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Atlanta - Cable TV's The Walking Dead has inspired a new convention, a podcast, and a one-man play.
The podcast and Atlanta-based convention are the creations of Eric Nordhoff and James Frazier, also known as the "Walker Stalkers" because of a road trip they made last fall from Nashville, Tennessee, to Georgia to see the AMC show being filmed.
The convention, Walker Stalker Con, is expected to draw 10,000 or more participants when it's held early next month, Nordhoff said.
The Walking Dead characters battle zombies known as "walkers" in the streets of downtown Atlanta and in forests, small towns and a prison south of the city.
The convention will feature appearances by some of the show's actors, including Norman Reedus, who slays walkers with a crossbow as Daryl Dixon; Andrew Lincoln, who plays Sheriff Rick Grimes, and Lauren Cohan, also known as Maggie Greene on the show.
The Walking Dead zombie experience at Comic-Con:
News season broke TV record
The series returned for its fourth season this month with its biggest audience ever. The 16.1 million people who watched the 13 October series premier shattered the show's previous record of 12.4 million, the Nielsen company said.
Nordhoff and Frazier are neighbors in suburban Nashville, and had gathered every Sunday in Frazier's basement to watch The Walking Dead. They'd heard talk of a big day of filming in Senoia, the town south of Atlanta where much of the show is produced, so they got up before sunrise and made the trip to Georgia.
"It was our dream day," recalls Nordhoff, 42.
"We got to meet I think eight members of the cast," he recalls. "Somebody called us the 'Walker Stalkers' when we were there."
Podcast discuses show plot and production
The two decided to develop a podcast that has become popular with fans of the show. The podcast features discussions of many aspects of the show's storyline and interviews with people behind the scenes, such as special effects makeup expert and show producer Greg Nicotero.
In April, Nordhoff and Frazier came up with the idea of holding the convention, which will take place 1-3 November.
A scene from the Sunday night's episode:
TWD actor stars in one-man play
The show has also inspired one of its actors to stage a one-man play.
Robert "IronE" Singleton, who played T-Dog in the first three seasons of the show, will portray 18 characters in Blindsided by the Walking Dead, which tells the story of how he grew up in the Perry Homes housing project during Atlanta's crack cocaine epidemic before he found work as an actor.
A key scene of The Walking Dead was filmed on a downtown Atlanta rooftop just a few miles from the project, where violence was ever-present during Singleton's childhood and teenage years.
Hopes the story will inspire others
Blindsided by The Walking Dead is a work of drama, comedy, dance, spoken word and rap. Its characters include a thug, a crack addict, Richard III from Shakespeare, God and Singleton's deceased mother.
"I think it could inspire people and save lives," said the 38-year-old actor, who also will take part in a panel discussion during the convention.
"It's about embracing truth and love through everything you do."
IronE at The Walking Dead's season 3 premier last year:
(Photo: Getty Images)
The podcast and Atlanta-based convention are the creations of Eric Nordhoff and James Frazier, also known as the "Walker Stalkers" because of a road trip they made last fall from Nashville, Tennessee, to Georgia to see the AMC show being filmed.
The convention, Walker Stalker Con, is expected to draw 10,000 or more participants when it's held early next month, Nordhoff said.
The Walking Dead characters battle zombies known as "walkers" in the streets of downtown Atlanta and in forests, small towns and a prison south of the city.
The convention will feature appearances by some of the show's actors, including Norman Reedus, who slays walkers with a crossbow as Daryl Dixon; Andrew Lincoln, who plays Sheriff Rick Grimes, and Lauren Cohan, also known as Maggie Greene on the show.
The Walking Dead zombie experience at Comic-Con:
News season broke TV record
The series returned for its fourth season this month with its biggest audience ever. The 16.1 million people who watched the 13 October series premier shattered the show's previous record of 12.4 million, the Nielsen company said.
Nordhoff and Frazier are neighbors in suburban Nashville, and had gathered every Sunday in Frazier's basement to watch The Walking Dead. They'd heard talk of a big day of filming in Senoia, the town south of Atlanta where much of the show is produced, so they got up before sunrise and made the trip to Georgia.
"It was our dream day," recalls Nordhoff, 42.
"We got to meet I think eight members of the cast," he recalls. "Somebody called us the 'Walker Stalkers' when we were there."
Podcast discuses show plot and production
The two decided to develop a podcast that has become popular with fans of the show. The podcast features discussions of many aspects of the show's storyline and interviews with people behind the scenes, such as special effects makeup expert and show producer Greg Nicotero.
In April, Nordhoff and Frazier came up with the idea of holding the convention, which will take place 1-3 November.
A scene from the Sunday night's episode:
Can't wait for tomorrow's all-new episode? Read a recap of last week's ep: http://t.co/4smvbPNWYc #TheWalkingDead pic.twitter.com/66lwvO7mMS
— The Walking Dead AMC (@WalkingDead_AMC) October 19, 2013
TWD actor stars in one-man play
The show has also inspired one of its actors to stage a one-man play.
Robert "IronE" Singleton, who played T-Dog in the first three seasons of the show, will portray 18 characters in Blindsided by the Walking Dead, which tells the story of how he grew up in the Perry Homes housing project during Atlanta's crack cocaine epidemic before he found work as an actor.
A key scene of The Walking Dead was filmed on a downtown Atlanta rooftop just a few miles from the project, where violence was ever-present during Singleton's childhood and teenage years.
Hopes the story will inspire others
Blindsided by The Walking Dead is a work of drama, comedy, dance, spoken word and rap. Its characters include a thug, a crack addict, Richard III from Shakespeare, God and Singleton's deceased mother.
"I think it could inspire people and save lives," said the 38-year-old actor, who also will take part in a panel discussion during the convention.
"It's about embracing truth and love through everything you do."
IronE at The Walking Dead's season 3 premier last year:
(Photo: Getty Images)
