The world has forgotten them, politicians are using them, drugs may ruin them.
Who will save them?
About the Project
BACKGROUND
Oasis, Ohio is not a real town. But it has real problems. Like many once-thriving small cities, it has been drained; of its jobs, its people, and its dignity. Not much is left, but if there’s still a beating heart in this town, it lives inside the Biscuits & Bourbon diner.
And who keeps the diner alive? Two waitresses, Bitsy and Betsy.
These two women know more about surviving than most people. Sure it’s hard work. Yes, you get knocked down. But their genius is escapism: every Sunday, they entertain the all-you-can-eat brunch crowd with their brand of charm, wit, and irresistible quirkiness. Part musical act, part stand up, part diner vaudeville, Bitsy and Betsy draw a crowd, keep the doors open, and give everyone – especially themselves – something to hang onto. Even as an opioid epidemic rages around them.
Gritty but full of hope, Biscuits & Bourbon: The Musical is a combination of Cabaret and Alice (the sitcom) — with a dash of Grapes of Wrath for good measure.
FORMAT
Biscuits & Bourbon is a 10-episode, serialized podcast with original songs and scoring (30 min/episode). It’s a modern crisis built inside a musical comedy; a story told through a hyperrealistic lens.
MATERIALS AVAILABLE
Treatment, Pilot Script, 10-Episode Season Guide
The Audio Sample
Biscuits & Bourbon
This sample contains two songs: one placeholder, and one with original lyrics and music.
— CREATIVE TEAM —
MARCY THOMPSON &
JENNY TURNER HALL
(Creators, Writers)
These two met in the parking lot of a big box store somewhere east of a major suburban highway. They have written, produced, and performed their original work for nearly a decade, including scripted podcasts, plays, vaudeville shows, and television. They also appear as a popular comedy act. Turner Hall won a Peabody Award in 2017 for her work as a creator/writer on the podcast Mars Patel. Thompson is the Writer and Producer of the acclaimed podcast, Note to Self (Stable Genius Productions / WNYC Studios / Luminary Media).
The duo’s off-center point of view has caught the attention of many press outlets and has garnered a rabid following. They’ve been covered by the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Star Ledger, Deadline, CBS and ABC News, National Public Radio, Public Radio International, and The Atlantic’s City Lab. More about their work can be found at www.studiobmaplewood.org
Kerry Thompson
(Producer)
Kerry is a producer in Programming at National Public Radio where she has written, produced, and directed scores of audio collections, specials and live broadcasts. Kerry has won two Peabody Awards and one DuPont Columbia Award.
EBEN LEVY
(Music Consultant, Audio Sample)
Eben, an Obie Award-winning musician for his work with Ethan Lipton and his Orchestra, is also a film and television composer. Eben was the bandleader of renowned funk band, Chucklehead.
