Jade City Pharaoh was born of the imagination of playwright Howard Craft. Originally constructed as a community play for the Little Green Pig Theatrical Concern, the concept morphed into a comic book. The State of Things host Frank Stasio saw the stage production and has turned it into a radio drama.
The main character, Herald M.F. Jones, protects the metropolis of Jade City, an American city with a strong resemblance to Durham, North Carolina. Born and raised in the African-American neighborhood of Concrete Falls, Jones is a mortal with some exceptional abilities.
He's the super spectacular bad a** protector of Jade City. Some call him a right-on-time hero. Some call him a reckless vigilante. All call him the Jade City Pharaoh. As a child in utero, Herald was injected with experimental drugs which gave him special powers such as flight and the ability to shoot paralyzing beams from his hands. Herald is also trained in the ancient practice of Bambaataa Martial Science, a discipline that has both given him the skills to control his powers and become a superior warrior for social justice. But Herald, above all else, is mortal. He doesn't have bulletproof skin or X-ray vision. And after that incident with the Popeye's Chicken 'n' Biscuits sign, he no longer flies in the rain.
Jade City is the first African-American superhero series on the radio.
Season I aired in 2011 and 2012. The season concluded with a cliffhanger. The Jade City Pharaoh was gravely wounded by his arch nemesis, the Beef Cooka. Audiences were left wondering: Did Jones, survive the massive explosion in Jade City? (Listen to any episode in the first season here.)
The Jade City Pharaoh, Season II launches Saturday February 1st, preceding the show Snap Judgment. The series will air each Saturday for 10 weeks. The production stars Mike Wiley, is scored by The Apple Juice Kid, and is produced and directed by Frank Stasio.
The Jade City Playas, Season 2, in order of appearance:
Dana Marks as Detective Martina McCoy
Rajeev Rajendran as Dr. Patel
Kasif Powell as Supreme Intellect
Thaddaeus Allen Edwards as Uncle Roscoe
Trevor Johnson as The Notorious Beef Cooka arch Hood Villain
Alphonse Nicholson as Slimy Worm Jenkins
Chaunesti Webb as The poetess Belinda Goodall
Elisabeth Corley as Bank Teller, Katie Smith
Michael Beadle as The Madd Nabber
Sam Stephenson as Special Agent Albert Mann, F.B.I.
Tony Perucci as Grimsley, leader of The Real American Movement
Gil Faison as Henry Stiles, Owner of the Stop "N" Go
Geraud Staton as The Infamous Anvil Steel
Kid Delite as Himself
Michael S. Goolsby as Robert Weaks aka Pay Check
Yolanda W. Rabun, as Maybelline Johnson aka Grandma
Alphonse Nicholson as Kendrick Johnson aka Lil Roach
