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Congratulations to the Winners of the 2020 Audio Verse Awards.

2020 was an incredible year for the Audio Verse Awards awards. We expanded the Audio Verse Award Team to seven volunteers. We brought back some processes that we found we needed to abandon for new reasons. We received feedback given empathically and did our best to implement it as we could. We made some mistakes, but we did our best to handle them in a way that’d be fair to everyone participating. We watched as our data came in, continuing to contradict aspects that we, and others, believe about the community while giving us new answers. As we approach our next round of winners, we’ll revisit, reshape and retool as we always do.

As usual, we were overwhelmed by the number of nominees we received -the audio fiction community continues to grow. This was the first year since Apple Podcasts FINALLY added fiction categories, and it’s interesting to see what you want to listen to.

Your Favorite Genres of Fiction Podcasts by %

Your Favorite Genres of Fiction Podcasts in order from most to least selected were Fantasy, Horror, Comedy, Crime/Mystery, Drama, Science, and Speculative.

Wow, 40.03% of you are 25 to 34. Hi, Millenials! And shout out to the 8 people above 75 who voted. However, there’s really one data point we focus on.

78.6% of you found a new podcast you now enjoy. That makes it worth it.

Alright, on with it. 386,580 Verified Valid Rankings were cast for our finalists and a Modified Borda Count gave us our results. Here are the 2020 Audio Verse Award Winners.

Music Categories

Instrumental Composition in a New Production

Dredged from the Deep by Steven Melin for The White Vault: Iluka
VALENCE Theme by Raul Vega for VALENCE
Temujin Overture by Roshan Singh Sambhi for Temujin
The World of Arcadia by Theo Goodwin for Station Arcadia
We Didn’t Even Make It To The Heat Death Of The Universe by Alan Rodi for Zero Hours

Framed Posters available in our store!

Instrumental Composition in a Production

Jack’s Return by Cameron Chambers for King Falls AM
Danse Sanguis by Steven Melin & Travis Vengroff for Dark Dice
Base Camp Piedra by Brandon Boone, Steven Melin, and Travis Vengroff for The White Vault
The Amelia Variations by Fredrik Baden for The Amelia Project
The Hanged King’s Tragedy by Tom Rory Parsons for SCP Archives

Framed Posters available in our store!

Vocal Composition in a New Production

Way Hay Ho by Arne Parrott for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call
Love Wolf by Laurence Owen for Mockery Manor
The Land Unknown by Landon Blood for Old Gods of Appalachia
Morior Invictus by Belly of the Steel Beast for Red Valley
When This Is Through by Bo Chappell, Holly Linden, Graham Rowat and JM Scherf for The Grey Rooms

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Vocal Composition in a Production

The Hidden People by Katharine Seaton for The Hidden People
Devil’s Gamble by Steven Melin & Travis Vengroff for Dark Dice
Funeral Song 1 by Hem Cleveland & Eyþór Viðarsson for Dark Dice
Scrum’s Theme by Tim Platt and others for Rude Tales of Magic
Call of the Sky by Arne Parrott for Campaign: Skyjacks

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Sound Design Categories

Action Sound Design in a New Production

Alyson Grauer for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call
Julia Schifini for VALENCE
Taylor Moore for Come at the King
Travis Vengroff for The White Vault: Iluka
The Team behind Station Arcadia

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Action Sound Design in a Production

Elizabeth Moffatt for The Magnus Archives
Maddy Searle for Stellar Firma
Taylor Moore for Rude Tales of Magic
Tessa Vroom for Rusty Quill Gaming
Travis Vengroff for The White Vault

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Environment Sound Design in a New Production

Alyson Grauer for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call
Gina Zdanowicz for Cryptids
Steve Shell for Old Gods of Appalachia
Taylor Moore for Come at the King
Travis Vengroff for The White Vault: Iluka

Framed Posters available in our store!

Environment Sound Design in a Production

Elizabeth Moffatt for The Magnus Archives
Maddy Searle for Stellar Firma
Taylor Moore for Rude Tales of Magic
Tessa Vroom for Rusty Quill Gaming
Travis Vengroff for The White Vault

Framed Posters available in our store!

