Radio Drama Revival

While Fred is back in the U.S. of A, he's spiritually still in Lesotho, so he shares a few more sounds, memories, and a killer interview he got with a local band while in the "Magic Mountain Kingdom." The band Sotho Sounds consists of local herdsboys who grew up tending cattle, sheep, and goats, and keeping themselves entertained with an indigenous instrument (the Basotho Violin). These days, the Basotho Violin is made out of an oil can and strung with fishing wire, and if you combine it with a 50-gallon oil can turned drum, you can truly jam! We talk to the musicians, play some tunes, then spend the second half of the show enjoying FinalRune Productions's 2010 treatise on humanity's treatment of nature, The Troll of Stony Brook. The post Episode 369 – A Trip to Lesotho, and a Troll of Stony Brook appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

Part 3 of 3 Fred's final entry from Lesotho on a spell-binding sunrise as he presents the encore retelling of John Dryden's masterful 3-part drama Severed Threads. Vengeance is all that's on schoolboy Ben's mind as he pieces together the events surrounding his father's death. Four thousand miles away in India, journalist Prem is drawn deeper into a dangerous world of exploitation and corruption. In the US, as Jim's life takes a nose-dive and he is gradually stripped of all he holds dear, his unquestioning faith turns to simmering rage. As these three stories converge, they build towards a terrifying and climatic resolution.   The post Episode 368 – Return of Severed Threads (3 of 3) appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

Part 2 of 3 Fred is in South Africa and in bleary eyed wonder posts up an encore retelling of John Dryden's masterful 3-part drama Severed Threads. When journalist Prem Sharma rescues a child working in a textile factory outside Delhi, seven thousand miles away in Minnesota, Jim Nostrand, proprietor of church-owned clothing firm Cheap Threads, becomes the scapegoat. Meanwhile, in a private boarding school in England, troubled twelve-year-old Ben seems obsessed with school-shootings and vengeance.   The post Episode 367 – Return of Severed Threads (2 of 3) appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

Part 1 of 3 Fred is in South Africa and in bleary eyed wonder posts up an encore retelling of John Dryden's masterful 3-part drama Severed Threads. When journalist Prem Sharma rescues a child working in a textile factory outside Delhi, seven thousand miles away in Minnesota, Jim Nostrand, proprietor of church-owned clothing firm Cheap Threads, becomes the scapegoat. Meanwhile, in a private boarding school in England, troubled twelve-year-old Ben seems obsessed with school-shootings and vengeance.   The post Episode 366 – Return of Severed Threads (1 of 3) appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

Our recap/celebration series continues, this time with Fred grabbing the mic to do his own blatant self-promotion... First, the 2010 satirical "War on Poverty" lampooning American geo-politics and media, followed up by the 2008 Gold Ogle Winning "Waiting for a Window." An unexpected storm throws Norman D. Waits off his course to… somewhere. The island where he lands is nice enough, with old sea salts that welcome him with open arms and a bar that’s always open. But as it becomes increasingly clear that no one ever seems to leave the island, Norman finds himself in a fight to get moving to some distant shore or remain trapped in this half-baked paradise forever. IN CASE YOU DON'T HEAR FROM US... Radio Drama Revival's Producer Fred Greenhalgh is traveling to Lesotho (in Southern Africa) for three weeks, internet is not a given, though adventures are.  If you hear any Radio Drama Revival between now and mid-February, it will include fun bits of audio from Malealea. The post Episode 365 – A War on Poverty and Waiting for A Window appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

Part 2 of 2 Conclusion of Crazy Dog Audio Theatre's "The Salmon of Blackpool." Johnny Gallagher is a world famous movie star from Cork, Ireland, and he also dying slowly from a debilitating, fatal disorder.  Richie has been tasked by some big movie producers to make a 'feel good' biopic of this man who is 'unloved because he has never been loved.' -But what is there to 'feel good' about in the life of this tormented man?

