Asbury podcast The Carnival debuts April 13, launching a student-produced anthology series focused on immersive storytelling and hands-on media production.
Asbury University’s School of Communication Arts brings storytelling to life with The Carnival, an anthology-style narrative podcast inspired by the eerie imagination of “The Twilight Zone.” A mysterious traveling carnival appears in small towns across America, inviting ordinary people into extraordinary encounters that leave them forever changed. Asbury University students write, perform, and co-produce the series, demonstrating both creative ambition and collaborative craftsmanship.
Asbury’s featured episode, “Great Expectations,” marks a major milestone for the podcast. Thanks to a generous gift, the Asbury team completed the episode with professional sound editing, elevating its immersive quality.
Listen to the episode here.
In the story, a pregnant woman seeks relief from the pressures of impending motherhood by visiting a childhood haunt: the traveling carnival. Instead of escape, she confronts her fears in a surreal and unexpected way. What begins as a distraction quickly transforms into something far more introspective and unsettling.
The Carnival provided our students with a specialized storytelling experience.”
“The process brought together three areas of study – writers, actors, and engineers working together to create the show. The writers were able to create a professional “writers room,” developing ideas together, working through scripts, and acting as producers in the recording sessions.”
To celebrate the long-awaited release, the Asbury School of Communication Arts hosted a premiere event on Monday, April 13 at 7 p.m. in the Gyertson Screening Room (Miller Center for Communication Arts). The evening featured a first listen of “Great Expectations,” updates on the future of “The Carnival,” and a chance to gather around a project that reflects the creative voice of Asbury students.
This project highlights how Asbury equips students with hands-on experience in voiceover acting, podcast editing, sound design, and full-scale production, preparing them to tell compelling stories across emerging media platforms.
ASBURY UNIVERSITY CAST AND CREW
The Asbury University School of Communication Arts offers Traditional Undergraduate programs in Communication, Media Communication, Multimedia Journalism, and Theatre and an Online Multimedia Design degree. Graduate programs include the M.A. in Communication; M.A. in Digital Storytelling; M.A. in Instructional Design, Innovation & Leadership; MFA in Film/TV Production; and MFA in Screenwriting.