The Whisperer in Darkness
"...a hidden race of monstrous beings which lurks somewhere among the remoter hills — in the deep woods of the highest peaks."
Albert Wilmarth, a professor of folklore at Miskatonic University, receives a curious piece of mail. It contains a recording of a man claiming that strange creatures live in the remote regions of the mountains of Vermont - just as described in old folklore. After an exchange of recordings, Professor Wilmarth eventually goes to Vermont to investigate for himself. What he discovers there is far, far worse than anything he could have imagined. Can the professor escape with his life and sanity, or will he become a part of a horror descended from interstellar space?
SPECIAL PANDEMIC EPISODE: This show was produced during the heart of the lockdown response to COVID-19, in a manner that would ensure the health and safety of our entire team through the process. The result was a new approach to a familiar story, and one that was in keeping with these challenging times.
Get it now!Props
To enhance your listening pleasure, the HPLHS has packed the binder sleeve for The Whisperer in Darkness with carefully created props from the story. You'll get:
Track Listing
1. The Beginning 5:26
2. The Folklorist 10:41
3. The Farmer 9:50
4. The Theories 14:04
5. The Threats 16:04
6. The Whisperer 17:05
7. The End 4:27
Total Runtime 77:37
Cast and Crew
Leslie Baldwin...Gladys Tantaquidgeon
Sean Branney...Henry Akeley
Kacey Camp...Western Union Operator
Andrew Leman...Albert Wilmarth
Dick Lizzardo...Nelson Barr
Jacob Lyle...Station Agent
Kevin Stidham...Mr. Noyes
Josh Thoemke...Announcer
Time Winters...W.W.N. Anchor
ttsMP3...B-67
Based on the story by H.P. Lovecraft
Written by Sean Branney & Andrew Leman
Music by Troy Sterling Nies
Cover and disc illustrations by Darrell Tutchton
Prop Inserts by Andrew Leman & Sean Branney
Produced by Sean Branney and Andrew Leman
Script, Liner Notes & More
When Wilmarth wants to learn about Native American legends of the hill creatures, we thought it would be fun if he interviewed a Native American. Gladys Tantaquidgeon was a real person! Her interview with Wilmarth was originally intended to be longer, but it had to be cut down in order to make the show fit on a CD. She was a Mohegan medicine woman who studied anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania in the 1920s and '30s. The picture above is of her (in front on the left) and some friends in her early student days. In 1931 she co-founded the Tantaquidgeon Indian Museum in Uncasville, Connecticut. Some of her lines in the show are direct quotes from the real Gladys. She lived to be over 100 and was quite an interesting person.
We often like to note that Lovecraft's tales are based on true stories, and Whisperer is no exception. The Great Vermont Flood of 1927 was a real event. The news report in the show describing it was originally intended to be longer, but it too had to be cut down for time. For a bonus bonus prop, CLICK HERE to download a replica of news coverage from the day!
HPLHS member Christian Matzke sent us this genuine vintage photograph he found, saying that it looked to him like a picture of the sinister and mysterious Mi-Go agent Walter Brown. We considered including it as a prop document for this episode, but ultimately decided to make it an online bonus instead of one of the official printed props. We thank Christian for his contribution!
In case you were not aware of it, we also did a motion picture adaptation of this story that has a rather different ending. You should check it out! Nate Ward and Charlie Tower, who are only briefly alluded to in this episode, are much more prominently featured in the movie version.
For your enjoyment, we present free PDF downloads of the final recording script and liner notes of "The Whisperer in Darkness". 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.
