The Thing on the Doorstep

“She hasn't done anything drastic yet, Dan, but she might. I mean she could. She will.”

In Lovecraft's only story to prominently feature a female character, Daniel Upton stands charged with the brutal murder of his best friend, the sensitive poet Edward Derby. Was the crime an act of greed, jealousy, or madness? Or did Edward's wife, the mysterious Asenath Waite, put to use her rumored occult powers? Was it a crime carried out by a ruthless fiend, or was the killer just another victim of a supreme evil that lurks unseen among us?

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Props

To enhance your listening pleasure and take you deeper into the story, we are planning bonus prop documents. The CD version of the episode will come with these fun props:

  • An item from the society page of the Arkham Advertiser about
    the betrothal of Edward Derby and Asenath Waite
  • An Arkham Sanitarium intake assessment form for patient Edward Derby
  • The coroner's photograph of the thing found on Upton's doorstep
  • A strange and terrible note of explanation given by a late-night visitor
  • For pre-order customers only: Asenath Waite's Miskatonic student ID card
  • Track Listing

    1. Opening 3:30
    2. Old Friends 9:33
    3. Asenath 13:59
    4. A Changed Man 22:28
    5. Madness 12:56
    6. The Thing 9:07
    7. Closing 1:23
    Total Run Time 72:54

    Cast and Crew

    Leslie Baldwin...Shirley Upton
    Sean Branney...Lieutenant O’Donnell, Punk 2
    Kacey Camp...A.D.A. Crenshaw
    Hollie Hunt...Asenath Waite
    Andrew Leman...Daniel Upton
    Jacob Andrew Lyle...Eddy Upton
    Barry Lynch...Reginald Derby
    Grinnell Morris...Hoyle, Chesuncook Marshal
    David Pavao...Milt, Chalvers, Dr. Headrick
    Kevin Stidham...Edward Pickman Derby
    Josh Thoemke...Announcer
    Sarah Van der Pol...Darla Kent, Myrtle Crane
    Time Winters...Creighton Cobb

    Based on the story by H. P. Lovecraft
    Radio Adaptation by Sean Branney and Andrew Leman
    Derby’s Poetry by Clark Ashton Smith
    Original Music by Troy Sterling Nies
    Vocals Recorded at The Jungle Room, Glendale, California
    Audio Engineering by Julian Beeston
    Cover and Disc Illustrations by Darrell Tutchton
    Prop Inserts by Andrew Leman and Sean Branney
    Asenath remains sculpted by Dave Snyder
    French Consultation by Sophie Klessen
    Produced by Sean Branney and Andrew Leman

    Script, Liner Notes & More

    For your enjoyment, we present free PDF downloads of the final recording script and liner notes of The Thing on the Doorstep. Note: this script is only for use for reading along with Dark Adventure Radio Theatre; no performance of the script may be made without written consent of the HPLHS.

    A Solstice Carol
    Episode 13
    A Solstice Carol
    The White Tree
    Episode 14
    The White Tree
    The Brotherhood of the Beast
    Episode 16
    The Brotherhood of the Beast
    Liner Notes
    Liner Notes
    The Thing on the Doorstep