Tales from the Museum

Tales from the Museum is an audio miniseries, currently in its 7th episode (preproduction). The series details the incidents that occur at the Regional Museum in Johnson, IL, during the tenure of Keith Nash. The museum is reported to be haunted, and as such, the adventures and incidents all have a supernatural character to them.

The series is written by Charles Russell, and the audio miniseries is produced and directed by Elie Hirschman. Post-production on the series is done by MJ Cogburn. Music used is composed by Joey Stuckey and Kevin MacLeod, with Joey Stuckey's custom creation used as the title theme music.

The Main Characters

KEITH NASH: Nash was a cop. For the past three years he worked undercover narcotics. A few months ago, Nash was in on a massive drug sweep, which involved the police, FBI and DEA. The raid went bad and a gun battle ensued. Nash took a 9mm slug in his leg. He was given a medical discharge from the police department. His old captain cashed in a favor and got him hired as the “Special Services Coordinator” at the Regional Museum. When he was hired, Nash was told that his main job functions would include such tasks as background checks on job applicants, handling security at various museum functions and other “odd jobs as they come up.” Unfortunately, for Nash, the museum seems to act as a lightning rod for unearthly forces and occurrences. Nash has come face to face with ancient curses, werewolves, and a snake cult… All of which contradict his pragmatic approach to life. Nash can come across as a very grim individual, but he does have a smart alec sense of humor. Nash has been referred to as the man you want watching your back. He is very loyal to his friends, but he is not someone you want to have angry at you. He has been accused of being a workaholic in the past. In fact, he does tend to wrap himself up in his job, including this one. Nash is a male Caucasian, in his late thirties. He walks with a slight limp and keeps his service pistol (a .45 semiauto) in a locked desk drawer. Nash would readily confess to being more action-oriented as opposed to a thinker. But he has the ability to size-up a situation, plot an action and follow through with that action. Nash is very attracted to Helene Mancuso, but both of them have very strict personal rules against workplace romances.

DR. HELENE MANCUSO: Nash refers to Dr. Helene Mancuso as a woman “with a hemi-engine for a brain”. Helene is considered by most people to be a genius. She holds a Ph.D. in archaeology as well as two master’s degrees. Helene is a tenured instructor at the university. She has worked her way up the ladder at the museum and is only the second woman in the museum’s history to have a seat at the board table. She often lunches with Prof. Pierpointe, the museum director. Her rise to prominence is partially due to the development of a very competitive personality. “Ambition,” she says. “It’s my vice.” Helene has written several papers on pre-Egyptian civilization and has participated in numerous archaeological digs. Helene’s main project at this time is a book she is writing on the Sumerian culture. Helene is also very insecure partially because she is a very attractive woman. Despite her achievements in the academic world, she feels that she has not been taken seriously. Her initial reaction to Nash was cold and aloof, until she realized that he was not a threat to her. They enjoy each other’s company. She can beat him at poker, but he can generally take her at chess Helene is one of the few staff people who is aware of the strange goings-on in the museum, and has ended up in threatening situations a few times. As stated, Helene is a tall attractive woman (think Stella on CSI-New York). Casey, Nash’s intern, has referred to her as “The thinking man’s object of lust.”

CASEY: Casey is Nash’s intern. He is a perpetual college student who has been in school “a while now”. He has changed majors many times, but is in no hurry to graduate. He is perfectly content to go to class in the mornings, then work in the afternoons. He is eager enough when it comes to taking care of what Nash needs done. He sees Nash as a really good boss, mostly because Nash doesn’t “bug” him about his hair. He can tell some wild stories about what goes on in the museum building. Casey, is a tall, scrawny kid with a thick mass of curly hair and a goatee. He dresses like a typical slacker. His current major is philosophy, he thinks.

DR. PHIL STEIN: Stein is the museum herpetologist, the “Snake Guy”. He has been in charge of the museum’s “Reptile Room” since it opened. He is the type of man who has no problems wrestling an anaconda, but is terrified of spiders. He’s a grandfatherly man who people just naturally talk to. Nash recently discovered that Stein is wanted by INTERPOL. Stein doesn’t like to talk about it.

