SHADOWGRAM NEWS UPDATE   # 349
March 4, 2015
 
Hello, Dark Shadows Fan,
 
ShadowGram (SG), The Official Newsletter & News Source for Dark Shadows (DS), announces the following key breaking news in this Official Dark Shadows News Online Update "bulletin."
 
 
**** LARA PARKER-RECORDING HER DS NOVELS
**** LISA RICHARDS ONSTAGE IN PLAY
**** SHADOWGRAM SOON TO ANNOUNCE PREIMINARY PLANS FOR THE DS FESTIVAL’S DARK SHADOWS’ 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
 
 
**** LARA’S 3 DS NOVELS SOON AVAILABLE ON CD & DOWNLOADS
 
Lara (Angelique, Cassandra, Alexis, Catherine) has written 3 novels for Tor Books, each with intertwining streams: a story set in DS’ approximate late 1960s-early/mid-1970s time period blending with a flashback story exploring characters’ earlier lives. Original and TV characters and their histories are presented, revealing connections across the centuries.
 
In late Feb., Lara began recording the first book in complete, unabridged form.  She’s currently doing “Angelique’s Descent,” soon to be followed by “The Salem Branch,” then “Wolf Moon Rising.” These are being produced through Audible, An Amazon Company.
 
Several more sessions are scheduled in a Los Angeles recording studio. Each audio book then will be released individually, once the multiple sessions are done and the work of assembling and editing the material together is completed.
 
When released, each book will be available as a download and on compact discs. Ordering information will be announced closer to the confirmed release date.
 
Lara’s first book ANGELIQUE’S DESCENT (1998) is her story of Angelique’s life, from being a young girl worshipped as a goddess-on-earth through her training in magic and dark arts, encounters with Barnabas Collins in Martinique, then coming to Collinsport as maidservant to the DuPres family in 1795-1796 and meeting Barnabas again – all from Angelique’s point of view. There also is a contemporary story of the fate of the Old House – and its new owner.
 
THE SALEM BRANCH (2006) details her earlier incarnation (introduced briefly on DS) as a free-spirited witch in the late 1600s – and the period of the Salem Witch Trials in Salem, Massachusetts. Running concurrently is a contemporary story furthering the Collins family’s and Angelique’s lives together over 400 years.
 
In WOLF MOON RISING (2013), Barnabas faces an unusual new vampire as he also copes with what his own undead existence has wrought – and who now threatens that existence. At the same time, a teenaged David Collins finds a love that soon carries him back to the 1920s Prohibition era, where a young, flamboyant Elizabeth Collins, her father, her very special and unusual love, all are entangled with the critical location of a magical portrait missing in contemporary times.
 
Audible was founded in 1998, purchased by Amazon in 2008, and in 2012 launched Whispersync for Voice, which allows readers to switch between reading a Kindle book and listening to the corresponding audio book at whatever point where the curser is on the Kindle or reading device. Audible players are available for Apple iPhones, iPods, Androids, and Windows Phone devices.
 
More information about Audible is found on its website: http://www.audible.com/t1/30trial_at?source_code=GO1GBSH060214909Y&mkwid=sLF8lA848_dc&pcrid=51277589529&pmt=b&pkw=%2Baudible.&gclid=CIGDq9WukMQCFQ0bgQode4kAvQ
 
Additionally, Lara is finishing up her 4th DS novel, “The Heiress of Collinwood.” It’s her story of Victoria Winters’ life before, during, and after she came to Collinwood. The novel is scheduled for publication in 2016 for DS’ 50th Anniversary. (The original daytime series debuted on ABC-TV 6-27-66.)
 
SG thanks Lara and Roy Isbell for their help with this announcement.
 
 
**** LISA RICHARDS IN PLAY AT ICONIC ACTORS STUDIO WEST
 
Lisa (Sabrina Stuart) tells SG she has “a small but nice part” as “sex therapist Madame Yoda” in the play GOOD IN BED at the iconic Actors Studio West. “It runs Saturdays and Sundays at 2:00, through March 14.
 
Actors Studio West, 8341 DeLongpre Ave., West Hollywood, CA 90069.  323-654-7125.
 
“The Actors Studio was formed to provide a place where professional actors could work together between jobs or during long runs to continue to develop their craft and to experiment with new forms in creative theatre work. Many known and renowned actors have benefited from their membership with the Actors Studio. Membership is a commitment that affords a place for its members to work on their craft and techniques in private and in concert with master moderators and close colleagues. This commitment is free to our membership.”
 
 
**** COMING SOON:
SHADOWGRAM TO ANNOUNCE EARLY INFORMATION ABOUT DS’ 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
 
The upcoming ShadowGram Double SG #124-#125 print issue and the ShadowGram Online Updates soon will premiere-announce the date and preliminary plans for the DARK SHADOWS' Golden 50th Anniversary Celebration Weekend in 2016.
 
ShadowGram is The Official Dark Shadows Published Newsletter & News Source, along with the ShadowGram Official Dark Shadows News Online Updates. SG announces and reports directly-confirmed DS news.

You are so irrational, Barnabas scoffs.

Julia should have smacked him.

"Man of Earth"  "The sign of the Naga"  "The Chosen Ones"  Awesome stuff.

Bummer, dom. 

Neat ritual.  So was it water that was given to Barnabas to drink?  The branches, the goblet, the fire... accessories that mark my initial introduction to earth-based religions.  It's too bad Gordon Russell couldn't come up with better imagery.  "Shall stand upon this earth as one stands upon a footstool"... Seriously?

What I gather is that innumerable Leviathans are dormant, but Barnabas will pave the way for them to become flesh and blood in his modern time.  Haza and Oberon will go along as spirits so they can advise him through his dreams.  Not long after, a powerful leader will emerge at the time the box will be opened.  All of this was prophesied 2000 years ago.

I'm using the quotes in the Leviathan Concordance, which is pretty good btw.

We reach Josette's moment at the cliff's edge, end. By Sam Hall. Was anything else different from the first time around, DL, MB?  I always wonder whether what Natalie knew, and when she knew it, is inconsistent in this 1795 revival.

I'd hazard a guess that the writers bothered to get their hands on the script for #425.  The women's costumes are all different here (Josette's new green cape is killer!), and Riggs is absent, but the events and Natalie's reaction to them are pretty similar right up to that moment on the brink of Widow's Hill.  But only that one script, because the events in #886 are biiizare.

Angelique has broken her promise and is following Barnabas’s unwitting instructions to the letter.

Angelique didn't really break any promise, did she?  Just before disappearing, she seemed to be telling Barnabas what he could do with his "bargain".

Frid was very good but got left out of the closing credits.

Here's another answer from tonight's Jeopardy that should have mentioned DS:

Category: 3-NAMED ACTORS
A child star in The Bad News Bears, he's been a very different presence in recent films like Watchmen.

It was worth $2000 but even with a photo provided, no one rang in.

Happy Birthday, LdyAnne! 

CastleBee, hope you'll return to play!