News Digest

• For the whole of July, Pomegranate Press are offering Dark Shadows: Return to Collinwood in Kindle format for just $1.99. The book is a great illustrated guide to five decades of the show and can be ordered online by clicking here.
• As we reported last week, actor John Karlen (Willie Loomis) is currently in hospital in Los Angeles. Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) reports, "Johnny and I had a great visit. He was warm, funny and in great spirits... he's a sweetheart and deserves all the love and encouragement we can give him." Fans are encouraged to send John letters and cards; For more information and a postal address, click here.
• Kathryn Leigh Scott also recently appeared on Variety as a guest writer, offering a response to the recent Mad Men storyline in which aspiring actress Megan Draper worked for a stint on a 1960s soap opera. To read Kathryn's essay, click here.
• Jerry Lacy (Reverend Trask), Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott and Christopher Pennock (Jeb Hawkes) have recently finished work on Doctor Mabuse: Etiopomar, a sequel to the independent film Dr. Mabuse. Kathryn and Lara will be discussing the film with director Ansel Faraj at the upcoming San Diego ComicCon on Friday July 19 as part of the Famous Monsters of Filmland Stake of the Union panel.
• And finally, Big Finish Productions have just released two new Dark Shadows audio stories, The Phantom Bride and Beneath the Veil, with more CDs due in the coming months. To order online, click on the hyperlinked titles.

Dark Shadows Merchandise Updates

Angelique actress Lara Parker's Dark Shadows novel The Salem Branch has just been published in a new French translation by Michel Lafon. This follows on from the various international editions of Lara's first novel, Angelique's Descent, that were released earlier in the year. The French version has been retitled Reminiscences and the cover artwork can be seen right. To order the book online, click here. 

In other Dark Shadows publishing news, Big Finish Productions have confirmed some upcoming audio dramas on CD. Speak No Evil has just been released, with The Last Stop with Jerry Lacy (Tony Peterson) out later in September, Dreaming of the Water with Christopher Pennock (Sebastian Shaw) and Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie Evans) in October, with The Haunted Refrain following in November and A Collinwood Christmas in December. To order online, click on the hyperlinked titles.

May Merchandise Calendar

With the Dark Shadows movie released later this week there's more tie-in merchandise on its way, and here's our handy guide. To order any item, click on the hyperlinked titles.

May 1

Barnabas & Company: The Cast of the TV Classic Dark Shadows Revised paperback of the Dark Shadows actors encyclopedia (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)
Barnabas & Company: The Cast of the TV Classic Dark Shadows Kindle edition (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)
Dark Shadows: Angelique's Descent Kindle edition (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

Dark Shadows: The Salem Branch Kindle edition (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)
Dark Shadows Movie Nail Polish by Orly: Decades of Dysfunction
Dark Shadows Movie Poster

May 8

Dark Shadows: The Art of the Film Hardback behind-the-scenes book
Dark Shadows: The Movie Original Score CD of Danny Elfman's orchestral music from the new film (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

May 22

Dark Shadows: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack CD compilation album of period music featured in the new movie (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

May 31

Dark Shadows: The Eternal Actress CD audio drama

April Merchandise Calendar

It's a bumper month for Dark Shadows merchandise, with a host of discount DVD reissues plus novels and comic book collections. Here's a handy guide, so you don't miss a thing. To order any item, click on the hyperlinked titles.

April 3

Dark Shadows: Return to Collinwood Reference book (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

Dark Shadows: Trade Paperback 1 Collected reprint of the new comic book series (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

April 10
Dark Shadows: The Complete Original Series Limited edition DVD box set

Dark Shadows: The Beginning DVD Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4, Collection 5, Collection 6; Dark Shadows DVD Collection 1, Collection 2, Collection 3, Collection 4, Collection 5, Collection 6, Collection 7, Collection 8, Collection 9, Collection 10, Collection 11, Collection 12, Collection 13, Collection 14, Collection 15, Collection 16, Collection 17, Collection 18, Collection 19, Collection 20, Collection 21, Collection 22, Collection 23, Collection 24, Collection 25, Collection 26 Budget price reissues of the Dark Shadows episodic DVD sets with new packaging

