Broken Arts Entertainment Festival Eligible Shows

CHOOSE THE BEAR EP01 Technical Difficulties

CHOOSE THE BEAR — EPISODE 1 “TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES” | Official Sci-Fi Audio Drama Welcome back to CHOOSE THE BEAR, the cinematic sci-fi audio drama set deep inside Zenith Aerospace — the most powerful private defense + space corporation on Earth. Episode 1, “Technical Difficulties,” follows new recruit Callie “Bear” Winter on launch day as she battles malfunctioning tutorials, an overly cheerful autonomous flight suit, and a co-pilot AI she immediately names “The Manipulation Engine”… (Nippy). This episode blends comedy, tension, claustrophobic space realism, corporate dystopia, and character-driven sci-fi. If you love The Expanse, Red Dwarf, Becky Chambers, WALL-E, Severance, or Interstellar, you’ll feel right at home. As Callie launches toward the mysterious orbital “Communities,” she forms an unexpected bond with her capcom, Diana, who becomes her lifeline through panic, snark, and a whole lot of “huggy-tingly” flight suit calibration. When the engines finally cut out and Earth rises in the window… she’s forced to confront why she’s here, what she’s running from, and why trust — even in deep space — is never simple. Turn your volume up. Put on your best headphones. This is where the real journey begins.
CAST
Hannah Lee DeFrates — Callie “Bear” Winter
Antonella Pérez Ferrero — Diana
Meredith Nudo — Nippy / Onboard AI
🎙️ CREW Written by: Aly Kantor Directed by: Helen May Produced by: Jack Davis Soundscape Engineering: Bob Sawyer Video + Scenic Production: Joe Swenson Featuring music by Grand Hotel ABOUT THE SERIES CHOOSE THE BEAR is a near-future sci-fi saga exploring: AI ethics & manipulation Corporate-controlled survival lotteries Spaceflight anxiety + dark humor High-stakes humanity under pressure A growing conspiracy far above Earth This is Episode 1 — the beginning of the mission, the beginning of Nippy, and the beginning of a partnership that may determine the fate of every human left alive.
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Choose The Bear Prologue: AWOL

Welcome to CHOOSE THE BEAR — a cinematic, immersive sci-fi audio drama set inside the ultra-mysterious walls of Zenith Aerospace, the most powerful private defense + space corporation on Earth. This prologue episode (“AWOL”) follows Lieutenant Callie Winter — a desperate, war-traumatized soldier with nowhere left to go — as she arrives at Zenith for a life-changing interview that could determine the future of humanity itself. The world is collapsing, governments are failing, and Zenith’s C-Suite is quietly selecting who actually gets to survive the incoming extinction event. This sci-fi thriller blends dystopian corporate satire, dark humor, psychological tension, and near-future worldbuilding. If you love Black Mirror, Severance, Foundation, The Expanse, or Mr. Robot — this series is for you.
 
CAST: Hannah Lee DeFrates (Callie), Steve Mize (Zed), Antonella Pérez Ferrero (Diana), Paul “Dela” Ross (Leland), JP DeGennaro (Rion), Bernie Horton (Pete).
Written by: Aly Kantor | Directed by: Helen May | Produced by: Jack Davis | Soundscape Engineered by: Bob Sawyer | Video + Scenic: Joe Swenson. Featuring music: “End of the World” by Grand Hotel.
This is Episode Zero — the beginning of a conspiracy, a survival lottery, and a morally impossible decision that will affect every human left alive. Turn your volume up, put on headphones, and step into Zenith. This is how the end really begins.