PROF. JULIUS PIERPOINTE: The often discussed, but seldom seen, director of the museum. Nash has seen him once, when he (Nash) was hired. They have spoken on the telephone many times. The professor is an unabashed cynic, and has told Nash that one of the main reasons for the position of Special Services Coordinator is to have someone else to deal with the reports of mysterious happenings. His main concern is maintaining the impeccable reputation of “his” museum.

THE REGIONAL MUSEUM: The museum is located downtown in a city based on Johnson City, TN. The main structure consists of what was once the administration building of a junior college that merged with the university in 1931, and what was an abandoned department store next door. The west wing houses the year-round exhibits, art gallery and historical exhibits. The east wing has the auditorium, classrooms, and the rotating displays. This summer there will be twelve audio- animatronic dinosaurs. Ghosts have been sighted in numerous rooms. Strange noises come from the subbasement and visitors often feel a presence nearby. A visiting psychic once told museum staff that the main building was constructed above a source of “intense” psychic power. He referred to this mass of power as a “vortex.” The exterior of the building has been described as an “imposing brick structure.” But, Dr. Helene Mancuso has stated the “We have the best Halloween parties.” Allegedly, there is an unknown evil presence imprisoned in the furnace room, a crying lady on the abandoned top floor and various apparitions all through the facility. Legends surround the place of murders, mysterious disappearances and bizarre religious orders. Some of these were “documented” by a PBS special. All in all, the museum is an interesting and challenging place to work…But things keep happening.

Episode Rundowns

Note: these are from Charles Russell's original series note. Slight discrepancies may exist in Darker Projects' finished audio version.

Cult of the Serpents

The mysterious poisoning of a graduate student brings Keith Nash and his colleagues into a confrontation with a sinister cult. Their intentions are unclear, but the threat they pose is certain and immediate. Will Nash, Dr. Stein and Dr. Mancuso be able to overcome the danger of the Cult of Serpents?

The Reaper Tapestry

The museum has been bequeathed some priceless pieces of art from the collection of the late Carlo Colletti. Helene is in charge of arranging the pieces in the storage dock for the upcoming auction. One of the items is a tapestry from dark ages Europe. The tapestry features an image of the Grim Reaper, standing on a pile of twelve human skulls. On the day before the auction a gentleman, Dr. Augustus Spears, claiming to be the rightful owner of the tapestry appears. He tells the story of how the tapestry was woven during the Black Plague and is cursed. The doctor tells Nash and Helene that he must be given the tapestry so that he can destroy it and end the curse. That night the tapestry is stolen. Nash is in pursuit and follows the thieves to a townhouse. There he finds Spears and an accomplice. They are preparing to burn the tapestry. The doctor is performing an incantation to bind the evil spirit to the fabric. There is a flask of lightning and the lights go out. Spears’ accomplice screams. The room begins to fill with a fine mist, Spears calls it “The scent of death. He’s here.” Nash: “Who?” “The reaper, he’s in this room.” Spears’ accomplice screams. There is a swooshing noise, and silence. Spears begins to cry that he has failed and is doomed. There is another swoosh, and Nash is now alone in a pitch-black room with an evil spirit.

Summoning his courage Nash taunts the creature. “You want to kill me too? You wanna? Well come on then. But, you’re going to have to work for it. I’m not a pushover like these two.” Nash feels something massive towering over him. Then, the candles on the table sputter back alight and the study doors open. A voice in the semi-darkness says "Absedo", Italian for “Get out.”

On the news, the next morning there is a story about a grisly cult-style murder in a local townhouse. Nash has the tapestry on his desk. He tells Helene that this item needs to be boxed up and either locked away, or destroyed. She asks why. In the description of the item, it says that the reaper is standing on a pile of twelve human skulls. But, when she counts the skulls, there are fourteen.