Holy crap! Radio Drama Revival is entering its 8th year! In celebration, we are playing some of our favorite selections from years past... starting with a bit of a cheat, a show that kicked off our second year, Crazy Dog Audio Theatre's "The Salmon of Blackpool." This ranks as one of Fred's top five dramas of all time, so it gets a little special treatment. Johnny Gallagher is a world famous movie star from Cork, Ireland, but a cranky despot of a man and not taking well to life with a debilitating, fatal disorder. Richie has been hired by some big movie producers to make a 'feel good' biopic, but what is there to 'feel good' about in the life of this dark figure?

This week a post-holiday treat from Playing on Air, a showcase for contemporary short plays produced for radio in New York City by a team of theater professionals. This episode consists of three short plays - The Blizzard, a mystery thriller, features Jesse Eisenberg as a snowed-in screenwriter facing unexpected guests. In The Miracle of Chanukah, a holiday guest’s personal miracle throws a family for a loop. In Christmas Breaks, a young man surprises his girlfriend with some curve ball gifts. We hope to play more of the delightful Playing on Air plays - dig up more by finding them on PRX: http://www.prx.org/group_accounts/178932-playingonair And don't miss a special recap of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere currently available on BBC iPlayer: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b01r527b The Blizzard is written by David Ives, directed by John Rando (Tony) with Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network), Alfredo Narciso, Heidi Schreck and Sarah Sokolovic. Miracle of Chanukah is by Sheri Wilner and features Zach Appelman, Peter Friedman, Judy Gold (Emmy), Marcia Jean Kurtz, Lisa Joyce. Christmas Breaks is by Patrick Gabridge and features Zach Appelman, Steven Boyer, and Halley Feiffer.

Part 2 of 2 Policies and policettes, we at Radio Drama Revival take heart in the warm gripping hands of the Hartlife Corporation, proudly providing YOU with all the life you will ever need. And if you want a little bit more? Well... we'll learn how that goes for a group of intrepid characters in this week's show: [the second part] of an omnibus edition of Our Fair City: Season 4. As the Stormhawk's survivors explore the underground caverns that are the ruins of Old Hartford, new questions arise: will the wolves find them in this deep cave? Can Humanity survive without the Company? Just what is “Campbell’s,” and could it possibly be as tasty as good old HartLife Algae? Featuring a special preview of Season 5 of Our Fair City - the first place to hear it! Join them in Chicago this January for a kick-off party (and they always throw great parties).

Policies and policettes, we at Radio Drama Revival take heart in the warm gripping hands of the Hartlife Corporation, proudly providing YOU with all the life you will ever need.  And if you want a little bit more? Well... we'll learn how that goes for a group of intrepid characters in this week's show: an omnibus edition of Our Fair City: Season 4. Life on the unforgiving tundras of New England is hard, frigid, and for Benny Lemieux, disappointingly non-conjugal.  We meet him, Cumulus Jane and the other survivors of the crashed Stormhawk as they fight for survival and wonder at the daring of Neal Henderson and his party as they travel back…to HartLife. Featuring a special preview of Season 5 of Our Fair City - the first place to hear it!  Join them in Chicago this January for a kick-off party (and they always throw great parties). The post Episode 360 – Revisiting Our Fair City… appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

In mid 19th-century London, a ghastly monster stalks the streets of London.  No one is safe from the demonic apparition that will come to be known as 'Springheel'd Jack.' Constable Jonah Smith is hot on the trail, tracking the creature through the gaslit streets.  But can he stop the beast before it strikes again? With special permission from the Wireless Theatre Company, Radio Drama Revival provides a 3-episode 'omnibus' of the first Season of 'The Strange Case of Springheel'd Jack.'  The saga continues! With a new episode debuting on 12/9/2013.  This taut, suspenseful tale of cat and mouse in the claustrophic, dimly lit streets of London is among the best murder mysteries we've heard in recent memory.  Season 2 keeps it up with a new set of twists and turns as Jonah continues his search for the fiend. Be sure to sign up for one of Wireless Theatre Company's new subscription plans so you can keep tuned in with their exciting production.  They remain in the top tier of British non-BBC radio drama producers.

