Each week Jack Ward and David Ault are pleased to showcase the very best Modern Audio Theatre (Radio Drama) from around the world. From the days of Old Time Radio in the early 20th century until the modern age of broadcasts, podcasts, and streaming simulcasts, audio plays are movies for the mind!
Posted By Jack on June 20, 2017
Tonight Jack and David are proud to bring some multiple episodes of two different shows for our double “features”. Beginning with the 4077th’s Rip Jarvis of the Space Cadets space fantasy parody, and ending off the sometimes not-safe-for-work but always hilarious Video Game World News Tonight from Scott Phillips.
Don’t look now but it’s AUDIO DRAMA TIME!
Posted By Jack on June 15, 2017
Yet more evidence that the world of Audio Drama is heating up by Audible‘s announcement, The Conversation has an article entitlted: How podcasting is having a major revival with new audio productions of The X-Files and Doctor Who. Looking at some of the exciting releases like The Invisible Man, Homecoming, Doctor Who, Bronzeville, and X-Files. Everyone is starting to jump on the audio drama bandwagon:
Starting in November, the US psychological thriller Homecoming was released as a podcast staring David Schwimmer, Oscar Isaacs and Catherine Keener. This was followed by the Bronzeville serial starring Larenz Tate and Lawrence Fishburn, which brought 1940s underworld Chicago to life.
Over in the UK a number of classics have been making headlines as richly imagined audio productions. The Invisible Man, released in February starring John Hurt, kicked off a series of high-quality HG Wells releases for production company Big Finish, and in April Wireless Theatre Company produced Black Beauty with Samuel West and Tamzin Outhwaite.
Meanwhile Doctor Who fans are thrilled to hear that the popular pairing of David Tennant and Billy Piper are back, opening the Tardis door on a new run of audio adventures. And David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson will be reprising their classic roles this July in X-Files: Cold Cases on Audible.
But then, why wouldn’t you?
Posted By Jack on June 13, 2017
A bit of a departure this week as we anticipate the ghost stories of summer with Evil Kitten Productions‘ Midnight Horror by Rachel Craig double feature of “The Rash” and “A Spark Ignored”.
Posted By Jack on June 6, 2017
Posted By Jack on May 30, 2017
The Internet is buzzing with the news that Audible.com has decided to launch a five million dollar fund to find and play audio drama writers. The Digital-Reader has all the details:
Audible, the digital audiobook giant, announced Tuesday that it would create a $5 million fund to commission new works from emerging playwrights — not for the stage, but for people’s headphones and speakers.
As audio fiction seems to be having a moment, in the realm of podcasts, Audible plans to draw from the vast pool of young writers to create one- or two-person plays. They will be available beginning late this year, the company said.
Playwrights can apply for grants to cover both “industry standards” for new commissions and the cost of production, said Donald R. Katz, Audible’s chief executive and a former journalist and author.
“I’m hoping that people just come out of the woodwork,” Mr. Katz said.
Audible is hoping to fund dozens of playwrights. This will certainly help put proof in the pudding that we’re entering a new age of Audio Drama listeners and production!
Posted By Jack on May 26, 2017
So many great actors work in the medium of audio drama/radio drama these days, every little bit of wisdom and experience can help. Consider the article in Spotlight by Katie Redford who gives great advice on how to break into radio:
When I was little, my parents always told me I could be anything I wanted to be. I don’t think they thought I’d take it quite as literally as I did when in one of my first ever jobs in radio, I played a t-shirt. Yes, I was the voice of a t-shirt. I was a bit thrown by the Director’s notes too:
“Yeah, we’re not feeling it. Can you sound a bit more… like a t-shirt?”
Radio is a fascinating genre and I feel extremely fortunate to currently be a part of it. It’s a medium that so many established, highly respectable actors such as Sheila Hancock, Amelia Bullmore, Daniel Mays, amongst many more, work in time and time again. When Bill Nighy was recently awarded an award for his services to radio drama, he said: “I am as proud of my involvement in radio as of anything in my professional life. Long may it provide its unparalleled service and entertainment.”
The thing is though, how on earth do you crack a career in it? It’s tricky enough to break through this industry anyway, but radio almost seems to be in its own bracket. Here a few suggestions that hopefully will help get the ball rolling for you.
Read more of the article and get your ode to audio working for you today!
Posted By Jack on May 23, 2017
Tonight Jack and David have two VIP tickets to give out thanks to Steven Jay Cohen for the HEAR NOW Festival! Our double feature includes Point Mystic from Christopher Reynaga and Midnight Radio Theater‘s “The Long Weekend” by Billy Sinese. It’s AUDIO DRAMA TIME!
Posted By Jack on May 16, 2017
With Sonic Society Season 11 looming next week, David Ault hosts a special Summerstock extra- Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” an OTR short directed and starring David Ault, edited and co-starring Jack Ward, and special guest stars David Cummings from The No Sleep Podcast, and showcasing the heart-stopping terror-filled of Sharon Bee.
Posted By Jack on May 9, 2017
Tonight we take a trip down noir lane with Downstairs Entertainment and DaveyBoy Production’s Rex Rivetter: Private Eye and the Case of the Poisoned Parakeet. David and Jack reminisce about some of their favourite English detective tales. What are yours?
