In March of this year, we had the great pleasure of talking to talented actor Jack Kilmer, son of iconic performer Val Kilmer for his role in the Echoverse Scripted Pod Cast: The Lesser Dead. The Lesser Dead stars Jack Kilmer as Joey Peacock, Minnie Driver as Margaret McMannis, Danny Huston as the Hessian, and Saul Rubinek as Cvetko. You can read The Lesser Dead synopsis below:
Synopsis: THE LESSER DEAD is an immersive audio drama about a disparate group of vampires living in the wild-and-wooly world of 1978 New York City. Our narrator Joey Peacock (Jack Kilmer) — an irreverent, eternally-young 19-year-old — introduces us to his unconventional family and its formidable leader, Margaret McMannis (Minnie Driver), who has built a home for all of them under the subways of the city. Margaret’s strict rules have kept them safe and secure for decades… Until one night when Joey’s discovery of three little kid vampires turns their world upside-down forever.
Echoverse will soon be releasing a behind the scenes audio feature on the making of The Lesser Dead, talking to the talented people who brought this story to life. Thanks to the great people at Echoverse, we are pleased to present this exclusive excerpt from this upcoming feature. (This is followed by an edited text version)
Narrator
And now, for a behind the scenes look at the making of The Lesser Dead, featuring the team of directors, producers and writers who helped create the series. A lot of effort goes into creating the world of The Lesser Dead to bring the show to life. Real places in New York City were used to ground the story in reality.
Director Dan Blank
In 1978, Belvedere Castle in Central Park was boarded up and Lord knows who or what might have been squatting in there. And within a modern metropolis like New York, the Dark Woods and the Spooky Castle, they hark back to the gothic settings of classic horror with even the rain and the wind howling outside. So, when Joey creeps into the castle, we share his feelings of dread, unsure what he might find in there.
From ‘The Lesser Dead’ Podcast:
Joey: A 19th century make believe castle right out of a fairy tale. The fairy tale ran out of money though, the windows are boarded up with plywood and all the stonework and doors have sprouted graffiti.
Christopher Buehlman, Author of the Lesser Dead
I kept flying back in there and doing on the ground research. You know, I went, of course, I went to Central Park. But when I went there, I spoke to people in Belvedere Castle and looked at pictures of Central Park as it was before. I went to the MTA museum (The New York Transit Museum), and I spent time in old subway cars to see how they looked as opposed to the way they look now.
Narrator: But Belvedere Castle wasn’t the only priority for the creators.
Director Dan Blank
New York at that time, felt like this place full of seedy underworlds and areas that should be avoided after dark at all costs. While nearby, the rich and famous were partying in nightclubs like Studio 54.
Executive producer, Mark Stern
When you were doing a story set in 1970’s, New York City, it’s kind of a requisite that you need to do a Studio 54 scene. Great shout out to our composer Benjamin Sturley who really did such an amazing job with this score on every level.
Composer Benjamin Sturley
The cool thing is that time period and that specific, you know, specific club was so documented. It was world famous then, it’s world famous just as much now. And I got lucky enough that I was able to find some bootleg recording of the New Year’s Eve DJ, I believe 77, 78… his set at Studio 54. So, and it’s like just like deep on YouTube somewhere. So, I just, you know, I mean, it’s a perfect reference. So, I listen to that and like, just basically what his DJ style was.
Director Dan Blank
Studio 54 is the den of the Hessian. Who would he use and rely on within that world? I like the idea that this sort of conservative vampire, you know, has a drag queen friend. Lady Jesus is one of those characters who you just see them in your mind’s eye. You just know what that, that character looks like. You know, and I thought that the actor who played her did such a great job of, of really infusing that character with so much power but also humor.
From ‘The Lesser Dead’ Podcast:
Joey: Excuse you, Lady! Jesus!
Lady Jesus: [Chuckles] Lady Jesus? I like that. I think that’s my name tonight.
Joey: Why don’t you just watch where you’re going?
Lady Jesus: Shut up and dance.
Director Dan Blank
I said, you know, if we’re going to do it, then I think it’s really important that we get a real drag performer to play the role of Lady Jesus. And we got Sherry Vine who is like a mainstay of New York, the New York drag scene. And she’s been doing this, you know, since the nineties in New York. So, you know, while she wasn’t in Studio 54, she’s certainly been around the scenes of New York and some of the seedier bars and clubs to know what that felt like.
From the Lesser Dead Podcast:
Lady Jesus: [Joey pinned against a wall, grunting in pain] Jessica (Lange) wouldn’t give you the time of day unless you charmed her and I am not having that, not in here. So, I need you to take your little dirt circus act right out the door, the back door. Tell me that you understand.
Director Dan Blank
It’s phenomenal and it also, it’s also a window into Joey too. Although he is reactive to that character though. These are the characters in Joey’s world. These are characters in Joey’s universe.
From the Lesser Dead Podcast:
Joey: Look, Lady… Mr… What are you anyway?
Lady Jesus: Whatever I want to be, darling. And you can be too, just NOT, IN, HERE. You should know better.
Director Dan Blank
You know, I grew up in Florida. I didn’t grow up in New York City, but New York City was really iconic to kids in the seventies. Everything seemed to reference back to that. I mean, everything from Sesame Street to Saturday Night Live. I mean… New York was a huge nucleus of our American cultural identity back then. So, I’ve always been fascinated with it, and it was very, very important to me to get it right.
You can listen to The Lesser Dead Podcast from this link: The Lesser Dead
The Lesser Dead
Written by: Christopher Buehlman
Series created by: Christopher Buehlman based on his book “The Lesser Dead”
Director: Dan Blank
Executive producers: Mark Stern, Joshua D Maurer, Christopher Buehlman, Minnie Driver, Jack Kilmer
Producer: Alixandre Witlin
Original Audio Production, Music and Sound Design by SALT
Executive Produced for SALT by Noah Gersh, Jamie Schefman, Nick Panama and Kenzi Wilbur
Original music and composition by: Benjamin Sturley
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
