The Official Adventures in Odyssey Podcast

Showrunner Marshal Younger unpacks the five-episode journey that transformed the Perkins family. How did real-life experiences shape Ron’s path? And why is Bridget’s story still unfinished? Plus: a preview of “The Picture Day Plot”!

Transcribed - Published: 28 May 2025

Before voicing Ron, Eric Martsolf was singing at theme parks, performing on cruise ships, and even touring with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Eric shares how his eclectic career prepared him to play a Marine returning home — and what he’s learned from Ron’s emotional journey.  

Transcribed - Published: 14 May 2025

Fans submitted thousands of off-the-wall, anything-goes questions, and Chris is ready to answer. From her favorite childhood book to the one food she’d eat forever, get to know the voice of Adventures in Odyssey like never before.

Transcribed - Published: 30 April 2025

Writer/director Kathy Buchanan and sound designers Luke Guenot and Zach Schneider dive into the making of “Better Buck Next Time.” Hear how Buck’s story evolved after his breakup with Jules, how football and faith collide in this three-parter, and why the team recorded at a real-life batting cage to get just the right sound.

Transcribed - Published: 2 April 2025

Morrie Rydell is changing from manipulative villain to surprising hero. Actor Atticus Shaffer and writer/director Phil Lollar take us inside “Kris-Crossed,” discussing Morrie’s changes, behind-the-scenes stories, and insight into the Christian underpinnings of the character. Plus, hear a preview of “Better Buck Next Time, Part 2!”

Transcribed - Published: 19 March 2025

Marine Josh Hosler shares how his real-life experiences shaped the Adventures in Odyssey episode “Ambush” and more. From military communication to a surprising sheep encounter, hear how he brought authenticity to the story of Ron Perkins—and even landed multiple speaking roles.

Transcribed - Published: 5 March 2025

We’re saying goodbye to CDs in the spring of 2026 and going fully digital. That means longer storylines for your favorite characters. Less waiting between multi-part stories. More flexibility for fun, one-off episodes. But what about downloads? Will there still be 24 new episodes a year? Executive producer Dave Arnold and showrunner Marshal Younger join producer Bob Smithouser to answer questions about the transition.

Transcribed - Published: 19 February 2025

It’s Opposite Day as hosts become guests and Bob and Jesse tackle more than a dozen TRQs from our listeners!

Transcribed - Published: 22 January 2025

Writer Evan David and sound designer Zach Schneider reveal how they brought “School of Hard Knocks” to life. Evan shares the challenge of transforming Clubhouse Magazine’s Tori Mori into an Odyssey character and weaving her into Olivia and Zoe’s storylines. Meanwhile, Zach pulls back the curtain on crafting the polished, dynamic sound of Mapleton Prep.

Transcribed - Published: 8 January 2025

Showrunner Marshal Younger, writer/director Kathy Buchanan, writer/director Phil Lollar, and line producer Nathan Hoobler answer your  questions about Adventures in Odyssey past, present and future! From Bridget’s job changes and Wyatt’s new voice to hints about Album 78 and beyond, the team answers your most curious inquiries about Odyssey’s past, present, and future. Plus: Learn the titles of Album 78 and 79.

Transcribed - Published: 11 December 2024

Sound designer Nathan Jones and composer John Campbell reveal how they turned “The Itsy Bitsy Spider” into a rock anthem, balanced professionalism with a touch of amateur fun, and tackled the challenges of bringing a fictional band to life. 

Transcribed - Published: 27 November 2024

Dive into the making of the latest story arc with showrunner Marshal Younger and actor Dawson Griffin, the new voice of Wyatt Perkins. Why has this story been five years in the making? How did Dawson’s journey to Odyssey begin? What’s coming up for the Perkins family in the days ahead? Find out!

Transcribed - Published: 13 November 2024

Writer Charlie Richards returns to Adventures in Odyssey after 24 years. Discover how his journey from Focus on the Family to a Hollywood sitcom to “The Pond” led to the latest Club adventure, “You Dirty Rat.” Plus hear a preview of the final episodes of Album 77!

Transcribed - Published: 30 October 2024

Bob and Jesse celebrate Richard Moore, this year’s Whit Award winner, with his son Chris and grandson Campbell, who nominated him! Hear how Richard’s mentorship was impacted by Whit himself and how his own mentorship has impacted others. Plus, get the latest on new Adventures in Odyssey merch and a preview of the next episode from Album 77!  