Beneath the Foundation

On a cold, full moon night a peculiar gathering takes place at the museum. This is the Second Annual Haunted Museum Mystery Tour. Since there are many stories floating around about haunts in the museum, the management allows a large group from the New South Center for Psychical Research to come in and tour. The NSCPR spokesman is Mala Munro, a flamboyant gypsy of a woman. Everything is going well until 3:00 AM, when a scream echoes through the halls. A young woman, a medium, is basically under a psychic attack. The girl, Julie, is screaming that there are too many voices, too many trying to speak through her. She screams for someone named Adrienne. Adrienne, the girl’s spirit contact, takes control and speaks through the girl, Julie.

Adrienne informs those around her that there are several ghosts residing in the museum. But there is something else. Somewhere under the museum, there is a lost man. He is screaming in agony, begging to be found. His grave is older than the building, and he can’t remember who he used to be.

Adrienne begs Nash to help her find the man. She tells him that releasing the screaming man from his grave would help to stabilize the flow of paranormal energy through the building. Nash agrees, reluctantly.

Julie returns and tells Nash that Adrienne has left to speak with the “others” who live in the building. Nash gets the keys to the lower levels and the two of them start off. On the way down into the basement, Adrienne reappears and tells Nash some of the ghost stories.

At the furnace room, Adrienne tells Nash to never enter the furnace room at night. A presence, something very old and very evil lives in there. But something else keeps it confined and imprisoned. They find another room and they enter. The small storage room is empty, but Adrienne announces that this is it. Julie tells Nash that there are no physical remains just the psychic trace. Adrienne returns and tells Nash to run. It’s loose. A loud, disembodied breathing can be heard. Julie screams that she has “lost” Adrienne. She passes out and Nash has to carry her up out of the basement. Julie is asleep on the couch in Nash’s office, when Adrienne appears. She tells Nash that the lost man is at rest now. But, the evil in the basement is unlike anything she has ever seen. She begs him to make sure that anyone who ventures down there make sure there is plenty of light. Whatever it is, It’s afraid of the light.

Return of the Serpents

In the episode, Cult of the Serpents, Helene was briefly under the control of Argus and his snake worshipers. Tonight she sits at home, reading her notes into a tape recorder. The telephone rings. It’s Argus. He triggers a post-hypnotic suggestion and she is, once again, under his control. She calls Nash to come and visit. Nash is all too happy to oblige.

When he arrives at Helene’s condo, he is jumped by two of Argus’ thugs. He is subdued and Argus tells him that unless he cooperates, No one will ever see Helene Mancuso again. The Cult of the Serpent needs three things from Dr. Stein’s offices. First, his supply of the broad-spectrum anti-venom. Second, all of his computer disks and CD-ROMS. Thirdly, any and all written materials pertaining to research by a Dr. A. Draper. The research pertains to a theory of selective breading of certain venomous reptiles and how extracts from their venom can have medical uses.

Nash asks why not just send Stein. Argus smiles and hands him a cell phone. Stein is on the other end. Argus has both Stein and Helene. Stein tells Nash that the two of them are in a wire age surrounded by snakes. It’s not bothering Stein, but Helene appears to be in a trance. If Helene should snap out of the trance before she is removed from the cage…Helene is terrified of snakes.

Nash retrieves the items and goes to the meeting place, an abandoned house outside of town. Argus releases Helene and Stein. But a goon pushes Nash through a hole in the floor into the basement. Nash finds himself facing five specially bred Berean vipers. Nash pulls his gun. Argus is taunting him because there is no way Nash can defeat all five of the vipers before one gets him.

Nash starts firing, but one of the snakes clamps down on his ankle. Nash grabs it and throws it at Argus. The snake sinks its fangs deep into Argus’ throat. Argus falls through the same hole Nash was pushed through. Nash shoots Argus’ goon. He reloads, finishes off the last viper, and then limps upstairs.

