Brian Daley – The Sonic Society

I don’t know about you. But the thought that the new Star Wars movies could produce more NPR Star Wars audio drama makes me more excited than even for the release of the next installment- Rogue One.

For many of us who held on to the flame of radio drama in those twilight years, the NPR Star Wars written by Brian Daley set flame to our imaginations exactly what a serialized version of a story could do. Forget, the modern podcast serials. Star Wars the Radio Drama stretched the original tale to tell all the stories that George Lucas couldn’t fit into a two hour feature. As this Hollywood Reporter article clarifies the extended tales tells us much more about the upcoming movie “Rogue One” than the original trilogy let slip.

I admit that I have dreams that I can be part of that team. I get a knock on my door and it’s J.J. Abrams.

“Jack,” he says. “I need you to make forty episodes- ten for each movie.” and we get in the Millennium Falcon and make our way to hidden satellite where they keep a young and rejuvinated Orson Welles, William Conrad, Vincent Price, Jack Benny, and Arch Obeler.

Hey, I’m in audio drama. I have an active fantasy life!

In a generation far, far away, Americans everywhere were treated to Star Wars the Radio Drama trilogy in 1981, 83, and 96. While my reintroduction to modern audio drama was The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy as CBC replayed the British phenom just before the bus came in the morning, yanks were thrilling about George Lucas‘ game changing space fantasy not only on the screen, but in the theatre of the mind. Adapted by the incredibly talented Brian Daley, the extended Star Wars series lit the imagination of the current crop of Gen-X’ers who currently dominate the audio drama realm.

The Lawrence Public Library Staff write this article, expressing their own (although I suspect it was just one person’s) enthusiasm reliving the classic series:

…the “Star Wars Radio Drama” adds new depth to a classic story so many of us have come to love. And most importantly, it’s a lot of fun. And luckily for us, we don’t have to wait years between episode; the library’s copy comes with dramatizations of both “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.” So get listening!

May The Force be with you, always….

Tag: Brian Daley

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