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Yuletide greetings dramatites! We’re delighted to share with you a 2008 retelling of a treasure from the golden age of radio, Norman Corwin‘s “The Plot to Overthrow Christmas,” revamped for you by our good friend Richard Fish.

This 35 minute romp of rhyming verse introduces us to Nero, violining in hell, and co-opted into a plot to assassinate Santa Claus. Except Santa Claus is not all as it seems, and sometimes the cold can do more to warm the heart than the flames of hell…

We give time to celebrate the spirit of Christmas (and please, I hope you laugh as much as I did during the section about the congressional body in hell) and also think about the passing of audio great Norman Corwin, who passed to the next world this year at age 101. His work is as heartwarming about Christmas and as indicting of the odious as it was 73 years ago.

We also have a very special review from comrade Captain Radio, who reviews a suite of retellings of A Christmas Carol – the new Blackstone Audio production (with sound design by We’re Alive‘s co-creator Shane Salk), Quicksilver Radio Theatre‘s, Voices in the Wind and even Lifehouse Theater. It is indeed a classic tale! And the Capt’s splendid review gives you tastes of the range of them, from the rich and embellished, to the spare and haunting.

Finally, we launch a new donation program – FinalRune Fivers (won’t you consider donating $5 to this show?) – and give a special shout-out to our friends at the Wireless Theatre Company. Their ever increasing library of top-notch audio drama this year features some fantastic Christmas radio plays.

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Radio Drama Revival – Episode 258

This week we have a second-round of seasonal programming from The Twilight Zone.

Today’s tale has a child, a gift for humanity, a small rural village. Wait, is it the Christmas tale? Not quite. Aliens and the Mexican army collide in this adaptation of “The Gift.”

COMMITTED TO THE RADIO DRAMA REVIVAL ARCHIVES. TO HEAR THE SHOW, VISIT TWILIGHT ZONE RADIO WEBSITE.

This week on the show we have a Christmas treat for you… from the 5th Dimension – The Twilight Zone!

Since 2002 Carl Amari has been producing these inspired radio adaptations of classic Twilight Zone episodes, starring famous guests like Stacey Keach and featuring the infectious theme we all know so well. And for this Christmas season he was so kind as to share with us a few episodes that help us reinforce our theme – the holidays, but askant.

Today’s show is called “Snow Angel,” about an old woman who finds herself with a strange guest on Christmas Eve, while outside a storm rages and on the other side of the country her son and his family are trapped at the airport. They’re all about to experience some encounters – with the Twilight Zone.

COMMITTED TO THE RADIO DRAMA REVIVAL ARCHIVES. TO HEAR THE SHOW, VISIT TWILIGHT ZONE RADIO WEBSITE.

In the second part of Chatterbox Audio Theater’s original work called “Snow Globe” we learn the meaning of a seemingly mystical experience – and we explore the way all of us try to make sense of the past and find new meaning.

This is a holiday fable for adults, about the stresses the holidays put us under and our desperate desire to find magic and meaning in this time of year. Penned by Bob Arnold and wonderfully produced.

Part 2 of 2

Download audio file (rdr-podcast203.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 203

Seasonal programming begins again on the show with an unconventional Christmas story by Chatterbox Audio Theater, called “Snow Globe.”

This is a holiday fable for adults, about the stresses the holidays put us under and our desperate desire to find magic and meaning in this time of year. Penned by Bob Arnold and wonderfully produced.

Part 1 of 2

Download audio file (rdr-podcast202.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 202

The writing of James Joyce is as much known for how challenging it is to decipher as for its portraits of humanity in a difficult world. Its hard enough to find audiobooks of his work (could you imagine a single-voiced reading of Ulysses?), and it seems that most audio dramatists have steered clear.

Not so for Chatterbox Audio Theater, who bring us a profoundly moving story of people reflecting on the simple challenges of life. The story, Dead and Gone, is based on James Joyce’s story of The Dead – but the setting, rather than Ireland, is the American South.

I gushed about this inspired retelling in a review a few months ago – now, enjoy the audio.

Ah, but first! A special treat – the Drabblecast audio fiction podcast reveals to us how close Santa Claus came to the edge – and who really saved Christmas.

Download audio file (rdr-podcast154.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 154

This week we feature the conclusion to Quicksilver Radio Theater‘s adaptation of the Sherlock Holmes Tale, The Blue Carbuncle.

Last week we found a precious gem lodged in the gullet of a Christmas goose, which led Sherlock and Watson on a quest to find its owner – the goose that is, not the gem. The goose’s owner was happy with any cooked goose, making the detective duos realize they would need to hit the streets to learn the origin of this mystery foul…

Listen to the conclusion of this fun adventure, plus a bonus, the “Painful Predicament of Sherlock Holmes.”

