Teenage friends who became monsters share their favorite spooky stories just in time for Halloween

BOSTON (September 25, 2019)–Boston public media producer WGBH and co-producer Elie Lichtshein today announced a new anthology horror podcast The Creeping Hour which will premiere on October 3. Just in time for Halloween, the five-episode series combines engaging stories, imaginative sound design, a diverse cast of creepy characters and promises to delight lovers of classic young-adult horror series such as Goosebumps, Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Are You Afraid of the Dark? The podcast is for kids ages 8-12, but parents shouldn’t be afraid to listen along as well.

The Creeping Hour is hosted by “the Creeps,” three teenage friends who became monsters after hearing too many scary stories. Axe (Kizzmett Pringle), Toro (Matthew Gumley) and Weta (Alexis Collins) set the stage for each episode, which features a single story with a unique cast of characters. Each independent episode runs 15 to 25 minutes, timed for an average commute to or from school.

“As children grow, they become more independent in the media they consume, especially in the pre- and early middle school years when they are creating their unique identities,” said Hillary Wells, executive producer and director of youth media at WGBH. “We are excited to be exploring ways to reach tween and teens on the wide range of platforms they engage with, and in this case, to be thinking openly and creatively about audio storytelling.”

The five episodes include:

  • Meet the Creeps: In this first episode of The Creeping Hour, Axe shares the story of two boys, a dog, and an old man with a horrible secret lurking in his house.
  • Out of the Wind: Weta tells the story of a polluted beach, a horrifying creature, and a group of friends—a lot like you—who didn’t listen to a warning.
  • Big Shoes: Toro shares the story of Andrew Korman who, after being sent to the school counselor’s office for bullying, finds that a call home to his parents is the least of his troubles.
  • Perfect Teeth: Weta tells the story of Mariana, a girl who makes a routine visit to the orthodontist and leaves with a lot more than braces.
  • The Beat: In this final episode of The Creeping Hour, premiering on Halloween, Axe shares the story of a Halloween party where music and dancing become far scarier than Ben—or you—could have imagined.

Trailers for The Creeping Hour are available here Full episodes will be available here beginning on October 3 with the final episode available on Halloween. The Creeping Hour is produced by WGBH and Elie Lichtshein in coordination with PRX. Listen to The Creeping Hour on NPR One, Apple Podcasts, RadioPublic, Spotify, Stitcher, RadioPublic, TuneIn and other podcast apps.

The Creeping Hour is the second podcast for children and families that WGBH has released in the past year. The first, Molly of Denali, features eight episodes chronicling 10-year-old Alaska Native girl Molly Mabray’s quest to find the mystery creature that stole her birthday cake. The podcast is a prequel to the Molly of Denali TV series produced by WGBH and PBS Kids.

Additional WGBH podcasts include All Rev’d Up, Frontline’s Dispatch, Masterpiece Studio, Mining Poldark and more. More information about WGBH podcasts can be found at https://www.wgbh.org/programs/podcasts

About WGBH
WGBH is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including Frontline, Nova, American Experience, Masterpiece, Antiques Roadshow, Arthur, Pinkalicious & Peterrific and more than a dozen other prime-time, lifestyle, and children’s series. WGBH also is a major source of digital content and programs for public radio through PRX, including The World and Innovation Hub; a leader in educational multimedia with PBS LearningMedia™, providing the nation’s educators with free, curriculum-based digital content; and a pioneer in services that make media accessible to deaf, hard of hearing, blind and visually impaired audiences. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors, including Emmys, Peabodys, duPont-Columbia Awards and Oscars. More info at www.wgbh.org.
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