Hi there! I’m Kellie Raines, and I’m so excited to welcome you to Muse + Echo Productions. This isn’t just a production company—it’s a creative home for storytelling, a space where voices find their echoes and the sparks of inspiration are nurtured into fully realized works of art.
My journey here has been anything but linear—more like a winding path through storms and sunlight, fueled by creativity, transformation, and a deep love of storytelling. Everyone has a story. Everyone has been through a storm. And everyone experiences unique moments in their journey. I want to build space to tell and honor them.
A Theatre and Visual Art Background
Long before I fell in love with audio storytelling, I was immersed in the worlds of theatre and visual art. I’ve always been drawn to the stage, captivated by how a moment can hold so much emotion or how a performance can echo long after the curtain falls. Theatre taught me about collaboration, stepping into someone else’s shoes, and the power of vulnerability. Performance also brings me closer to community. There is something so magical about a story unfolding in person.
On the other hand, visual art has been my quiet rebellion—a way to create something personal and timeless, to turn thoughts and emotions into something tangible. It's a way to create worlds as I see or want to see them. It's a way to document history and emotion and change. I came to visual art as a creative outlet when I needed to step back from theatre while caring for my ailing parents. I couldn't commit to theatrical endeavors with the chance of having to back out to help my family. Visual art allows me to create whenever I have the time. If it's 2:13am and I have some charcoal and paint, I can create and return to it when I can. Whether onstage or painting and drawing, my passion has always been about capturing the essence of a story and sharing it in ways that move people.
Creative Writing: Non-Fiction, Plays, and Poetry
Writing has always been another constant in my life—a way to process, explore, and share. My creative writing spans multiple genres, including creative non-fiction, playwriting, poetry, and now...podcasts!
In creative non-fiction, I delve into the landscapes of personal truth, crafting essays that explore moments of transformation, connection, and the beauty found in the everyday. And also the farcical tragedy—which usually entails my love life or lack of one! Writing often feels like walking through the rain—soft yet deeply cleansing and full of meaning. And sometimes torrential and soggy.
As a playwright, I love building worlds and creating dialogue that breathes life into the stage. Plays are living, breathing works of art, and I’m fascinated by how they grow and transform with every performance, taking on the energy of the cast and the audience alike. I love the way words sound. A memory from the first play that I wrote is a transformational moment in my creative journey. Once you finish writing a play, as a playwright, you're not necessarily essential to the rehearsal process and the subsequent performances. I had to leave rehearsal early one day. As I shut the theatre door, I could hear the actors saying the lines I wrote in the story I told. I was hooked. I found a way to create art that lived on after I was gone. It's the closest I've come to having children.
And then, there’s poetry—a space where storms live in every line. And where the cracked earth greedily absorbs the water and then ends in floods of indulgent but very human emotion. Poetry is where you can let go of the rules and make your own, where imagery and emotion collide, creating a rhythm long after the words have been read. It’s my favorite way to explore the echoes of life’s most fleeting and decisive moments.
Writing, for me, is the heart of storytelling. Whether it’s a line of dialogue in a play, a vivid memory in an essay, or the lyricism of a poem, it’s all about finding ways to express what makes us human and sharing it with others.
Falling for Audio Storytelling
But something shifted when I discovered audio storytelling. I’ll never forget the moment it clicked, like the first crack of thunder before a storm. I was taking a podcasting class at the University of Washington, and everything about it—the technical skills, the creative freedom, the intimacy of sound—felt like finding a new language for my soul. Through this class, I devised the idea for my podcast, "A Gather of Gatherings." This exciting journey took me to a falconry class where I interviewed master falconer Kate Marden at West Coast Falconry in Marysville, CA. I can't wait to finish about six full episodes to launch season one. But a teaser is below for you to get an ear-peak.
Podcasts, I realized, are a different kind of stage. They’re personal and raw, unbound by space and time, yet capable of filling the air with echoes of human experience. I fell hard for how a well-told story could travel through headphones and directly into someone’s heart, carrying all the rain and sunshine, all the quiet transformation that comes with genuinely listening.
The Name: Muse + Echo
The name of this production company reflects what inspires me most. Muse represents creativity—elusive sparks that strike like lightning, urging us to create, tell, and dream. Echo is the resonant aftermath, how stories ripple outward, touching lives and transforming perspectives. Together, Muse + Echo speaks to the cyclical nature of creativity, discovery, and the stories that connect us all. And every experience we have can be a catalyst, a muse if you will, and echo something profound, something that endures and travels metaphorical distances and be heard over and over.
A Creative Storm
At Muse + Echo Productions, I’m chasing stories that celebrate the beauty of personal journeys that explore transformation, creativity, and the boundless spirit of exploration. I’m drawn to the in-between spaces—the storms of self-discovery, the echoes of moments that change us, and the gentle rains of inspiration that nourish the seeds of something new.
Every project we take on is a chance to illuminate the power of storytelling. Whether through "A Gather of Gatherings," our flagship podcast exploring community and connection through the collective nouns and their subjects, through the first podcast series I'm being paid to produce about self-defense and personal stories of staying safe, or through other multimedia ventures, the heart of Muse + Echo Productions beats for stories that resonate and endure.
What’s Next
This is just the beginning. I’m thrilled to continue building a space for creativity, collaboration, and connection. I hope Muse + Echo Productions becomes a home for stories that matter—a place where every raindrop of inspiration grows into a storm of transformation.
Thank you for being part of this journey. Let’s see where these echoes take us.
With gratitude and creativity,
Kellie
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