Enjoy!

Download audio file (rdr-podcast153.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 153

P.S. – A reminder that Audiofile Magazine and Naxos Audiobooks are still offering three free Sherlock Holmes audiobooks until December 29… So go load up your new iPod with great tales of the detective!

This week we bring back the Quicksilver Radio Theater in a most peculiar of Sherlock Holmes tales set during the Christmas season.

A fat goose, a random mugging, and a precious gem. How do all three relate, and who committed this most unusual crime?

Enjoy!

Download audio file (rdr-podcast152.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 152

P.S. – If you enjoy tales of the great detective, Audiofile Magazine and Naxos Audiobooks have a wonderful Christmas gift for you: three free Sherlock Holmes audiobooks.

You can also see behind-the-scenes YouTube videos and hear interviews with Holmes narrators. A holiday treasure! Hopefully AudioFile continues offering these great treats throughout the new year.

Well, things didn’t go exactly how Lester predicted in the first episode of Goodbye, Cruel World but he’s made it to Santa’s candy-cane palace and now he’s ready for his assault on the fat man in red.

But, it’s not easy to sneak a fire-breathing dragon by the toy soldier guards, and how to get past the horde of drunk debaucherous elves who stand between our hero and Santa?

Download audio file (rdr-podcast151.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 151

Lester Melrose is sick of jolly old men, gumdrops, candy canes, elves, and a thousand other delights. He wants to bring the big sick world down to its knees and is out for a guy in a red suit who stands in his way.

Aiding him in this quest is a chain-smoking unicorn and a clutzy fire-breathing animatronic dragon. Good stuff.

This is The Theater of the Midnight Sun and the tale, “Goodbye Cruel World.”

Hat trick goes to listener Martin who originally turned me on to the ‘pod and to The Sonic Society who recently featured this same show.

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Radio Drama Revival – Episode 150

Well, Santa Radio was very good to us this year and stuffed my stocking with TONS of great stuff to share with you…

So break open that new mp3 player and stock it up! We have Christmas classic, Christmas irreverent, lots of voices and more than one surprise in this nearly 3-hour holiday extravaganza.

Soak it up and be Merry!

Download audio file (rdr-christmas-08-part01.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival Christmas Special – Part 1 of 4

• Quicksilver Radio Theater’s haunting rendition of “A Christmas Carol”

Download audio file (rdr-christmas-08-part02.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival Christmas Special – Part 2 of 4

• The Wireless Theatre Company‘s “Pig in Boots”!

Download audio file (rdr-christmas-08-part03.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival Christmas Special – Part 3 of 4

• Interview with Regina Doman and Andrew Schmiedicke of Chesterton Productions

Download audio file (rdr-christmas-08-part04.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival Christmas Special – Part 4 of 4

Interview with Julie Hoverson of 19 Nocturne Boulevard

Best when listened to with a crackling fire in the fireplace, wood stove, or other FDA-approved fire burning apparatus. Thanks to Kevin MacLeod for wonderful holiday music.

Episode fifty? Egads! Almost a whole year has zoomed by… and how much fun we’ve had! This week, we finish cleaning up the wrapping paper in time to hear two tales coming from two desperately different spheres… or, as we like to say “Naughty or Nice.” Enjoy a new tale from Buffy Between the Lines and a modern classic from the fine artistry of Jeffrey Adams.

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Radio Drama Revival – Episode 50

Well, if you’re even the slightest fan of modern audio drama then the name of the Decoder Ring Theatre is a familiar one — Gregg Taylor and his merry band of miscreants have been producing noir drama in the OTR-style with a contemporary twist for going on two years now, and has attracted a strong cult following in the process.

So it’s with great pleasure that we welcome Decoder Ring Theatre to the show, with an incredibly unconventional episode of The Red Panda.

Following the story of a Christmas eve under assault by some of Toronto’s lowlifes is a chat with Gregg Taylor himself, who has plenty of wit and passion to share about the art and his craft.

Fill yourself up a big glass of eggnog and open your ears up for this one!

Download audio file (rdr-podcast049.mp3)

Radio Drama Revival – Episode 49

The turkey is stuffed, the appetizers are ready, and there are mince pies ready for the latecomers. But for Ellen, it’s all just not Christmas yet. And in one long evening on the rooftops, she starts to figure out why… Enjoy this marvelous and offbeat Christmas story by UK’s Wireless Theatre Company… “Waiting for Father Christmas”

Download audio file (rdr-podcast048.mp3)

Radio Drama Revival! Episode 48