QuietPlease.org Productions, the creative team behind “253 Mathilde”, proudly announces the debut of their latest radio play series. Beyond Awakening. The series premiered on Friday, August 16, 2024. The first episode, “Unrealized Realities,” is now available at https://www.quietplease.org/awakening and on all podcasting platforms.

Set aboard a Galactic Confederacy starship responding to a mysterious distress call, this first episode follows the crew as they grapple with the unsettling realization that not everything in their lives is as it seems. The crew must question everything they think they know as they embark on a season-long journey that will dramatically change them. Their ultimate challenge is to separate fact from fiction before they lose their minds.

In this full-cast production, the four main roles are filled with talent from 253 Mathilde. John Gaunce plays Captain Mack Hardcase, a brave Captain Kirk-style leader who feels a little out of his time. David Loftus portrays the inscrutable Dr. Clay Erhardt, whose deep curiosity borders on mad science and leads him to test the limits of an uncertain reality. Steff Knappe plays the ultra-strong, multi-tentacled alien commander Misty L’Quil, who wrestles with the discrepancy between the person she’s supposed to be and the person she is. Gwenith Knight is Ensign Trisha Blackburn, who we meet in a state of bliss with her head resting on a cow.

Created, written, directed and produced by Paul Knierim, Beyond Awakening explores themes of uncertainty, alienation and skepticism. On one level, the series feels a bit like The Orville, with a lighthearted, cliched space adventure setting – but on another level, it’s a deeply intense journey down a rabbit hole akin to The Matrix. It grapples with the difficulty of reinventing yourself when you start to doubt everything that made you who you are, and as such is a compelling listen for podcast fans who appreciate thought-provoking science fiction.

The first season will consist of seven episodes, with episodes 2 through 7 scheduled to be released every three weeks on Fridays starting September 13 through the end of the year. Most notably, the episodes will be available early for Patreon backers, giving loyal fans a chance to engage with the series before its public release.