Stuff To Do, Esther's Excursions, Practical Yoga, & The Cruelest Cookie

Get ready for a wild ride at the Albatros Cafe, part of the Electric Secrets variety podcast!

This episode, hosted by the ever-humorous Marty Merman at the Albatross Cafe, delivers a mix of cringe-worthy tasks, local adventures, and quirky wellness routines.

In Marty’s segment, “Stuff To Do,” he tackles a long-overdue doctor’s order with a “Colo Bowl” kit, leading to hilariously awkward moments as he navigates the instructions with zero chill. Meanwhile, Marty’s mom, Esther, hits the streets of Schleboygan, New Jersey, for “Esther’s Excursions,” where she critiques a new historical mural with savage wit, questioning everything from wheat fields to a suspiciously placed “sex worker” figure. Rounding it out, Agnes brings the chaos with her “Practical Yoga Routine,” turning a beginner’s lesson into a sweaty, sassy spectacle involving cat-cow meows and a tree pose takedown. Plus, a bizarre ad from Marty’s German cousin Helmut plugs his documentary, The Cruelest Cookie, exposing the dark underbelly of Girl Scout cookie sales. Expect laughs, absurdity, and a touch of Schleboygan charm in this unmissable episode!

This episode is presented by MonsterVox Productions. All persons in this podcast are fictional, and resemblance to any person living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the creator.

About Scott

Scott Leon Smith has worked as a professional actor and director for nearly 25 years in a variety of genres. He earned his Master of Fine Arts in Acting at West Virginia University, where he studied under alumni of the prestigious American Conservatory in San Francisco. He honed his craft in Chicago as part of A Crew of Patches, a traveling theatre company that performed Shakespeare for students. Scott is CEO of Monstervox Productions, where he helps clients by providing specialized voice-over work for advertising, audiobooks, eLearning, & instructional videos.

Monster Vox Productions LLC.

Tactics & Objectives In Action

On this episode of Dedicated to the Craft, part of the Electric Secrets variety podcast, hosted by Scott Leon Smith, we dive deeper into the creative process. Building on the previous episode’s focus on using the "imagined energy of tactics" with specific action verbs (like "proclaim" or "comfort") to uncover character insights during rehearsal, this installment shifts to the concept of objectives.

Scott reads the scene in a monotone to avoid preconceived interpretations, then assigns each character a single tactic to "ride like a wave" through the scene: Red’s tactic is "hassle," and Blue’s is "deny." He re-reads the scene, adding a phone filter to Blue’s lines for clarity, demonstrating how vocal energy can reflect these tactics. Next, he introduces objectives using a "so that" phrase: Red’s objective becomes "hassle so that Blue apologizes," and Blue’s is "deny so that Red drops the subject." Another reading follows, showing how these objectives shape the interaction, even without specific context.

To explore tactical flexibility, Scott changes Red’s tactic mid-scene from "hassle" to "entice," keeping the objective intact, and notes how this shift might surprise Blue and reveal new character dynamics. He stresses that rehearsal is about experimentation—collaborating with scene partners and directors to discover what works—rather than performing for an audience.

Finally, Scott simulates active listening by playing pre-recorded lines for Red and responding as Blue, highlighting how real-time reactions drive realism and immersion. He encourages actors to try these exercises with open scenes and peers, promising deeper scene work in the next episode.

If you liked this episode of Dedicated to the Craft, there is so much more to unbox from the Electric Secrets variety podcast series. Subscribe today.

Who Is Scott?

Scott Leon Smith has worked as a professional actor and director for nearly 25 years in a variety of genres. He earned his Master of Fine Arts in Acting at West Virginia University, where he studied under alumni of the prestigious American Conservatory in San Francisco. He honed his craft in Chicago as part of A Crew of Patches, a traveling theatre company that performed Shakespeare for students. Scott is CEO of Monstervox Productions, where he helps clients by providing specialized voice-over work for advertising, audiobooks, eLearning, & instructional videos.

The Legal Stuff

This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice or endorsement of its participants, nor of any companies or persons discussed therein. MonsterVox Productions is not responsible for any losses, damage or liabilities that may arise from the use of information contained in this podcast. The views expressed in this podcast are those of its participants and may not be those of any podcasting platform or hosting service utilized in its distribution.

MonsterVox Productions, LLC.

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