Haunted Holyoke: VPM Project

Valley Playwright Mentoring: Holyoke Podcast Project
  • 5.0 (1)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • SERIES

Haunted Holyoke is an actual play storytelling podcast created by teens from across Western Massachusetts through Valley Playwright Mentoring, an after-school program based at Holyoke Media. Each season follows a group of young people playing Kids on Bikes, a tabletop roleplaying game about ordinary kids confronting the strange, the supernatural, and the unseen forces shaping their town. Together, they build a shared story set in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where forgotten places hold memories, the past doesn’t stay buried, and every mystery comes with a cost. This project is part of Valley Playwright Mentoring, a program of Piti Theatre Company, and is made possible with support from MassHumanities, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Community Foundation of Western Mass, The Scarlet Socks Foundation, and other public and private funders. Blending improvisation, character-driven storytelling, and collaborative worldbuilding, Haunted Holyoke explores themes of memory, belonging, and what it means to face the unknown together.

Season 1

  1. EPISODE 1

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 1

    In the first episode of Haunted Holyoke, a group of teens begins to notice that something in their city isn’t right. After a strange encounter in an alley, they come face to face with something they can’t fully explain, a presence that doesn’t just threaten them physically, but seems to interfere with memory itself. Moments slip. Details don’t stick. And the more they try to make sense of it, the less certain they become. As they regroup, they turn to a late-night ally for help and start piecing together what might be happening, including a connection to a missing person no one seems to be talking about clearly. The city feels off. Too quiet. Like something is being erased in real time. By the end of the episode, the group makes a plan to dig deeper, even if it means going somewhere they’re not sure they’ll be welcome. In Holyoke, the problem isn’t just what’s hiding in the dark. It’s what’s disappearing in plain sight.

    35 min

  2. EPISODE 2

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 2

    A group of players in a role-playing game called 'Kids on Bikes' encounter a forgetter and experience memory loss. They seek refuge at the witch's house and discover the city's lights are guiding them. They engage in a montage learning scene to uncover more about the forgetter and the city's mysterious lights. The group discovers the Holy Grove and encounters a mysterious figure who reveals the city's sickness and the role of the forgetters. The locket leads them to the Grove, where they encounter a Wampanoag girl and learn about the city's imbalance. Music by Luisranm on Pixabay Chapters 00:00 The Witch's House and Uncovering Mysteries28:57 The Holy Grove Discovery36:31 The Locket's Warmth and the Symbolic Tree49:15 Encounter with the Wampanoag Girl and City's Sickness

    44 min

  3. EPISODE 3

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 3

    The recording begins with an introduction to the Kids on Bike project, followed by a discussion about a supernatural grove and memory. The conversation then transitions to a mysterious Good Burger and later explores the theme of lost memories and time. The recording delves into the theme of illusion and reality, as the characters navigate an unfamiliar environment and question the nature of their experiences. They confront glitches, confront the illusion, and ultimately uncover the truth behind their surroundings. The revelation of the Sega Earth 3.77778 adds a new layer to their exploration and discovery, leading to a tangible discovery and a realization of the illusion's nature. Music by Luisranm on Pixabay Chapters 00:00 Lost Memories and Time46:12 The Sega Earth 3.77778 Revelation

    38 min

  4. EPISODE 4

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 4

    The party reflects on their recent adventure at Good Burger and receives a task from Jayden. They encounter Agent Marisol Vega, leading to a series of suspicious interactions and revelations about the supernatural. The encounter with Marisol Vega raises questions about her true identity and intentions, leading to a confrontation and further revelations. The journey continues as the characters encounter the Forgetters, witness the arrival of a water spirit, and adopt a mystical horse named Laika. Revelations about Marisol Vega and a connection with the water spirit lead to a series of post-credit scenes that hint at deeper mysteries in the story. Takeaways Supernatural EncountersAgent Marisol VegaGhostly Revelations Memory and ForgettersEncounter with the Water SpiritAdopting Laika the Horse Chapters 00:00 Revelations and Confrontation29:18 Encounter with the Forgetters35:03 Journey to the Witch's House41:34 Revelations about Marisol Vega47:01 Connection with the Water Spirit