Writing Categories

Writing of a New Storytelling Production

Jeff Heimbuch for Light House
JF Dubeau for Achewillow
Justin Hellstrom for The Great Chameleon War
Steve Shell and Cam Collins for Old Gods of Appalachia
The Team behind Folxlore

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Writing of a Storytelling Production

Ivuoma Okoro for Vega: A Sci-Fi Adventure Podcast
Jeffrey Cranor and Janina Matthewson for Within the Wires
Kristen Zaza for On a Dark, Cold, Night
Tyler Bell for Westside Fairytales
The Team behind The Wrong Station

Framed Posters available in our store!

Writing of a New Audio Play Production

Caroline Mincks for Seen And Not Heard
K.A. Statz for The White Vault: Iluka
Morgan Maxwell for Dispatch from the Desert Planet
The Team behind Brimstone Valley Mall
The Team behind Zero Hours

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Writing of an Audio Play Production

Jonathan Sims for The Magnus Archives
K.A. Statz for VAST Horizon
K.A. Statz for The White Vault
Philip Thorne and Øystein Ulsberg Brager for The Amelia Project
The Team behind Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery

Framed Posters available in our store!

Directing Categories

Player Director of a New Production

Branson Reese for Come at the King
Cuppycup for Ain’t Slayed Nobody
Drew Mierzejewski for Skyjacks: Courier’s Call
Michael Martin for Stitch of Fate
Persephone Valentine for Fast Times at D&D High

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Player Direction of a Production

Alexander J Newall for Rusty Quill Gaming
Branson Reese for Rude Tales of Magic
James D’Amato for Campaign: Skyjacks
Travis Vengroff for Dark Dice
Victoria Rogers for The Broadswords

Framed Posters available in our store!

Vocal Direction of a New Production

Josie Eli Herman for The Call of the Void
Julie Saunders for Believer
Katie Youmans for VALENCE
Roshan Singh Sambhi for Temujin
Tovah Brantner for Station Arcadia

Framed Posters available in our store!

Vocal Direction of a Production

Alexander J Newall for The Magnus Archives
Hedley Knights for We Fix Space Junk
Jeffrey Nils Gardner for Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery
Lisette Alvarez for Kalila Stormfire’s Economical Magick Services
Sara Ghaleb for Arden

Performance, Players, and Storytellers

Storyteller in a New Storytelling Production

Aly Trasher for Light House
Amy Frost for Achewillow
Erika Sanderson for The Chronicles of Professor Chronomier
Steve Shell for Old Gods of Appalachia
Syd Briscoe for Folxlore

Framed Posters available in our store!

Storyteller in a Storytelling Production

Ivuoma Okoro for Vega: A Sci-Fi Adventure Podcast
Mark Gulino for A Journey Beyond The Skies
Morgan Givens for Flyest Fables
Ol’ Matty Hannibal Butler for Delicious Word Sandwich
Tyler Bell for Westside Fairytales

Framed Posters available in our store!

Player in a new Improvised Production

Aaron Catano-Saez as Cecelia “Cici” Witwick in Skyjacks: Courier’s Call
Ali Fisher as Deli in Come at the King
Aly Grauer as June Hymnal in Skyjacks: Courier’s Call
Chelsea Steverson as Vera Volkolv in Stitch of Fate
Tim Platt as Smellulus in Come at the King

Framed Posters available in our store!

Player in an Improvised Production

Ben Meredith as David 7 in Stellar Firma
Ben Meredith as Zolf Smith in Rusty Quill Gaming
Bryn Monroe as Hamid Saleh Haroun al-Tahan in Rusty Quill Gaming
Carly Monardo as Albee Dawn in Rude Tales of Magic
Imogen Harris as I.M.O.G.E.N. in Stellar Firma

Framed Posters available in our store!