Dark Shadows: The Greatest Episodes – The Best of Barnabas DVD compilation

Dark Shadows: The Greatest Episodes – Fan Favorites DVD compilation
Dark Shadows: The Original Story Digest Budget price reprint

Dark Shadows: The Best of the Original Gold Key Series Classic comic strip reprints (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

Dark Shadows: Angelique's Descent Paperback novel reprint with new material (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

Dark Shadows: The Salem Branch Paperback novel reprint (Also available from Amazon.co.uk)

April 30

Dark Shadows: Dress Me In Dark Dreams CD audio drama

Dark Shadows: The Original Series – The Barnabas Collins Episodes UK Region 2 DVD release

Dark Shadows: The Complete Revival Series UK Region 2 budget price DVD reissue

New Audio Dramas For 2012

Big Finish Productions have announced a number of new Dark Shadows dramatic readings CDs for 2012. This month sees the release of The Voodoo Amulet, starring Jerry Lacy as Tony Peterson alongside Lara Parker as Cassandra Collins. March's story is The House by the Sea, followed by Dress Me in Dark Dreams in April, Deadhouse and The Eternal Actress in May, The Fall of the House of Trask in June and Operation Victor in July.

To order any of the titles from Amazon.co.uk at a discount price with worldwide shipping, click on the hyperlinked titles above.

Win a Soundtrack CD

We have another great competition this month, with a chance to win one of two copies of Dark Shadows: Music From The Audio Dramas, courtesy of Big Finish Productions. The album collects the best of Nigel Fairs' original music for the Big Finish series of Dark Shadows audio dramas, incorporating classic compositions from Robert Cobert. To enter, just answer this simple question:

What famous piece of music from Dark Shadows has received over one million radio plays?

Send your answer, along with your name and postal address to webmaster@collinwood.net before September 30. Music From The Audio Dramas can be purchased on CD by clicking here.

Audio Releases For August

Big Finish Productions have unveiled covers and advance information for this month's Dark Shadows CDs, which are out this week. The Crimson Pearl is a special anthology story featuring cast and characters spanning the history of Dark Shadows, in celebration of the show's 45th anniversary. Also new for August is Music From the Audio Dramas Volume Two, compiling original soundtracks created for recent Big Finish stories.

The Crimson Pearl

The year is 1690. Isaac Collins is sailing to America to establish a new life for his family. Suddenly, during a strange and unnatural blizzard, he discovers a single blood-red pearl – a pearl that seems to sing to him… The pearl will be going on a journey, passed down through generations, bringing luck both good and bad. But what does it want? Why is its journey so linked to the Collins family, and who will ultimately take ownership of the Crimson Pearl?

Music From The Audio Dramas Volume Two

Featuring original music scores from The Doll House, The Death Mask, The Blind Painter, The Creeping Fog, The Carrion Queen, The Poisoned Soul and The Lost Girl.

Both discs can be ordered now on CD by clicking on the hyperlinked titles above.

New Audio Dramas For July

Big Finish Productions have unveiled covers and teaser synopses for July's Dark Shadows audio dramatic readings. The Poisoned Soul stars Nancy Barrett as Charity Trask and Roy Thinnes (1991 Roger Collins), while The Lost Girl stars Kathryn Leigh Scott as Josette

duPrés

alongside Rebecca Staab (1991 Daphne Collins). Both plays

can be ordered now on CD by clicking on the hyperlinked titles.

The Poisoned Soul

Evil haunts a school near Collinwood. A strange creature is attacking young girls, and the headmistress of Worthington Hall is forced to barricade her school against it. But Miss Charity Trask has problems of her own. She fears she's not in her right mind. She's seeing ghostly visions, and soon a strange spirit possesses her. Should she go against her every instinct and trust the voice in her head? Especially when it tells her that the poisoned soul is a lot closer than she realises...