Something in the Water

Choose Love No Matter What!
Written by Hannah Lee DeFrates
Starring:
Yana Ramos - Janet
Jack Dumas - Adam
Karin Orenstein - Betty
Gabriel Blaze - Cruiser
Jackie Youm - Deedee
Directed by Bernie Horton
Sound Engineered by Yana Ramos
Graphic Design by Cathy Tran
Executive Producers: Joe Swenson and Cole Dzubak

The Haunting of Professor Grimsby's House of Wayward Spirits

4 grad students find a cheap rental, what could go wrong?
Written by Joe Swenson
Starring:
Jack Dumas - Jamie
Hannah Lee DeFrates - Rosa
Jamie Lee - Clara
Gabriel Blaze - Drew
Dana Sharrow - Professor Grimsby
Melissa Watson - The Spirits
Directed by Cole Dzubak
Sound Engineered by Yana Ramos
Graphic Design by Cathy Tran
Executive Producers: Joe Swenson and Cole Dzubak

reANIMA

The final show of The Future Audio Fiction Podcast Anthology is reANIMA by Aly Kantor. Aly's imaginative approach to capturing the human consciousness surrounding the conversation with artificial intelligence will blow you away. The acting is tremendous as the chemistry between the two main characters is relatable and really top notch.
Written by: Aly Kantor
Produced by: Lora Hogan (Appetizers or "On An Island Somewhere", In The Caravan)
Directed by: Helen May (Quarantine 2038: Mutation, A Fragile Mind Season 2, A Voice From The Void, The Sun The Moon and Salena, Heatwave, Clouds, Hanging on for Near Life)
Featuring: Gwen Fraser (A Fragile Mind Seasons 1 & 2, Angel Flight)
Featuring: Shelby Parker (Backseat Driver, Rotted)
Featuring: Helen Cheng Mao (That Last Summer, April 11th 2028)
Editing and Soundscape by: Joe Swenson

All For One

In a dystopian world where Big Brother and topics require approval, can opposites find each other?
Written by Erin Moughon
Directed by Jamie Orenstein
Produced by Adam Ferguson
Starring: Antonella Perez Ferrero - Brianna
Sean Polite - Matt
Soundscape Engineer: Yana Ramos
Scenic Graphic Design: Cathy Tran
Introduction: Paul Dela Ross
Executive Producer: Joe Swenson

10 Minutes to Go

It's that time and there's only 10 minutes left before you go, so what you do in those 10 minutes could be the most important 10 minutes of your life.
Written by Evan Baughfman (3rd show with BAE)
Directed by Jack Davis
Produced by Bernie Horton
Starring:
Cole Dzubak - Grant
Antonella Perez Ferrero - Theresa
Adam Ferguson - Announcer
Soundscape Engineered by Yana Ramos
Cover Art Graphics by Cathy Tran
Introduction by Paul Dela Ross
Executive Producer Joe Swenson

Shipbuilding

Somewhere out in deep space, Menzies has awoken after surviving a horrific attack. But how did Menzies survive at all? How did anyone?
Written by Scott Sickles
Directed by Joe Swenson
Produced by Jamie Swenson
Starring:
Steve Mize – Menzies
Molly McGill – Wheeler
Soundscape Engineer – Joe Swenson
Graphic Design – Cathy Tran
Introductions by – Paul Dela Ross
Executive Producer – Joe Swenson

Two of Every Animal

From the imagination of the writer that brought us the Award Winning and multiple award nominated reANIMA, comes a show that will get you thinking all the way to the end.
Written by Aly Kantor
Starring:
Gwenyth Fraser (Kim)
Hannah Lee DeFrates (Leta)
Sean Polite (The Voice)
Directed by: Antonella Perez Fererro
Producer: Adam Ferguson
Soundscape Engineer: Yana Ramos
Graphic Design By: Cathy Tran
Show Introduction by: Paul Dela Ross
Executive Producer: Joe Swenson

Sensories

Where is the line drawn between reality and imagination?
Written By: Sam Heyman
Starring:
Ray Fletcher (Dr. Harper)
Dan Sharrow (Dr. Lance)
Claire Shadrawy (Helen)
Directed by: Randy Hunt
Produced by: Ian Ashland
Soundscape Engineer: Yana Ramos
Graphic Design by: Cathy Tran
Show Introduction by: Paul Dela Ross
Executive Producer: Joe Swenson