Ark
11 episodes
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Creator: Solar Driftwood
Full cast Comedy Serial Audio Drama
Synopsis:
In 2018, archeology students from the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran excavating a cave system near Mt. Ararat in eastern Turkey uncovered 26 large ancient ceramic vases. Inside were reels of 5,000 year old audio tape—a clear and complete recording of Noah and his wife Naamah interviewing thousands of pairs of animals aboard the ark. In partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran, we have digitized a selection of those interviews and now present them publicly for the first time in this historic podcast.
Format: Audio Drama
Continuity: Serial
Voices: Full cast
Narrator: None
Genres: Comedy, Religion
Framing device: None
Soundscape: Sound effects & music
Not tagged: [Maturity] [Creator demographics] [Character demographics] [Country of origin] [Transcript] [Completion status] [Content warnings]
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Episodes:
Tue, 25 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0700
Noah and Naamah interview two dolphins, Delphia and Parvulus
Credits
Kristina Martinez played Delphia the Dolphin, and Neil Baron played Parvulus the Dolphin. Kristina performs as half of Goodison, a third of spooky improv team Doggington S. Wanderson, and a small fraction of Washington Improv Theater ensembles The Broken Bones and Uncle Gorgeous. Follow her @goodisonimprov. Neil performs with Goodison, The Broken Bones, and Doggington S. Wanderson. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @thejamalnewman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 18 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0700
Noah and Naamah receive another visit from God. Then they interview two armadillos, Sheila and Chud.
Credits
Bethany Coan played Sheila the Armadillo, and Alex Kazanas played Chud the Armadillo. Bethany is a Washington, DC, improviser and enjoys writing TV pilots and screenplays in her free time. Follow her @bethanycoan. Alex can be heard every week on the One Piece Podcast and can be seen occasionally doing improv in DC. Find him @DudeExclamation. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at Washington Improv Theater. Follow him @thejamalnewman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. Krystal Ali played God. Krystal’s work as a performer and director can be seen regularly at WIT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 11 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0700
Noah and Naamah interview two aardvarks, Farrah and Anthony
Credits
Isaiah Headen played Farrah the Aardvark, and Eddison Wilkinson played Anthony the Aardvark. Isaiah is a founding member and head producer of DC sketch comedy troupe Bad Medicine. Eddison is a member of Washington Improv Theater ensemble Madeline and of indie improv teams, Baggage Claim and Dead Plants Society. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @thejamalnewman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 04 Mar 2025 03:00:00 -0800
Noah and Naamah interview two dinosaurs, Flex and Nova
Credits
Krystal Ali played Flex the Dinosaur, and Samiyyah Ali played Nova the Dinosaur. Krystal’s work as a performer and director can be seen regularly at Washington Improv Theater. Samiyyah performs with Kinfolk at WIT. Follow her @kinfolkimprov. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @thejamalnewman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 25 Feb 2025 03:00:00 -0800
Noah and Naamah interview two prairie dogs, Edith and Bert
Credits
Allison Yolo played Edith the Prairie Dog, and Mikail Faalasli played Bert the Prairie Dog. Allison can be seen performing, on occasion, at Washington Improv Theatre. Mikail performs with Uncle Gorgeous at WIT and is a photographer of live entertainment. Follow him @mfaalasli. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @thejamalnewman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. Ark is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 18 Feb 2025 03:00:00 -0800
Noah and Naamah get another visit from God. Then they interview two snakes, Goose and Solomon.
