Radio Drama Revival » Romance

Captain Radio Reviews: Every Now and Then

captainradio — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 14:09:48 +0000

Graphic - FunGraphix.com | Theme music - Shane Lamb

Title: Every Now and Then
Producer: Voices in the Wind
Type: Drama
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Romance
Rating: AD-G*
Availability: Free – Voices in the Wind Audio Theatre

Greetings, Audionauts – Captain Radio here, sponsored by RØDE Microphones, with a review of Every Now and Then from David Farquhar and Voices in the Wind Audio Theatre.

While shopping for a friend’s wedding gift, young marrieds Frank and Diane (respectively voiced by Hollywood television and audio veteran Gregg Rainwater and by Noelle Dupuis) seem close to drawing serious lines in the sand when unruffled antique store owner, Mr. Sagan (voiced by Norm McLeod) sensibly intervenes to smooth things over:

[SOUND BYTE]

Deciding to give the shop a chance, Frank becomes intrigued with an old gramophone. Mr Sagan demonstrates its use before escorting Diane elsewhere to browse. Frank sits in an old nearby chair to remove a pebble from his shoe and suddenly experiences the first of several shocking and disorienting reciprocal transitions.

Listen to producer David Farquhar begin to show off a bit of sound engineering skill as he transports us instantly from a creeky, squeaky antique shop to the middle of a bustling street totally somewhere else:

[SOUND BYTE]

Perhaps the persistent shocks keep Frank a little slow on the uptake, not realizing as we do that the chair and the gramophone together control his continuous time sliding between now and 1903. There he exists as Johnny, a young family man leaving on a fateful sea voyage with Diane’s oblivious Edwardian era lookalike, Mabel, and their hauntingly lovely and enchanting young daughter, Virginia (voiced by Alexandra Poole).

Gradually, and understandably, Frank’s hold on reality loosens. Which reality is reality? Yet, his heart finds manifold reasons to cherish his loved ones regardless when they exist, especially spell-binding, innocent Virginia.

The tranquil trip is suddenly marred by a raging storm. Frightened, Virginia asks her father to tell one of the strange tales that he shares with her alone about how things will be when she is an “old lady”:

[SOUND BYTE]

On deck moments later, tragically separated from Mabel and facing the storm’s full fury, the pair desperately clings to each other as Farquhar’s thunderous audio background and award-winning script writer George Zarr’s emotional story simultaneously peak:

[SOUND BYTE]

Even if Every Now and Then might seem a bit nostalgic for jaded modern tastes, listeners will enjoy the mystery, growing suspense, and redemption of heartbreak in the end.

The play itself has a somber footnote. When Farquhar originally conceived an artifact-centered story, he at first collaborated on a script with Erin Connelly, a public radio audio drama rising star and gifted artist in many other ways. Following the shock of Erin’s sudden tragic death in a car accident before completing the script, the project drifted.

[SOUND BYTE]

Eventually, Radio Works’ Sue Zizza recommended that Farquhar bring George Zarr’s experience and craft aboard both to finish the script and to direct the final production. Zarr completed the script at his New York home before flying to Chatham, Ontario. There the play was performed and recorded in about three days utilizing Rainwater and a clearly talented and empathetic cast of local actors.

Zarr went on to script nearly a half dozen more audio dramas for Design Sound Productions as it gradually morphed into today’s Voices in the Wind Audio Theatre.

Listen to David Farquhar’s Every Now and Then at the Captain Radio™ Audio Drama Showcase, or hear it and other Voices in the Wind Audio Theatre productions at VoicesInTheWind.ca

Remember – passionate, unique audio transforms our world … You start with RØDE™

Visit RodeMic.com

Until next time, Audionauts, this is Captain Radio™, signing off!
Download audio file (captain-radio-every-now-and-then-extended.mp3)

Captain Radio™ Reviews David Farquhar’s Every Now and Then from Voices in the Wind Audio Theatre

* Rating based on the Audio Drama Directory Ratings System.

Episode 227 – Eurydice Goes Down, Down, Down

Fred — Fri, 27 May 2011 13:51:35 +0000

Well, they call it Greek tragedy for a reason – and we have it in full force this week with the conclusion of Roger Gregg’s The Stuff of Myth. Orpheus finally gets his chance to plead for his Eurydice back and – by God – he gets her! But whatever you do, dude… don’t look back. Phil Proctor and Melinda Peterson truly shine in their unforgettable renditions of Hades and Persephone.

This great production won a Gold Ogle in 2007 and has gotten rave reviews as a stage play. After many times trying to schedule this into the show and failing, for May 2011 we’ll be featuring all four episodes of “The Stuff of Myth” plus a bonus mythological encounter as part of RDR’s spring festival of Bacchus.

First up, Captain Radio focuses on emerging producer Tanja Milojevic, whose Lightning Bolt Theater of the Mind production has a new original tale out, “The Swamp.” Don’t get sucked down.

We wrap with Cables to the Ace: 83 from Roger Gregg

Download audio file (rdr-podcast227.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 227

Cables to the Ace: 83 by Thomas Merton, from THE COLLECTED POEMS OF THOMAS MERTON, copyright 1968 by the Abbey of Gethsemani.
Music, Sound Design, Production & Direction by Roger Gregg. Crazy Dog Studios. 2011.
Voices: Jamie O’Neill & Alicja Ayres
Voice Recording by Colm Coyne.
Video by John Merriman.

This video is from ‘Selections from Cables to the Ace by Thomas Merton’ – a concept album by Roger Gregg, made with the Gaiety School of Acting Class of 2011.