Transcribed - Published: 16 October 2024

All the ideas for the Avery Awards have been done until Bob and Jesse employ their new digital assistant AI-Oh. From daring escapes to singing in spooky mansions, our hosts reveal the fan-voted winners from Album 75: “The Best is Yet to Come” and Album 76: “Keep it Together.”

Transcribed - Published: 2 October 2024

Caitlin Thorburn, the voice of Renee D. Carter, shares her journey from old England to New England (and back again!), mastering Renee's Scottish accent, and what fans can expect from “The Heavens Declare.”

Transcribed - Published: 18 September 2024

Andre Stojka had to miss One Grand Party and had a lot of people praying for him. He gives us an in-depth update on what happened and how he’s feeling now.

Transcribed - Published: 4 September 2024

Relive the milestone that is halfway to 1000 as you join the folks in Odyssey for a fun behind-the-scenes look. Exclusive interviews, bloopers, a fun-filled tour of our first 500 episodes, and much more!

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024

Odyssey co-creators Phil Lollar and Steve Harris talk about the creation of Odyssey in 1986 and God’s hand on the show (Plus: We reveal the name of episode #1000!)

Transcribed - Published: 24 July 2024

Focus on the Family President Jim Daly travels the halls of the United States Congress, university campuses, and the State Department and finds Adventures in Odyssey fans everywhere he goes.

Transcribed - Published: 10 July 2024

Composer Martie Echito worked on the very first Adventures in Odyssey theme song in 1987 and created the background music for dozens of episodes.

Transcribed - Published: 26 June 2024

Showrunner Marshal Younger, co-creator Phil Lollar, and line producer Nathan Hoobler answer your questions about Album 76: Keep it Together, future books and episodes, and look forward to Album 77.

Transcribed - Published: 12 June 2024

In the Eric Liddell three-parter, Greg Jbara plays a Headmaster at a school in England, a Scottish track coach, a Manchester reporter, a Japanese officer, an elderly man at a concentration camp…and of course Pastor Wilson! Plus, he’ll be joining us for One Grand Party in Colorado Springs. Greg talks about all of this and more.

Transcribed - Published: 29 May 2024

Writer/director Kathy Buchanan and sound designer Zach Schneider discuss Buck’s first (but not last!) adventure in Baltimore – “Making an Honest Buck.”

Transcribed - Published: 15 May 2024

“The Rydell Realizations” is a turning point for Emily and especially for Morrie. Get into the spoiler-y details of the story and production with writer/director Phil Lollar and sound designer Luke Guento … but only after you’ve heard all three parts!

Transcribed - Published: 1 May 2024

Executive producer Dave Arnold starting outlining a story about Eric Liddell in 2019 — but the episode wasn’t written and directed by Phil Lollar until 2023 and not released until 2024. Follow the marathon production of the three-part epic. (Plus: A preview of “The Rydell Realizations, Part 3”)

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2024

Sound designer Nathan Jones looks back on all the jogging and Olympic sprints in the first two parts of “Running the Race,” previews the final episode in a prison camp…and tells us the one thing he would save from his home.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2024

Brian Cummings has played dozens of Odyssey characters from Christopher Columbus to the local soccer coach to Emperor Nero to even Jesus Christ. But he recently returned as the mysterious Chairman. Brian tells us about his diverse voice roles, including and the most memorable voice of all.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2024

Actress Keely Marshal looks back at (spoiler!) singing in "Right Notes, Wrong Key" and ahead to the three-part "Running the Race."

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2024

In our final podcast looking back at the life of Will Ryan and the creation of "The Best is Yet to Come," Will's wife Nancy Niparko Ryan shares stories from their time together, Will's similarity to Eugene, and the reach of Adventures in Odyssey.

Transcribed - Published: 21 February 2024

Dana Powers, voice of Molly's curiously unnamed mom, remembers auditioning, talks about voicing KitKat commercials, and shares why "One Last Treasure Hunt" is her favorite episode.

Transcribed - Published: 7 February 2024

Vitalii Knya, Head of Delivery at Respeecher, tells us how they created Eugene’s line for “The Best is Yet to Come,” the technology behind their company, and what’s going on in Ukraine.

Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2024

Vitalii Knya, Head of Delivery at Respeecher, tells us how they created Eugene’s line for "The Best is Yet to Come," the technology behind their company, and what’s going on in Ukraine.