Credits
Arie Rich played Goose the Snake, and Simone Webster played Solomon the Snake. Arie performs with Nox! at Washington Improv Theater. Follow her @arie_rich_yet. Simone performs with iMusical, Lena Dunham, and Hellcat at WIT. Follow her at @miss_simonewebster. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @thejamalnewman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. Krystal Ali played God. Krystal’s work as a performer and director can be seen regularly at WIT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 11 Feb 2025 03:00:00 -0800
Noah and Naamah interview a horse named Gingerbread and a donkey named Al
Credits
Devin Hiett played Gingerbread the Horse, and Madeline Dozier played Al the Donkey. Devin performs with Hellcat and Out Loud at Washington Improv Theater. Follow her @StairwayToDevinn. Madeline performs with Uncle Gorgeous at WIT and indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. Find them @wadelinepozier. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @thejamalnewman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. “Ark” was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. “Ark” is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 04 Feb 2025 03:00:00 -0800
Noah and Naamah interview two peacocks, Wilhemina and Chimmy Chu
Credits
Eva Lewis played Wilhemina the Peacock, and Darnell Eaton played Chimmy Chu the Peacock. Eva performs with Lena Dunham and The Broken Bones at Washington Improv Theater. She’s also on the sketch team, M.I.S.T. Follow her @EvaRLewis. Darnell Eaton performs regularly with WIT ensembles The Broken Bones and Lena Dunham. Follow him @darnellde. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @hell0newman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 28 Jan 2025 03:00:00 -0800
Noah and Naamah get a visit from God. Then they interview two flying squirrels, Mabel and Shubert
Credits
Katie Munn played Mabel the Flying Squirrel, and Steven Karig played Shubert the Flying Squirrel. Katie and Steven perform with indie team That's So You in Washington, DC. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at Washington Improv Theater. Follow him @hell0newman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! and 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. Krystal Ali played God. Krystal’s work as a performer and director can be seen regularly at WIT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Tue, 21 Jan 2025 04:10:21 -0800
Noah and Naamah interview two beavers, Cedar and Balsa
Credits
Clare Mulligan played Cedar the Beaver, and Patrick Fleury played Balsa the Beaver. Clare performs with Hellcat at Washington Improv Theater. Follow her on Instagram at @kuhlayer. Patrick performs with Lizard Girl at WIT. Find them @lizardgirlimprov. Jamal Newman played Noah. Catch Jamal performing live comedy in D.C. at WIT. Follow him @hell0newman. Bethany Stokes played Naamah. Bethany performs with Nox! and The Hypothesis at WIT, indie team 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT, and sketch troupe Bad Medicine. Follow her @bethanysalright. Eli Okun played Japheth. Eli performs with Nox! And 1-800-FIRE-DEPARTMENT. "Ark" was created, written, produced, and edited by Tim Townsend. It was recorded and engineered by Selcuk Karagloan at Switch and Board Studios in Washington, DC. Cover art by small c studio. "Ark" is a co-production of Solar Driftwood and Collective Echo in partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran.
Wed, 15 Jan 2025 06:56:39 -0800
Flood myths were common to many ancient cultures — Chinese, Greek, Norse, Irish, Aboriginal, Mayan. The most famous flood myth, the Hebrew Bible story of Noah’s Ark, is theologically pivotal to all three of the world’s major religions. What happened on that boat determined the rest of history.
Noah’s story, along with the rest of what is called the “primeval history” section of the book of Genesis, was likely written down in the 6th century BCE. Its authors were influenced by other flood myths, like the Epic of Gilgamesh, a poem from ancient Mesopotamia written 2,000 years before the birth of Christ.
In 2018, graduate students from the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran were excavating a portion of the Çalköy Cave system on the Black Sea coast of eastern Turkey when they uncovered 26 ceramic amphorae containing reels of ancient audio tape.
The Institute’s scholars have since theorized that sometime during the Bronze Age, a collective of Akkadian Empire priests placed the recordings inside the caves, which lie just 300 miles from Mt. Ararat — described in Genesis as the resting place of Noah’s ark.
AIUT researchers spent years restoring the magnetic coating before daring to place the delicate film in a playback recorder. In 2024, when they finally held their breath and hit “play,” what they heard was astounding: a clear and complete recording of Noah and Naamah — captured by their unemployed son Japheth — discussing life aboard the ark with thousands of animal pairs.
In partnership with the Antiquities Institute at the University of Tehran, we have digitized a selection of those 5,000-year-old interviews and now present them publicly for the first time in this historic podcast.