“Doc, are those vipers as bad as the red cobras?” “They’re lethal, but not as bad as the red cobra. Why?” “So you’re anti-venom would work then?” “If we had some to inject. He sent it away with those followers.” “Actually, I gave myself a shot of it before I left the museum. One of those ‘It might be a good idea’ ideas. See the bruise.” “How big of a dose did you give yourself?” “A whole vial. Why?” “Well, you’re going to sick as a dog in the morning.”

Later, Helen asks why Argus was so interested in this research. Stein tells her that A. Parker was a respected authority in herpetology circles. But, he disappeared a few years ago. “But why was he so focused on this research?” “A. Parker,” says Nash. “His first name was Argus.”

Day One This is something like an origin story.

It’s Nash’s first day on his new job. While cleaning out his office, he finds a journal belonging to the previous special services coordinator, Ellen Arbogast. This was a woman who had gone insane and been committed to a local mental hospital three years earlier. As Nash reads the journal, we are introduced to the main characters, all of who add a little more flesh to the story.

The story involves an empty room on the top floor. An area that had been a psychological research lab in the days when the museum building was a part of the college. Cruel experiments had been done on volunteers in order to bring on a state of what was then called shell shock. This was done in order to test a theory regarding how to cure such a condition.

Something she saw, or experienced, drove Ellen Arbogast into a catatonic state, where she is today. The last entry in the journal reads: “I close this story now. I can feel the bony fingers of madness reaching into my brain. I would tell you to run. Run as far and as fast as you can away from here. But, if you want to build upon the ashes, my ashes, you do so at your own peril.”

Cast

Episode 1: The Cult of Serpents

Featured in the cast were:

Perry Whittle as Keith Nash

Amanda Fitzwater as Helene Mancuso

Alasdair Stuart as Casey

Captain John Tadrzak as Dr. Stein

David Ault as Argus

Episode 2: The Curse of the Wolf

Featured in the cast were:

Perry Whittle as Keith Nash

Amanda Fitzwater as Helene Mancuso

Alasdair Stuart as Casey

M. Sieiro Garcia as Jenna

April Smith as Marcia

Zack Fester as Holland

Episode 3: The Reaper Tapestry

Featured in the cast were:

Perry Whittle as Keith Nash

Amanda Fitzwater as Helene Mancuso

Alasdair Stuart as Casey

MJ Cogburn as Worker 1

Miles Reid as Worker 2

David Alexander MacDonald as the Computer voice

Paul Mannering as Dr. Augustus Spears

Colin Snow as Horst

Elie Hirschman as the Reaper

Episode 4: Beneath the Foundation

Featured in the cast were:

Perry Whittle as Keith Nash

Alasdair Stuart as Casey

Amanda Fitzwater as Dr. Helene Mancuso

M. Sieiro Garcia as Mala Monroe

April Smith as Angie Monroe and Adrienne

Additional voices by Colin Snow, Zack Fester, MJ Cogburn and Paula Cartwright

Episode 5: Return of the Serpents

Featured in the cast were:

Perry Whittle as Keith Nash

Amanda Fitzwater as Dr. Helene Mancuso

Captain John Tadrzak as Dr. Stein

David Ault as Argus

David A. Macdonald as the Computer voice

Chip Joel as Skippy the Goon and Morton

Episode 6: Day One

Featured in the cast were:

Perry Whittle as Keith Nash

Alasdair Stuart as Casey

Amanda Fitzwater as Dr. Helene Mancuso

Kimberly Gianopoulos as Ellen Arbogast

Bruce Busby as Professor Pierpointe

Chip Joel as Morton the security Guard

Elie Hirschman as the voice

Episode 7: The Amulet and the Scroll

Featured in the cast were:

Perry Whittle as Keith Nash

Alasdair Stuart as Casey

Amanda Fitzwater as Dr. Helene Mancuso

Chris Williams as Blutbad

David Ault as Jurgen Werner

M Sieiro Garcia as the Hotel Receptionist

David A. MacDonald as the Computer Voice

Chip Joel as Morton the security Guard

Jules Ismail as Lt. Hogan