Performance of a Supporting Role in a New Audio PlayProduction

Amanda Buchalter as Simone Sommers in The Call of the Void
Athena Hagen as Broadcaster Jane in Dispatch from the Desert Planet
Daniel Muñoz as Dr. Oscar Flores in The White Vault: Iluka
Ella Watts as Tera in Seren
Josh Rubino as Zeus in Fireside Folktales: Whispering

Framed Posters available in our store!

Performance of a Supporting Role in an Audio Play Production

Alasdair Stuart as Peter Lukas in The Magnus Archives
Alexander J Newall as Martin K Blackwood in The Magnus Archives
Hedley Knights as Sponsor Bot in We Fix Space Junk
Julia C. Thorne as Alvina in The Amelia Project
Marsha Harman as Dorothy “Dot” Harper in Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery

Framed Posters available in our store!

Performance of a Leading Role in a New Audio Play Production

Beth Eyre as Dr. Amelia Murray in The White Vault: Iluka
Betsy Puckett as Granny White in Old Gods of Appalachia: Build Mama A Coffin
Emma Elizabeth as Negative Nancy in The One Stars
Morgan Maxwell as Broadcaster J. June in Dispatch from the Desert Planet
Sarah Price as Augie Eckhart in The Vanishing Act

Framed Posters available in our store!

Performance of a Leading Role in an Audio Play Production

Beth Crane as Kilner in We Fix Space Junk
Jonathan Sims as Jonathan Sims (The Archivist) in The Magnus Archives
Julia Morizawa as Amelia in The Amelia Project
Rebecca Evans as Samantha Trapp in We Fix Space Junk
Siobhan Lumsden as Dr. Nolira Eck in VAST Horizon

Framed Posters available in our store!

Performance of a Role in an Ensemble Cast for a New Audio Play Production

Emma Sherr-Ziarko as Light in Zero Hours
Erika Sanderson as Chloe in The Descendants
Felix Trench as Frederick Shaw in Zero Hours
Isa Braun as Xaphan in Brimstone Valley Mall
Kirsty Woolven as Theresa in The Descendants

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Performance of a Role in an Ensemble Cast for an Audio Play Production

Beatrice Blackwell as Hawk in The Beacon
Danilo Vieira Battistini as Lucas Criado in The White Vault
Diane Casanova as Eva Olivia Moreno in The White Vault
Julia Propp as Louisa Alvarez in Greater Boston
Kaleigh Christopher as Betty Triguut in Inn Between

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Art Categories

Cover Art for a New Production

Alisha Makwana for Temujin
Jeremie Serrano for Dispatch from the Desert Planet
Maddie Rode Design for The Godshead Incidental
Robert James Algeo for Tomorrow, the Void
Wil Williams for VALENCE

Framed Posters available in our store!

Cover Art for a Production

Anders N. Pedersen for The Amelia Project
Anika Khan for The Magnus Archives
Carly Monardo and Branson Reese for Rude Tales of Magic
David McDermott for Cybernautica
Kessi Riliniki for VAST Horizon

Framed Posters available in our store!

Production Categories

New Storytelling Production

The Black Eagle Mystery
Achewillow
Light House
Old Gods of Appalachia
Folxlore

Framed Posters available in our store!

Storytelling Production

On a Dark, Cold, Night
Westside Fairytales
The Cryptonaturalist
Vega: A Sci-Fi Adventure Podcast
Flyest Fables

Framed Posters available in our store!

New Improvised Production

Ain’t Slayed Nobody
Come at the King
Dungeons & Dykes
Stitch of Fate
Skyjacks: Courier’s Call

Framed Posters available in our store!

Improvised Production

Rusty Quill Gaming
Stellar Firma
The Broadswords
Dice Will Roll
Rude Tales of Magic

Framed Posters available in our store!

New Audio Play Production

Dispatch from the Desert Planet
Less Is Morgue
The White Vault: Iluka
Station Arcadia
Zero Hours

Framed Posters available in our store!

Audio Play Production

The Magnus Archives
The Amelia Project
We Fix Space Junk
The White Vault
Unwell, a Midwestern Gothic Mystery

Framed Posters available in our store!