Transcribed - Published: 24 January 2024

Calling all Odyssey fans! The 1,000th episode airs this year! We're inviting fans from all over the country to join us at One Grand Party on August 2-3, 2024, in Colorado Springs. Tickets go on sale on Thursday, January 11. Get more details on today's podcast.

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2024

As a special gift, hear an entire Imagination Station audiobook! More are available in the Adventures in Odyssey Club. In this adventure, Cousins Patrick and Beth go to the Holy Land in the tenth century BC. Troubles await them as soon as they step out of the Imagination Station. First they meet an angry bear and later an angry giant. Set against the backdrop of the David and Goliath story, the cousins learn that having a giant faith is more important than having a giant on your side.

Transcribed - Published: 27 December 2023

Why not let Eugene stay in Odyssey? Are you going to use the same technology to bring back old characters? Where did you get Bernard’s lines? Why did the whole family Meltsner family move? Why didn’t we hear Wooton in Eugene’s goodbye party? Are we going to get any episodes with the Meltsners in Baltimore? And most importantly, how old are all of the kids in Odyssey?! Executive producer Dave Arnold, showrunner Marshal Younger, writer/director Phil Lollar, writer/director Kathy Buchanan, and line producer Nathan Hoobler answer the biggest questions about Eugene’s departure.

Transcribed - Published: 13 December 2023

Sound designers Luke Guenot and Zach Schneider talk about working on such a significant series of episodes and how it was the most collaborative production in Odyssey history

Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2023

Sound designers Luke Guenot and Zach Schneider talk about working on such a significant series of episodes and how it was the most collaborative production in Odyssey history

Transcribed - Published: 29 November 2023

Katie Leigh, voice of Connie, remembers the recording sessions for the Meltsner four-parter and working with Townsend Coleman as Eugene

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2023

Katie Leigh, voice of Connie, remembers the recording sessions for the Meltsner four-parter and working with Townsend Coleman as Eugene

Transcribed - Published: 15 November 2023

Writing discipline, bringing back Dr. Trask, and choosing characters who scare her are all topics on writer Abigail Geiger’s mind.

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2023

Writing discipline, bringing back Dr. Trask, and choosing characters who scare her are all topics on writer Abigail Geiger's mind.

Transcribed - Published: 1 November 2023

In "As Far As It Depends on Me," both Penny Bassett and actress Kimmy Robertson dealt with emotions and memories from their pasts. Kimmy shares how she conveyed the range of feelings in the story, how she practiced her comedic timing, and the lessons she took from the episode.

Transcribed - Published: 18 October 2023

In "As Far As It Depends on Me," both Penny Bassett and actress Kimmy Robertson dealt with emotions and memories from their pasts. Kimmy shares how she conveyed the range of feelings in the story, how she practiced her comedic timing, and the lessons she took from the episode.

Transcribed - Published: 18 October 2023

In "A Day in the Life," Hollywood came to Odyssey to make a movie about the town. Writer Evan David tells why this episode from 1991 gets a sequel in the October Club adventure "Extended Cut." Plus: Hear a deleted scene with Connie and Eugene on the phone.

Transcribed - Published: 4 October 2023

Buckle up - in more ways than one! It's time for the Album 73 and 74 Avery Award, where the winners of Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Sound Design, Best Script, Best Scene, and Best Episode will be finally and dramatically revealed. Journey through the many rooms of Jesse's new house as Bob announces all of the Avery Awards, with cameos from many Odyssey cast and crew members. It's going to be a bumpy ride.

Transcribed - Published: 20 September 2023

Multiple generations of Odyssey listeners connect as this year’s Whit Award Winner Alaina and her nominator Emma share how mentors affect kids - and how kids affect mentors!

Transcribed - Published: 6 September 2023

God took the real Thomas Dorsey on quite the journey to the composition of “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” For sound designer Nathan Jones and singer Jamal Sarikoki, the production of the audio dramas felt almost as epic.

Transcribed - Published: 23 August 2023

With the release of "Young Whit and the Phantasmic Confabulator" and "Young Whit and the Cloth of Contention," the series is complete. Hear from authors Dave Arnold and Phil Lollar about the story of what shaped John Avery Whittaker as a boy.

Transcribed - Published: 11 August 2023

Thomas Dorsey wrote more than 3000 gospel songs including "Precious Lord." Actor Leilani Barrett, voice of Thomas in this month's Club adventure, said more than 3,000 words while creating the character for "Precious Lord." He shares the joys and challenges of creating a historical figure.

Transcribed - Published: 26 July 2023