H.P. Lovecraft’s The Outsider available as an abridged reading / Radio Drama hybrid

Online Audio

Willamette Radio WorkshopAccording to the Audio Addict‘s blog, There’s a new free download over at the Willamette Radio Workshop‘s website. This is the adaptation that premiered on KBOO 90.7 FM in Portland, Oregon back on Halloween! Be forewarned though, this is a dramatized reading, in which the unabridged Lovecraftian text is accompanied by sound effects designed to enhance the experience.

Audio Drama / Audiobook Hybrid - The Outsider by H.P. LovecraftThe Outsider
By H.P. Lovecraft; Read by Sam A. Mowry
1 MP3 File – Approx. 16 Minutes [UNABRIDGEDABRIDGED/RADIO DRAMA]
Source: Willamette Radio Workshop / Ollin Productions
Released: November 9th 2006
“THE OUTSIDER is a collaboration between Sam A. Mowry and Joe Medina to explore the text of a Lovecraft story with the sound effects and production they bring to their work with Modern Audio Drama. This broadcast is a great example of how the Workshop keeps experimenting with original stories, existing texts and how we always look for new ways to tell stories with sound.”

The Willamette Radio Workshop haunts KBOO-FM 90.7

Online Audio

KBOO 90.7 FMThe Willamette Radio Workshop is working Halloween! Tuesday October 31st 2006 at 10:30am PST in Portland Oregon KBOO-FM 90.7 will feature two short offerings from WRW…

Through The Turnstile
By Carole Dane
“A post-apocalyptic tale of dark irony and reluctant human contact.”

The Outsider
By H.P. Lovecraft (adapted by Joe Medina)
Produced, performed and directed by Sam A. Mowry.

Go to http://www.kboo.fm/listen to stream the broadcast live.

Jesse Willis

Review of Archibald MacLeish’s The Fall Of The City

SFFaudio Radio Drama Review

Science Fiction Radio Drama - The Fall Of The City by Archibald MacLeishThe Fall Of The City
Based on the script by Archibald MacLeish; Perfomed by a full cast
1 CD – 32 Minutes 11 Seconds [RADIO DRAMA]
Producer / Publisher: Willamette Radio Workshop / LodestoneCatalog.com
Produced / Published: 2004 / 2006
Themes: / Fantasy / Allegory / Prophecy / Utopia / Dystopia / Totalitarianism /

“- In a time like ours seemings and portents signify -“

What few of the pre-WWII fantasy radio dramas produced tended to be allegorical, The Fall Of The City is no different in that respect. This one however has a unique feature – it was written as an extended dramatized poem “verse for radio” as they called it. The original production starred the then ubiquitous Orson Welles and a number of other Hollywood stars. This is the modern re-recording of the original 1937 radio drama. The folks at Willamette Radio Workshop have put the results to CD, but it was actually broadcast on WMNF 88.5 FM in Tampa, Florida in the fall of 2004. The production asks several questions appopriate for totalitarian times: ‘What freedom is worth?’ ‘What is freedom?’ And most importantly, “freedom from what?”

As Fall Of The City begins, a ghostly almost prophetic figure has appeared in city’s cemetary for three days running. When she finally speaks to the gathered mob she fortells the arrival of a conqueror, warning “The city of masterless men will take a master, there will be shouting then, blood after.” The citizenry, shocked that their advanced state may be under dire threat are agitated into a debate about the possible actions they might take to ensure their continued freedom. I found it an experience not unlike that of a staged Greek tragedy, thus it is all three high-browed, reflective and wise. To say more might be to reveal to much. What I can say without fear of spoiling the experience for you is that this is an artful production, sound design and music are beautifully rendered with voice acting in absolute top form. I’d be interested to hear if the team at Willamette will be taking on MacLeish’s 1938 follow up Air Raid another of his poetry dramas.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Willamette Radio Workshop on The Sonic Society

SFFaudio News

Willamette Radio WorkshopWillamette Radio Workshop returns to the The Sonic Society to close out their wildly successful inaugural season with the award winning production of Archibald Macleish’s “The Fall of the City”. A verse drama originally commissioned for the Columbia Workshop (the inspiration for WRW) in 1937. You won’t believe it’s only 30 minutes long.

A note for The Sonic Society regulars, WRW doesn’t have podcast rights for “Fall of the City”, so the final Society podcast will have a Texas Radio Theater episode.

More details are available on Willamette Radio Workshop’s website.

The Ninth Annual Mark Time Awards for the Best Aud…

SFFaudio News

The Ninth Annual Mark Time Awards for the Best Audio Science Fiction of the Year (for production year 2004) were presented at the CONvergence Science Fiction Convention at the Sheraton Hotel South in Bloomington, MN on July 1st, 2005.

GOLD MARK TIME AWARD
-No Award given-

SILVER MARK TIME AWARD (tie)
“Paradox”
Strange Interludes, Fort Worth, TX
Stephen Couch, writer/producer

“Snowbank”
Icebox Radio Theater, International Falls, MN
Jeffrey Adams, writer/producer

HONORABLE MENTION
“Rod Renegade: Chaos for Hire”
Texas Radio Theatre, Arlington, TX
Shannan and Rich Frohlich, producers

SPECIAL AWARD – BEST ADAPTATION
“The Menace From Earth”
Atlanta Radio Theater Company, Atlanta, GA
William Alan Ritch, producer. Story by Robert Heinlein.

GOLD OGLE AWARD
“Next Years Girl”
Willamette Radio Workshop, Portland, OR
Sam A. Mowry and Cynthia McGean, producers

SILVER OGLE AWARD
-No Award given-

HONORABLE MENTION
“Three Skeleton Key”
One Act Players, San Mateo, CA
Glenn Carlson, producer

SPECIAL AWARD – BEST ADAPTATION
“Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein”
Willamette Radio Workshop, Portland, OR
Sam A. Mowry and Cynthia McGean, producers

Judges for the 2004 Mark Time and Ogle Awards were:
Simon Jones – “Arthur Dent” in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
Kris Markman – National Audio Theatre Festivals
Brian Price – Great Northern Audio Theatre
Philip Proctor – The Firesign Theatre
Jerry Stearns – Great Northern Audio Theatre

Congratulations to everyone!

I, for one, have only heard one of these productions – if you are a producer of science fiction, fantasy, or horror audio drama, please consider sending them our way for review on SFFAudio. Click here to contact me for more information.

Posted by Scott D. Danielson