Gertrude and Friends, The Podcast

Cast & Crew: Luella Wagner (Host / Mrs. Pleckspeckle), Coleen Robinson (Mrs. Wimberly), Adele Field (Gertrude), Ishmael Garcia (Drakenstein / Sheriff Jesse James), Summer Darrow (tech advisor)

Gertrude is a quirky character who wears many hats, literally and figuratively — job seeker, job coach. solo-preneur, gardener, reseller, and many other things. The one constant is her curiosity. She is fearless, enthusiastically brainstorming about her often ill-advised schemes on her friend “Jane’s” (not her real name) online hometown radio show, “Local Interest,” recorded from a vintage camper in Eastern Montana. Gertrude’s trailerpark neighbors Mrs. Pleckspeckle and Wynona Wimberly, fake reindeer, toy ducks, and other assorted show guests add to the chaos.

Gertrude and Friends Ep. 10: Gertrude’s Time Pockets, A Timely Idea
The cast of regulars, Host (Luella Wagner), Gertrude (Adele Field), Wynona Wimberly (Coleen Robinson), Mrs. Pleckspeckle (Luella Wagner), and Mr. Drakenstein (Ishmael Garcia), are joined by Sheriff Jesse James (Ishmael Garcia), in this tale of Gertrude’s newest business idea, Time Pockets. Her system is a creative way to manage To-Do lists, “which everyone has unless they are comatose or in jail.” The Sheriff is quite taken with Wynnie’s homemade pies, and Drakenstein has some used mechanical parts to offer. Wimberly and Pleckpeckle are decidedly skeptical about the Time Pocket system, but Wimberly insists that Gertrude’s eyesore of a vintage carnival trailer get fixed or hauled away ASAP. Gertrude solicits support for her business venture, but admits there are some design flaws to be worked out.

Episode 9: Gertrude and the Hopper Popper

Gertrude has a new business idea and a new invention to share that she thinks will solve a major gardening problem. Mrs. Wimberly tentatively agrees it might work, and Mrs. Pleckspeckle wants to know if it will get rid of moths. The mysterious Mr. Drakenstein is potentially interested as well. The show host, however, cannot get past the “ick” factor. Cast: Luella Wagner (host and Mrs. Pleckspeckle), Adele Field (Gertrude), Coleen Robinson (Mrs. Wimberly), Ishmael Garcia (Mr. Drakenstein). © 2024 Written & produced by Adele Field. Music licensed through Zapsplat Gold.

Gertrude comes on the show wearing a prototype of her latest hat creation, replete with hanging miniature tools designed for “fixers,” plus a USB-chargeable headlamp and a Morse Code transmitter. Since Gertrude is admittedly a bit rusty on her code, she initiates unexpected communication with a very odd caller. Mrs. Wimberly, chairwoman of the Uptown Beautification Association District (U-BAD), is not happy with the sudden appearance of a heap of construction debris at the garbage dumpsite, and wants to get to the bottom of the situation. Before the show host can stop her, Gertrude does an on-air shout-out to a mystery man she is trying to track down, then another odd caller responds. Things are beginning to get weird, which has everyone but Gertrude worried. She’s still trying to solve the duck situation, and the mystery man seems to hold the key… unless he is an internationally notorious cat burglar. Cast: Luella Wagner (Host), Adele Field (Gertrude), Ishmael Garcia (Bot / Drakenstein), Coleen Robinson (Wynona Wimberly). Written and Produced by Adele Field, ©2024. Music licensed through Zapsplat Gold.

Ep. 07 Gertrude’s Alter Ego

Gertrude is off on a new adventure so Jane, the Show Host has a call-in show without a featured guest. Mrs. Wimberly has ducks on her mind, while Margaret Pleckspeckle is seeking legal advice about streetlights. A new caller with an atrocious Southern accent, Mrs. Mildred Miller, offers her detective services to identify the perp (killer??) of strange goings-on around town. Mrs. Wimberly’s prize geraniums are smoking hot, thanks to her frenemy, Gertrude. Cast: Luella Wagner (Host and Mrs. Pleckspeckle), Coleen Robinson (Mrs. Wimberly), Adele Field (Mildred Miller and Gertrude). Written & Produced by Adele Field, ©2024. Music licensed by Zapsplat Gold.

Ep. 06 Gertrude’s Quackery Inspo

Gertrude is uninspired and just not feeling it today since someone else in town started a clever campaign to place an assortment of toy ducks around town in various public places. When the Local Interest talk show host reveals there is a letter waiting for her, Gertrude comes into the studio after all and finds an order for POD merch and a surprising offer from an unknown fan. Mrs. Wimberly calls in to complain about the odd goings-on, and defends the town’s crumbling old sidewalks. Meanwhile, Gertrude gets her mojo back. The show host warns her about catfishing, but Gertrude is out the door to pursue her new adventure.

Ep. 05 Gertrude’s Gift Baskets

Gertrude gets a circus trailer hauled in for her “gift and thrift” business and Mrs. Wimberly, Chairwoman of the Uptown Beautification Association District (U-BAD) is not happy. Radio show host Jane interviews Gertrude about the flipping business and gift baskets, including a special baby shower display. Mrs. Pleckspeckle calls in when she realizes what happened to her flamingo. Cast: Luella Wagner, Adele Field, Coleen Robinson. Produced and Written by Adele Field. © 2024

Ep. 04 Gertrude Flips (Arbitrage): Gertrude enters the “Local Interest” talk show studio with “bells on,” and recounts her experiment with creating a faux reindeer tableau. She talks about her new reseller business in flipping / arbitrage, and Mrs. W calls in. The show host rejects Gertrude’s attempt to sell her Flipping course on the air.

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