    44 min

  5. EPISODE 5

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 5

    A group of characters embark on a quest to investigate the witch's past, leading them to the library and Wisteriahurst museum. However, they encounter a snowstorm and a haunted encounter, causing confusion and distress among the characters. A group of friends find themselves in a supernatural adventure involving a water horse, a mysterious mirror, a snow drift, and a frozen friend. They encounter a strange cartographer, a library with a reverse world, and a devil's deal. The group faces a snow bank struggle, an ice horse escape, and a shocking revelation about their vanished loft. Takeaways Investigating the witch's past leads to unexpected challenges.The characters face supernatural encounters and struggle to navigate through a snowstorm. Supernatural encounters lead to unexpected challengesFriendship and teamwork are essential in overcoming supernatural obstacles Chapters 00:00 Introductions and Podcast Title06:30 Investigating the Witch's Past13:19 Library Visit and Snowstorm21:44 Haunted Encounter and Snowstorm35:16 The Water Horse40:38 The Unusual Snow Situation46:40 The Devil's Deal51:56 The Locked Door59:50 The Mirror Mystery

    45 min

  6. EPISODE 6

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 6

    The conversation delves into unraveling mysteries, engaging in combat, and exploring the lore of the Forgetters. The characters discuss connections, gameplay mechanics, and the significance of the Forgetters in the story. The conversation delves into the exploration of memories, emotions, and decision-making as the characters navigate encounters with the ice beast and the supernatural shard. Uncovering memories, confronting the ice beast, and the final showdown with the shard are key themes that drive the narrative forward. The adventure unfolds as the characters encounter a memory shard, leading to encounters with the Forgetter and the Ice Creature. Revelations and reflections on the nature of memories and the Forgetter's true identity emerge, leading to a journey to the Good Burger and the Kodak Factory. Takeaways Mysteries and ConnectionsGameplay and CombatThe Forgetters and Lore Memory and EmotionDecision Making Memory ShardsUnforgettable Moments Chapters 00:00 Unraveling Mysteries14:01 Engaging in Combat22:00 The Forgetters and Lore36:10 The Ice Shard and Supernatural Memories46:09 The Final Showdown51:21 Revelations and Reflections01:10:05 The Good Burger and the Kodak Factory

    58 min

  7. EPISODE 7

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 7

    The Haunted Holyoke podcast project continues with the group finding themselves in the Kodak film factory surrounded by goblins. They uncover forgotten memories and make a promise to never return, as it may summon someone or something. The goblins are calmed down by Sophia's charm, and the situation begins to stabilize. A mysterious man arrives and claims the goblins, marking them with chalk and making them disappear. The group tries to stop him, and a goblin party ensues. Angelica receives a letter from her mother, raising questions about her past. Takeaways Forgotten memories and promises can have significant consequences.The power of charm and diplomacy in calming a tense situation. Mysterious arrival and disappearance of goblinsAngelica's mysterious letter from her mother Chapters 00:00 The Promise and Calming the Goblins28:22 The Arrival of the Mysterious Man37:30 The Goblin Party and Revelations

    47 min

  8. EPISODE 8

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 8

    The episode delves into the exploration of Charlie's memorial and the discovery of significant items, leading to the realization of its importance. The group enters Charlie's memory, chasing Charlie and uncovering the influence of the cartographer's hold. Sophia experiences a profound connection to Charlie's final moments, providing insight into the haunting memory. The conversation delves into the impact of memory, the dilemma of revealing a memory, and the risk associated with it. It also explores the arrival of giants, the aftermath of the footbridge destruction, and an encounter with Marisol Vega, leading to a captivating and mysterious narrative. Takeaways Exploring Charlie's MemorialUncovering Charlie's Final Moments Memory and its ImpactThe Afterlife and Ghosts Chapters 00:00 Sophia's Experience in Charlie's Memory27:12 Uncovering the Memory32:25 The Arrival of the Giants43:40 Encounter with Marisol Vega

    39 min

  9. EPISODE 9

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 9

    The episode begins with an introduction to the characters and a recap of the previous session. The group plans and makes decisions, exploring the city and encountering unusual activity. A side quest leads to an encounter at the senior center, followed by revelations and chaos unfolding. The group reunites, and chaos continues, leading to a final showdown and a revelation. The episode ends with emotional resonance and closure. The conversation delves into the emotional weight of the past, the struggle with identity and memory, the impact of memory erasure, unraveling the mystery of the cartographer, and the preparation for an encounter at Fartley's office. It explores themes of emotional detachment, internal conflict, and the need to know one's identity, as well as the challenges of memory loss and the theories surrounding the cartographer's identity. A group of individuals encounter a powerful supernatural entity known as the Cartographer, leading to a series of confrontations and revelations. The encounter culminates in a plan to eliminate the Cartographer's family. Takeaways Planning and decision-making are crucial in navigating unexpected situations.Revelations and chaos can lead to emotional resonance and closure. Emotional detachment from the pastStruggle with memory and identity The power of the typewriter and its impact on the CartographerThe decision to eliminate the Cartographer's family as a strategic move Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Characters07:12 Encounter at the Senior Center16:18 Reunion and Chaos Continues21:18 Final Showdown and Revelation27:28 Struggle with the Past32:52 Unraveling the Mystery38:30 Preparation for Encounter43:53 The Office Encounter49:18 Unmasking the Cartographer56:15 The Building Explodes01:02:38 Encounter with Nexus