The Lost Girl

Josette duPrés Collins gambled her soul, and lost it, in an ill-conceived bid to destroy her rival Angelique. Now the Dark Lord has sent his emissary to bring Josette to her place in Hell. Only a last-minute intervention can give her a final chance at redemption. But, as Josette struggles to win back her soul, she realizes that her guide's life, and soul, are inexorably intertwined with her own. And so, as the sands of time flow, Josette begins her final journey…

New Audio Dramas For June

Big Finish Productions have released covers and teaser synopses for June's Dark Shadows audio dramas. The Creeping Fog stars David Selby as Quentin Collins and The Carrion Queen features Lara Parker as Angelique with Jerry Lacy as Gregory Trask. Both stories can be pre-ordered on CD by clicking on the hyperlinked titles.

The Carrion Queen

Death is not the end for the Reverend Gregory Trask. After shooting himself to escape the torture of being walled-up alive, he is sent to the Dark Lord himself for Judgement. To his horror, he is partnered with the cursed witch Angelique and sent to a vast battlefield in 1861 to compete for the return of his mortal soul. But neither is expecting to be pitched into the aftermath of one of America's most deadly historic battles, nor to encounter the mysterious beautiful woman who stalks it.

The Creeping Fog

London, 1941. Quentin Collins need not fear the bombing because he is immortal, but there are other things to be scared of. The voices of his past will not rest, the ghosts of those he's lost. There are other voices... and a creeping fog reaching out to him. Taking refuge in an old museum will not help Quentin either, for the museum has ghosts of its own. More voices reaching out through the darkness...

The latest issue of Big Finish's free magazine Vortex also features information on the new stories and can be downloaded here. Plus, to keep abreast of all the latest news on the range, visit the official Dark Shadows Audio Dramas page on Facebook by clicking here.

Rondo Award Win For Big Finish

Big Finish Productions have won a Rondo Award for their Dark Shadows audio drama The Night Whispers. The Rondo Awards annually celebrates the best in classic horror, with The Night Whispers scooping the award for Best Horror Soundtrack. The story was released featured Jonathan Frid returning to the role of Barnabas for the first time since 1971, alongside John Karlen as Willie Loomis and Barbara Steele (1991 Julia) as Celeste.

Jason Haigh-Ellery, Big Finish's MD, comments: "Jonathan Frid agreeing to come back to recreate the iconic role of Barnabas was reward enough for fans of Dark Shadows, but it is even more amazing to have seen his performance honoured by the winning of the Rondo Award."

"Returning to the character of Barnabas was something I'd resisted for many years," says Jonathan, "but in the event, I really enjoyed the experience. Thank you to the fans of Dark Shadows for voting for this old vampire."

Jonathan Frid continues to appear at the annual Dark Shadows Festivals and maintains an official website, which he posts on regularly. The Night Whispers is available on CD and download from Big Finish by clicking here.

The Audio Dramas: A Chronology

As regular readers will know, one of my main connections to the Dark Shadows world is my work on Big Finish's series of officially-licensed Dark Shadows audio dramas, which I've been working on, variously, as producer, writer and director since 2006. Over the past five years, we've recorded over 20 new installments in CD format, reuniting over a dozen original Dark Shadows actors, including David Selby (Quentin), Lara Parker (Angelique), Kathryn Leigh Scott (Maggie), John Karlen (Willie) and even a special one-off appearance from Jonathan Frid recreating Barnabas.

One of the things I get asked most about the range is its chronological placement within the show's continuity. In the early days, when we began our full-cast stories, continuing where the show left off, we were very wary of explicitly stating dates for two reasons: Potentially we might have to incorporate dozens of new episodes in time, and didn't restrict ourselves too early on, and more importantly, everyone involved wanted the stories to unfold as a new continuation. To the casual listener, saying we were in 1982, however factually correct that might have been, would have just sounded distant and less exciting – the crucial thing was that these events were happening to our characters now.

But, times change, and now it doesn't seem quite so necessary to keep these things under wraps. We still avoid using explicit dates in the ongoing full-cast dramas, but for interested listeners, below is a guide to the various stories. And, if you want to catch up on the audio dramas, click on the linked titles in the story key below to purchase online. Beware, spoilers lie ahead...

Also, speaking of the audio dramas, Dark Shadows: The Night Whispers, last year's audio drama starring Jonathan Frid, has been nominated for a Rondo Horror Award in the Best Horror Soundtrack category. Public voting is open until March 28; to vote for the story online click here.