Cables To The Ace can be found in The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton.

Episode 226 – Orpheus’ One True Love, Pendant Power and Rats

Fred — Sat, 21 May 2011 03:02:57 +0000

The seductive backdrop of Ancient Greece returns in sticky sweet splendor in round 3 of Roger Gregg’s The Stuff of Myth. Orpheus recounts the journey to find – and lose – his one true love, Eurydice. In this installment Orpheus finally meets, and loses, his one true love. Tragedy at its funniest!

First up, Captain Radio‘s tribute to the prolific production prowess of Pendant Productions, an audio house that has released a staggering 800+ dramas over the years from dozens of podcasts. And a bonus treat from Roger Gregg, a sample of his new poetry/music montage Cables to the Ace!

Download audio file (rdr-podcast226.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 226

Cables to the Ace: 19 by Thomas Merton, from THE COLLECTED POEMS OF THOMAS MERTON, copyright 1968 by the Abbey of Gethsemani.
Music, Sound Design, Production & Direction by Roger Gregg. Crazy Dog Studios. 2011.
Voice: John Merriman & Tiernan Kearns.
Voice Recording by Colm Coyne.
Video by John Merriman.

This video is from ‘Selections from Cables to the Ace by Thomas Merton’ – a concept album by Roger Gregg, made with the Gaiety School of Acting Class of 2011.

Cables To The Ace can be found in The Collected Poems of Thomas Merton, – get a copy!

Episode 209 – Wherein a Group of Struggling Writers Goes for a Walk, and a Narrator Gets Surly

Fred — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 19:38:43 +0000

Happy fourth Anniversary Radio Drama Revival!

To celebrate, we feature a new colleague Captain Radio, who tells us all about a new sister audio effort dedicated to reviving audio arts: http://captainradio5.com

We also wrap the feature of the 1980 serial Our Life Together Among the Works of Art, a sexy and side-splitting serial that aired on WBAI, telling the woeful tales, struggles, romances, and substance abuses of a group of struggling young writers in New York City.

From Producer Jessica Raimi’s website:

A story of the years of struggle artists go through before they make it big or give up. Phoebe’s unfocused ambitions land her in a crowded apartment on New York’s Upper Left Side with five roommates and their friends. George is a film critic paralyzed by deadlines, and his wife, Marceline, is tired of telling his editors he’s not home

Julian writes poetry inspired by unattainable men, while Red toils over the definitive science fiction novel. Jay spends his days in dark theaters, claiming that movies are as real as real life. Cecily, an actress on the soaps, must choose between Butch, a novelist whose radical sentiments are being eroded by his job at a mailing house, and the Narrator, whose voice of authority conceals a soul all too human.

We hear 3 more of the 28 episodes today – along with an exclusive interview with writer/producer Jessica Raimi.

Download audio file (rdr-podcast209.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 209

Episode 208 – Another Visit to 522, Where Struggling Writers Stay Warm in Many Ways…

Fred — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 21:53:47 +0000

Today we continue the feature of the 1980 serial Our Life Together Among the Works of Art, a sexy and side-splitting serial that aired on WBAI, telling the woeful tales, struggles, romances, and substance abuses of a group of struggling young writers in New York City.

From Producer Jessica Raimi’s website:

A story of the years of struggle artists go through before they make it big or give up. Phoebe’s unfocused ambitions land her in a crowded apartment on New York’s Upper Left Side with five roommates and their friends. George is a film critic paralyzed by deadlines, and his wife, Marceline, is tired of telling his editors he’s not home

Julian writes poetry inspired by unattainable men, while Red toils over the definitive science fiction novel. Jay spends his days in dark theaters, claiming that movies are as real as real life. Cecily, an actress on the soaps, must choose between Butch, a novelist whose radical sentiments are being eroded by his job at a mailing house, and the Narrator, whose voice of authority conceals a soul all too human.

We hear 3 of the 28 episodes today – more coming next week.

Download audio file (rdr-podcast208.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival – Episode 208

Episode 59: All Fun Till Someone Loses an Eye (…of the Storm)

Fred — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 16:23:17 +0000

Okay, it’s probably not appropriate to joke about the horrific events that unfold in this week’s episode, courtesy of the audio soap opera Eye of the Storm. But as the dust settles (or the clouds pass) we continue with a great chat with the creator and one of the actresses in this fine and fiery podcast.

Enjoy!

Download audio file (rdr-podcast059.mp3)

Radio Drama Revival! Episode 59

Episode 58: The Making of a Perfect Eye of the Storm

Fred — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 17:25:11 +0000

Down in the baking sun of South Louisiana the pastoral veneer covers a town overflowing with greed, jealousy, and deceit. Vernon Montgomery, a cantankerous oil tycoon, expects to get what he wants, and often does. But as the people in his life begin to behave in ways that go again his grain, the elements are taking shape for a perfect storm.

Enjoy episode 1 of this great audio soap opera, Eye of the Storm!

Download audio file (rdr-podcast058.mp3)

Radio Drama Revival – Episode 58

Episode 57: One Funny Valentine

Fred — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:36:02 +0000

Okay, it may appear to be succumbing to sentiment, but this week we play a piece in honor of Valentine’s Day by the marvelous Wireless Theatre Company. Jaded adult lovers in Britain are faced with an increasingly puzzling obsession when a mysterious card shows up on Valentine’s Day.

Note: This play includes some language not appropriate for playing at the workplace. The innuendo I’m sure you can handle

Download audio file (rdr-podcast057.mp3)
Radio Drama Revival! Episode 57