Week 3 of our focus on The Cleansed; this week we have back-to-back episodes from Season 2 of The Cleansed which is now available for pre-order through Blackstone Audiobooks. Season two of this postapocalyptic saga opens with a motley band of heroes traveling down a treacherous river—but nature is only the beginning of the challenges they will face. In the shadows of the city of Corinth, a great evil uses fear and violence to control the minds of the masses. Meanwhile, a prophet says the coming of Jesus is nigh, but are there truly divine forces at work or merely the manipulation of man? We offer two of the episodes (1 hr of 5 hrs) of this epic apocalyptic audio drama.  Hear the series Dirk Maggs calls "immersive and utterly convincing world." The post Episode 358 – Riding the River and Cleansed appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

This week The Cleansed returns to Radio Drama Revival, bringing us back to the end of the world, which begins in a time not-so-distant from now. The scathing, unremitting prologue episode "The Breaking" introduces the characters John Prophet, David Brenner, Sam Miller, and Luke Bovonsky, who are pulled into a topsy-turvey world when things go awry at a little retelling of "War of the Worlds" taking place at the Armory in Bangor, Maine. Radio DJ "Comeau" is just trying to run the board at the radio station - the last source of news in a world already suffering from blackouts, ongoing war and fuel shortages - and he is going to bear witness as the strangest thing in recorded history comes to pass in this small town in Maine... An event which will shape the future of the fallen world forever, and pave the way for Season 1 and Season 2 of The Cleansed. The post Episode 356 – A Great Cleansing is Coming appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

For the month of October, Fred has been hiding under a rock working on the new Season of The Cleansed - but lest you forget our love of the undead, we feature a rebroadcast of our 2009 LIVE to air Halloween horror radio show, with five original radio plays, full cast, foley FX, live music, and played live on the radio... No retakes! Prepare to get chilled. Stories Include: The Ghost Behind the Black Door by Roger Gregg A couple from the city moves to a mansion in the countryside only to find that things are not all as they expect... a spoof on the classic horror meme. Leaving You is Hell by Fred Greenhalgh A dark retelling of the myth of Orpheus inspired by the classic jazz tune "St James Infirmary." A man in New Orleans is doomed to keep falling in love with the same woman and seducing her to her death. Bone Lake by Mark LaFlamme The ice fishing's going well on Bone Lake, until a man comes from the winter's night looking for a very strange catch. Third Shift by Kevin Anderson A company will sell you very efficient workers at a bargain price. Just don't send the living to check out their work. The Talented Cast Burke Brimmer and Christine Marshall from Mad Horse Theater Company, FinalRune regular Philip Hobby, Janice Gardner, Tom Power. Live Sound Effects and Music Live sound effects by Paul Drinan and "Goober," computer FX by Michael Townsend, live music performed by Barb Truex. The post Episode 355 – FinalRune Halloween Horror Redux appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.

From the pen of Joe Maggio, we have for you today a special dark treat from the audio horror collection Tales from Beyond the Pale. The show is The Ram King, about a boy named Lassa who gets himself into trouble by fermenting a strange and powerful cheese. Can his god, the ram king, an all-powerful mystical being, save him? Or is the ram just a legend of an ignorant people? After the special presentation, made possibly by special permission with the creators, we speak with the same creators - Larry Fessenden and Glenn McQuaid. They talk about the genesis of this curious collection of dark stories, and their love for working in the horror genre in general and audio specifically. PS - Aural Stage Studios' fundraising campaign for "A Prophet's Guide" is at: http://www.rockethub.com/projects/32213-a-prophets-guide/ The post Episode 354 – “The Ram King” Roars from Beyond the Pale appeared first on Radio Drama Revival.