe if we get Dr. Necropolis, you can kidnap him this time.

[11:03] Unknown speaker: Oh, yeah!

[11:04] Unknown speaker: We'll be kidnapping buddies!

[11:06] Unknown speaker: Oh, kidnapping buddies.

[11:07] Unknown speaker: Uh how about this?

[11:08] Unknown speaker: Uh Night of the Living Stage FRIGHTS.

[11:11] Unknown speaker: Or 13 STAGE of FRIGHTS.

[11:13] Unknown speaker: Oh, I like it, I like where you're going.

[11:15] Unknown speaker: Oh, how about this?

[11:16] Unknown speaker: Let's keep it simple.

[11:17] Unknown speaker: STAGE FRIGHTS, the sequel.

[11:20] Unknown speaker: Ish.

[11:21] Unknown speaker: Sequel-ish.

[11:23] Devon McSherry: STAGE FRIGHTS is a Gather by the Ghost Light production.

[11:26] Devon McSherry: It was produced and directed by Jonathan Cook and Devon McSherry.

[11:30] Devon McSherry: The STAGE Frights concept and theme was created and written by Jonathan Cook.

[11:35] Devon McSherry: The featured audio play in this episode, Sacrifice, was written by Jacquelyn Priskorn.

[11:40] Devon McSherry: The STAGE Frights series stars A.C. Daniel, Matt Kridel, Luke Romagnoli, Azariah Seay, Marian Thibodeau, Mickey Lay, Robb Smith, Wesley Pierson, Pepper Wren, Brad King, Michael Silvio Fortino, Karla Daly, Korilyn Hendricks, Arelis Rivera, TJ McSherry, Jonathan Cook, Devon McSherry, and Nathan Shelton as Doctor Necropolis.

[12:02] Devon McSherry: Original audio production, sound design, and editing by Jonathan Cook.

[12:08] Devon McSherry: Title music by composer JK/47.

[12:12] Devon McSherry: Additional featured music in this episode by idokay and Josh Tarp.

[12:16] Devon McSherry: Special thanks to the Frightmare Theatre Podcast, Bonnie Marie Williams, and the Horror Nerds Podcast, Horrorstruck Hot Sauce, and Le Chat Noir Theatre.

[12:24] Devon McSherry: This program is funded in part by the South Carolina Arts Commission, which receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts.

[12:30] Devon McSherry: You arrived with good intention, and you never meant to leave.

[12:39] Devon McSherry: Truth is I'm a stepping stone on your way to greater things.

[12:51] Devon McSherry: There's a demon in the bottle trying to drag me to my knees.

[12:56] Devon McSherry: And I can't afford to fall apart every time we meet.

[13:01] Devon McSherry: Oh, there's a ghost after me.

[13:19] Unknown speaker: I mean, it literally like just stopped.

[13:21] Unknown speaker: It literally just played the whole thing like a minute ago.