    1h 3m

  10. EPISODE 10

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 10

    The podcast project on Piti Theatre Company encounters a series of events, including encounters with ghosts, battles, and mysterious documents. The characters find themselves in a situation involving a missing person's flyer and a dangerous creature made of paper. The group engages in a playful game of rock, paper, scissors and encounters a paper creature with mysterious properties. They attempt to read the papers on the creature and uncover a contract pointing to the grove, leading to a discussion about the significance of the papers and the next steps. Takeaways Encounters with ghosts and battlesMysterious documents and missing person's flyerDangerous creature made of paper Rock, paper, scissors game leads to encounter with a paper creatureReading the papers reveals a contract pointing to the grove Chapters 00:00 Encounters with Ghosts and Battles13:53 Dangerous Creature Made of Paper20:38 Uncovering the Contract

    36 min

  11. EPISODE 12

    Haunted Holyoke Episode ?: Live at the Wisti

    The recording features a special episode set in the Wisteriahearst Museum, where characters encounter mannequins of themselves and navigate shifting rooms. The Dread system uses a Jenga tower for checks, adding tension to the gameplay. The recording follows a role-playing game session with various plot twists and character interactions. The fate of Davina's loft and the ever-shifting funhouse are central themes, leading to a hopeful yet mysterious ending. Takeaways Dread system uses Jenga tower for checksCharacters encounter mannequins of themselvesRooms in the house shift and move around Ever-shifting funhouseThe fate of Davina's loft Chapters 00:00 The Dining Hall and Library Exit26:08 The Mysterious Food32:28 Jenga Combat and the Library45:34 The Wisteria Hearse and Davina's Loft

    52 min

  12. APR 11

    Haunted Holyoke Episode 11

    And that’s the end of Season One of Haunted Holyoke. Before we go, we want to take a moment to thank the people who made this story possible. To the teens who created these characters, made these choices, and built this world together, thank you. Out of an abundance of caution, and by agreement, we’ve kept your names off the credits. But this story belongs to you. Your voices, your ideas, your risks, your humor, your honesty. We’re grateful for the care you brought to this project, and for the trust you built with each other along the way. We also want to clear up a small mystery of our own. If you’ve been listening closely, you may have heard us reference Monster of the Week in earlier episodes. That’s because we started there. Somewhere out there, there is a lost first session where we played Monster of the Week before finding our way to Kids on Bikes. Maybe it’s gone for good. Maybe it’s just… misplaced. Either way, what you’ve heard here is the story that followed. Haunted Holyoke uses the Kids on Bikes roleplaying system by Hunters Entertainment. This podcast is an independent, non-commercial project. We are not affiliated with or endorsed by the creators or publishers of Kids on Bikes. This project was created through Valley Playwright Mentors, a program of Piti Theatre Company, and produced at Holyoke Media, with support from Mass Humanities, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, the Scarlet Socks Foundation, and other public and private funders. Thank you for listening. Thank you for spending time in this version of Holyoke with us. We’ll see you next season.

    39 min
  • 12 Episodes

About

Haunted Holyoke is an actual play storytelling podcast created by teens from across Western Massachusetts through Valley Playwright Mentoring, an after-school program based at Holyoke Media. Each season follows a group of young people playing Kids on Bikes, a tabletop roleplaying game about ordinary kids confronting the strange, the supernatural, and the unseen forces shaping their town. Together, they build a shared story set in Holyoke, Massachusetts, where forgotten places hold memories, the past doesn’t stay buried, and every mystery comes with a cost. This project is part of Valley Playwright Mentoring, a program of Piti Theatre Company, and is made possible with support from MassHumanities, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, The Community Foundation of Western Mass, The Scarlet Socks Foundation, and other public and private funders. Blending improvisation, character-driven storytelling, and collaborative worldbuilding, Haunted Holyoke explores themes of memory, belonging, and what it means to face the unknown together.

Information

  • Creator
    Valley Playwright Mentoring: Holyoke Podcast Project
  • Episodes
    12
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Valley Playwright Mentoring: Holyoke Podcast Project
  • Show Website
    Haunted Holyoke: VPM Project