Full-Cast Dramas

AD1.1: The House of Despair, AD1.2: The Book of Temptation, AD1.3: The Christmas Presence, AD1.4: The Rage Beneath, AD2.1-2.4: Kingdom of the Dead

Dramatic Readings

TB1: Angelique's Descent Part 1: Innocence; TB2: Angelique's Descent Part 2: Betrayal; TB3: Clothes of Sand; TB4: The Ghost Watcher; TB5: The Skin Walkers; TB6: The Path of Fate; TB7: The Wicked and the Dead; TB8: Echoes of Insanity; TB9: Curse of the Pharaoh; TB10: Final Judgement; TB11: Blood Dance; TB12: The Night Whispers; TB13: London’s Burning; TB14: The Doll House

c1755 Barnabas Collins travels to Martinique, where he murders a man to end the curse of Celeste (TB12)c1792 Feud with Oswald Gravenor and the Collins Family (AD1.4)
c1825 Nathan Hawkins is born (TB4)
c1855 Ten year old Gregory Trask is adopted by Elias Trask (TB7)
1859 Living in Massachusetts, Elias Trask marries Matilda Bentham (TB7)
1860 Gregory frames Matilda Bentham (TB7)
1861 Civil war begins and Gregory and Elias begin preaching in the western territories (TB7)
1865 Gregory and Elias settle in Salina, KS (TB7)
1868 Elias Trask dies (TB7)
c1870 Gregory leaves Salina as his church falls empty (TB7)
1871 Gregory leads a witchhunt in Derby, CT (TB7)
c1886 Jade is murdered and buried at London’s Empire theatre, beginning her curse (TB13)
1897 The ghost of Carl Collins appears to the dying Gregory Trask (TB7)
1899 Quentin visits New York and encounters the Skin Walkers (TB5)
1906 In November, Quentin visits London where he meets Rosie Faye (TB13)
c1918 Quentin visits Paris (TB11)
c1915 Chandres Tessier escapes the cult of the Blue Rose (TB11)
1925 Charlotte Howell comes to Collinsport (AD1.2)
1926 Charlotte is trapped by the book (AD1.2)
c1929 Quentin returns to Collinwood (TB11)
1929 Quentin visits Chicago, where he becomes involved with Chandres Tessier and the Blue Rose cult (TB11)
1941 In wartorn London, Quentin reunites with the dying Rose Faye (TB13)
c1948 Six-year-old Maggie Evans meets the Sandman (TB3)
1955 Construction begins on the new Collins Enterprises premises (TB11)

c1963 Willie Loomis and Jason McGuire visit Singapore and later Jamaica (TB8)
1967 Maggie encounters the Sandman while at Windcliff (TB3)

1968 Angelique visits Willie Loomis during his time at Windcliff (TB8)
1971 Quentin leaves Collinsport in mysterious circumstances; Maggie returns from Windcliff during the summer and is dismissed (TB4); David Collins sent to boarding school (TB4); Nathan Hawkins arrives in November (TB4)
1973 Dr. Gretchen Franklin comes to Collinwood (TB8)
c1973 Disgraced minister Reverend Hartswood begins retirement as the new caretaker of the Eagle Hill Cemetery (AD2.1); David begins medical studies (AD2.3)
c1977 Mr Strix sends the Collins family into hiding, with Barnabas dying at his hands (AD1.1); Collins Enterprises ceases trading (AD1.1); Lost people stalk Collinwood soon afterwards (AD1.1)
c1979 Ed and Susan Griffin take over the Blue Whale after an accident forces Ed to retire from his job at Collins Enterprises; David arrives incognito at Windcliff (AD2.2)
1982 Quentin returns to Collinsport (AD1.1–1.3)
1983 The Lorelei comes to Collinsport (AD1.4); Seraph escapes from the Underworld; Carolyn Stoddard and David return to Collinsport; Quentin and Barnabas leave town; Jessica Griffin arrives in town (AD2.1–2.4)
1985 Angelique begins self-imposed exile near Collinsport (TB6)
c1986 Barnabas reclaims his true body (unplaced)
1990 The stairway of Isiah Mason appears at Collinwood and Angelique is reclaimed by Diabolos (TB6)
1995 Barnabas is haunted by the ghost of Celeste (TB12)