Episode 1: It Started With a Fire

Murder, We Spoke

2023

Welcome to Tantrum East Theatre’s podcast, hosted by Lisa Bol and Thomas Daniels. The pair have been exploring different formats for their theatre company. To survive and thrive through the pandemic, they decided to give this “podcasting thing” a try. With a flip of a coin, Bol introduces Daniels to the story of the Murder, We Spoke trio — Bernie, Paula, and Cres— and how they met their deadly demise.

Here’s the thing, back in 2019, Something Fishy — a popular true crime podcast hosted by Bailey and AJ — covered the Murder, We Spoke crimes and got tangled up in the trio’s murderous lifestyle. So, Bol and Daniels decide to get a little meta with it and tell Something Fishy’s story about Murder, We Spoke’s story…it’s a podcast in a podcast in a podcast thing.

2019

Something Fishy’s hosts — Bailey and AJ — are feeling the pressure of the true crime podcast genre and are desperate to create new, bold, exciting content that will keep them on top of the charts. They decided to launch their exclusive series covering the Murder, We Spoke trio’s crimes and the trio’s involvement in the disappearance of Roger Atwood. According to news reports, the last person to see Roger Atwood was Cres, right before the trio were apprehended in 2015. But Cres isn’t speaking to anyone. Cres has been completely silent for four years. Something Fishy gains access to interview Bernie, Paula, and Cres from prison. Their goal is to close the case on Roger Atwood by getting Cres to talk.

From their jail cell interviews, Bailey and AJ weave together their podcast series on Murder, We Spoke.

2015

The story all begins back in 2015. Bernie and Paula meet to discuss the future of their podcast. After ten years, Murder, We Spoke is nowhere near the top of the charts. They are drowning in a saturated true crime market where no one knows their name.

As Bernie and Paula argue over the fate of the podcast, they realize their partner, Cres, is missing. Bernie receives a call from the hospital reporting that Cres was involved in a fire. Little do they know, the spark from Cres’s flames is going to ignite their journey to fame.

Murder, We Spoke is a podcast in a podcast in a podcast. The series dives into people’s obsession with true crime and satirizes the true crime culture. This dark comedy series asks listeners to consider, how far would they go for fame.

Visit: www.murderwespoke.com for transcripts of every episode

Follow Murder, We Spoke on:

Facebook

Instagram: @murderwespokepodcast

Produced by Tantrum East Theatre

Written by Rachel Bykowski

Directed by Lila Rachel Becker

Sound Designer: Derek A. Graham

Sound Technician: Thomas Daniels
Stage Manager: Olivia Tymon

Featuring the talents of:

Mary Glen Frederick

Maria Fernanda Diez

Hannah Karpenko

Luli Gomez Teruel

Tom Morin

Jenna Zhu

Lisa Bol

Thomas Daniels

Special thanks to:

A. R. T. New York
The New York Council on the Arts
Karen Hammond
Amanda Brummund
Josh Pritchard
Kelly Florence
Nina Field
Laakan McHardy
Alice Wu
Rachel Mock
Carter Caldwell
Alycia Kunkle
Liat Graf
and
Tracey Greenwood