Dungeons + Drama Nerds

Todd, Nick, and Percy dig into the work of theatre theorist and practitioner Augusto Boal and the techniques of theatre of the oppressed, looking at how we might apply those principles to tabletop role-playing games (and vice versa!).  Sources: - Theatre of the Oppressed by Augusto Boal, trans. Charles A. and Maria-Odilia Leal McBride - Games for Actors and Non-Actors - Augusto Boal - “Theatre for...

The gang explores a secret lab and gets up close and personal with some of the gelatinous clouds they first discovered deep within the BromCom building. What other secrets lie in the old mines beneath Bromwell, PA? Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Our Kids on Bikes game features CJ Linton...

Todd and Percy chat about two plays in the kids on bikes genre, including the way each play interacts with the conventions of that genre and each play's relation to queerness and monstrosity. Plays Discussed: -  Wolfcrush (a queer werewolf play) by Haygen-Brice Walker -  The Interrobangers by M Sloth Levine  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas O...

Micah leads the gang to the old town hall and coal museum, where they delve deep into one of the town's secrets. Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Our Kids on Bikes game features CJ Linton as the GM, Ella Mock as Kodi Thompson Lee Garcia Smith, Percival Hornak as Hank Boswell, Emma Covert...

This week, Todd, Percy, and Nick dig into the use of nostalgia in games and in performance, particularly musical theatre, and discuss its mythmaking potential and transformative power.  Sources: - Rebecca Ann Rugg “What it used to be: Nostalgia and the State of the Broadway Musical” (2002) - Steven T. Wright, "Goonieswave: The Rise of Kids-on-Bikes Games" (EGM, 2019) - Glen Weldon, "Kids On Bikes:...

Hank, Kodi, Fred, and George continue their field trip at BromCom, partake in a disappointing cafeteria lunch, and learn more about Micah Lovelace and her newfound psychic powers.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Our Kids on Bikes game features CJ Linton as the GM, Ella Mock as Kodi Thom...

Nick, Todd, and Percy chat about the use of violence in theatre and tabletop games - how it appears, what purposes it serves, and what it might tell us about both arts.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Our Kids on Bikes game features CJ Linton as the GM, Ella Mock as Kodi Thompson Lee Ga...

Our Kids on Bikes game kicks off with a middle school field trip to Bromwell, Pennsylvania's new silicon chip manufacturing plant, BromCom. Hank, Kodi, Fred, and George terrorize a scientist, investigate a mysterious green light, and find something surprising deep in the heart of BromCom's offices.   Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, an...

Nick sits down with CJ Linton, GM of our current Kids on Bikes game, to chat about dramaturgy, GMing, and game design, and how these three practices overlap for him.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Our Kids on Bikes game features CJ Linton as the GM, Ella Mock as Kodi Thompson Lee Garci...

Welcome to Bromwell, Pennsylvania! In this session zero, you'll learn about the town and meet the crew of dirty little weirdos in our upcoming game of Kids on Bikes!  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Our Kids on Bikes game features CJ Linton as the GM, Ella Mock as Kodi Thompson Lee Garci...

Todd and Nick review the rules of the next game we're playing on the podcast: Kids on Bikes! They discuss the ins and outs of playing the game as well as specific mechanics they hope to see in our actual play campaign.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and In...

Nick chats with the cast of Bluebeard's Bride about the game - what surprised them, what they enjoyed, what was particularly scary. Tune in next week for the start of our Kids on Bikes series! Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @DnDramaNerds, chec...

This week, we're bringing you part two of our game of Bluebeard's Bride, featuring the Sisters' exploration of two more rooms. What is the final truth the Bride will propose? Listen to find out! Content Warnings: First Room (00-29:00) gaslighting unwanted sexual advances fingernail torture Second Room (29:00-50:29) taxidermied animals body horror hanging (of dolls) violence towards children Dungeo...

Percy and Nick sit down with Strix Beltrán, one of the creators of Bluebeard's Bride and a professional narrative designer, and chat about Bluebeard's Bride, LARPing, immersive theater, and the games field as a whole.  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, and Ins...

This week, we're bringing you part one of our game of Bluebeard's Bride, featuring the Sisters' first two explorations of rooms in Bluebeard's house - the master bedroom and a luxurious bathroom... Content Warnings: room 1 (9:14 - 35:34) dolls fatphobia/body shaming body mutilation unwanted touch room 2 (38:52 - 55:05) sex Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak,...

Our two-episode game of Bluebeard's Bride kicks off with character creation - we meet our Sisters, learn about their courtship with Bluebeard, and give our Groundskeeper lots of inspiration for rooms in Bluebeard's house...  Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nicholas Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Facebook, Twitter, a...

Nick, Todd, and Percy review and discuss the mechanics of the next game to be featured on the podcast - Bluebeard's Bride; they chat about the horror genre, the game's themes of gendered violence and agency, and the way the mechanics embody those themes. Tune in next week for the first half of our game of Bluebeard's Bride! Dungeons and Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak...

This week, Todd, Nick, and Percy sit down with James D'Amato of the One Shot podcast, Campaign: Skyjacks, and author ofThe Ultimate RPG Backstory Guide, The Ultimate RPG Gameplay Guide. They chat about his newest book, The Ultimate RPG Game Master's Worldbuilding Guide, as well as how his improv training has served him in his TTRPG career.  Tune in next week for a brief overview of Bluebeard's Bri...

The cast of Blades In The Dark chats about the campaign, their chaotic crew, and the etymology of Todd's last name.  Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nick Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Twitter and Instagram @dndramanerds, and on Facebook at Dungeons and Drama Nerds. For cast bios, head to our website, dungeonsanddrama...

Our game of Blades in the Dark concludes as the Silver Cowls return the artifact to the Circle of Flame, not without a bit of inter-party squabbling...  Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nick Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Twitter and Instagram @dndramanerds, and on Facebook at Dungeons and Drama Nerds. For cast bios, h...

This week, Todd, Nick, and Percy discuss the role and potential pitfalls of using stock characters and archetypes in theatre and tabletop role-playing games, as well as the way playbooks or character classes tie into using archetypes and tropes.  Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nick Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Twit...

This week, the Silver Cowls head to pick up an artifact from the Silver Nails and attempt to avoid the horde of Hollows outside the headquarters where they're making this score. When they meet their contact at The Mustang, they're in for a bit of a nasty surprise... Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nick Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel D...

This week, Todd, Nick, and Percy dive into a recurring theme in discourse about tabletop role-playing games: fiction-forward games and "crunchy" games. They dissect what these terms mean, discuss their own takes on the value of each approach to game design, and try to locate Blades in the Dark within that spectrum. Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nick...

This week in our Blades in the Dark game, Princess Mirena plays matchmaker, Wick confronts their rival, Milos' colleague Philomena continues her search for the imaginary book, and the Silver Cowls embark on a new score, this time with much more on the line. Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nick Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find...

This week, Todd, Nick, and Percy chat about the role of the GM in different systems, focusing on transparency, player agency, and Blades in the Dark's framing of the game as a conversation between the GM and the players. Dungeons + Drama Nerds is produced by Todd Brian Backus, Percival Hornak, and Nick Orvis, and is mixed and edited by Anthony Sertel Dean. Find us on Twitter and Instagram @dndrama...