Tag: Jack Ward (Page 2 of 103)

Classic Sonic Society #23: Baker Street Revisited

September 23, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: Angela Young looks back at her early days of Audio Drama!
In our previous incarnation as “Shadowlands Theatre” one of my very favourite forays into the past was listening to the old time radio drama series “Sherlock Holmes” with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. Rathbone was arguably the best Holmes capturing some of the quirky spirit of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s creation. It was only after Jeremy Brett’s turn on the BBC production that people considered there was a new great Sleuth with the Deerstalker. This tale adapted by Jim Cort was presented to us by our friend and member of the Society “Richard Frolich”.
Later we’ll have a discussion about podcasting with Andy Doane from Spaceship Radio, and our third episode of Biff Straker and Spaceways!
For this month of February I would like any of our listening members to give us an email and tell us what you think. What do we do well? What could we improve on? What would you like to hear for next season? Who would you like us to interview? Would you like to see practical tips on making radio drama, or would you simply want more stories? Do you like serials? Would you prefer anthology stories? Crack your knuckles and tap out a few lines to us at sonicsociety@gmail.com or visit us at www.sonicsociety.org. Let your voice be heard, so we can improve OUR show for the future!

Classic Sonic Society #22: Hot Wax

September 22, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: The First Sonic Society Fan- Matt Leong talks about his love of the medium!
Audio Drama has its favourites and if you talk to many aficionados of the art they will tell you that there’s more science fiction and comedy in the new Audio works than any other genre. Schlock Audio Theater’s works are some of the very best of the unintended intended comedy you’ll find. Bruce Humphries and Charles E. Pratt have a love for the old- and so bad they are good “B-flick” horrors of the past. What they have discovered is that the 50’s horrors have great new life as radio dramas, especially with their own narrator/host. Tonight we present another of our favourite gut wrenching tales “House of Wax”.
Later we’ll listen in on a conversation I had with Danielle Cutler from the Audio Addicts blog and complete the business of entertainment in our podcast meeting this week with the next thrilling episode of “Biff Straker and Spaceways”.

Classic Sonic Society #21: Pand-at-it-Again

September 21, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: Tom Konkle brings us his thoughts on Audio Drama and the Sonic Society!
Returning to the Society another great fan favourite- The Red Panda. The Red Panda’s new adventures can be heard regularly through Podcast at the Radio Memories Network or through Decoder Ring Theatre’s website. I love the Red Panda because Gregg Taylor’s humour and alacrity knows exactly how much cheese we want on our meal, and how much meat. Too many turns at the heroic wheel have produced silly stories or super serious ones. The original Red Panda series has just the right mixture. In his new series, Mr. Taylor takes the Red Panda and produces an instant golden age classic to be found in the honoured halls of other greats like The Shadow and The Green Hornet. Canada’s premiere super-hero of the past, has many more adventures waiting for him in the future.
After, part two of our interview with Andrew Dorfman of The Sonic Society and a peek at what is coming up for our listeners next season. We end our meeting with a special treat for our podcasting audience, another hero stemming from the North side of the US/Canadian border. Sonic Society proudly presents the first episode of Biff Straker and Spaceways!

Classic Sonic Society #20: Hardboiled

September 20, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: Jonithan Patrick Russell brings us the hidden history behind Robotz of the Company and the Sonic Society!
This week our Society meeting looks at Texas Radio Theatre. Our good friend and Society member in good stead Richard Frolick has been writing and creating radio drama for many years now. One of his favourite productions is yet another famous Jack- and that being a hardnosed or rather hardcastled detective.
Jack Hardcastle is a delightful romp in the style that Texas Radio Theatre has become best known for- loving tributes with a wink to the past and an eye to the future. Winners of the Ogle Awards and mentioned honourably by the Mark Time awards for their productions, Texas Radio Theatre produces live performances nearly as often as it works in the studio. Tireless, Mr. Frolick and his theatre players provide a wide variety of fantasy, comedy, drama and suspense in their lineup.
After, we’ll have an interview with myself and Andrew Dorfman from the Sonic Society to talk about how it all began, and where we see the Society going in the future.

Classic Sonic Society #19: Soul Patrolin’

September 19, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: JV Torres talks about his love of audio drama!
This week in the Society we return to a fan favourite, “The Soul Patrol” by David Koenigsberg. Our heroes of the Soul Patrol investigate the kinds of terrible crimes only humans could commit upon each other. They explore the psyche’s of villains that most likely go undetected by mere mortal law enforcement, and that brings some interesting questions to mind.
There’s some long abiding principles that have run out of favour in our society today. The idea of “sinning in thought” is not considered nearly as important compared to sinning in deed. In the past, even horrendous villainous thoughts had far reaching consequences- in the Soul Patrol they are footprints of crimes to be committed- as much as eyes are the windows to the soul. Writing celestial characters can have real power in stories. They give us the opportunity to look at metaphors and archetypes to shine the lamp of truth upon who we are and where we’re going. Stand by as we go soaring off into another Soul Patrol adventure.
After, an interview with Jonithan Patrick Russell of Dream Realm Enterprises.

Classic Sonic Society #18: Martian Music

September 18, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: Pete Lutz talks about his memories of Sonic!
The idea in most science fiction is that it’s not science fiction. That is to say, the stories may be set in the near or distant future, but they are about us as people today. Even if the people are future people, their sentiments, their concerns, their lives reflect our sentiments, our concerns, and our lives. Whether the characters are aliens or robots, they represent humanity and all our foibles and hopes.
Great Northern Audio’s “Martian Trombones” takes a page from the classic view of martians as folks just like us. While we recognise this may be entirely flights of fantasy and humour, it is also important to see that no matter what planet you’re from, the same issues remain.
After, an interview with Dr. Kerric Harvey on writing and creating radio drama.

Classic Sonic Society #17: Press ESC

September 17, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: Mark Kilfoil is rhapsodic about the Sonic Society!
Aired: 12/27/2005As we look into a New Year here in the Society, one has to spend a little time in the past. But be careful where you step, because the past can be a rabbit hole of traps that loops again and again. Crazy Dog Audio Theatre has a propensity in their timeless and powerful tales to look at society in its most naked absurdity. This week’s foray into the Universe requires only that you press #3. Later we’ll take a week’s hiatus from our serial and enjoy some laughter from Third Coast Live.

Classic Sonic Society #16: Going Oscar Wilde!

September 16, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: Lothar Tuppan brings his first memory of the Society!
Replay of the Christmas Podcast A treat for the Society’s podcasting audience- a delayed Christmas present. In this special replacement podcast we travel to the past as your host reads three stories from Oscar Wilde. What makes this gift extra-special is the heartfelt motivation behind it. After, it’s Christmas in August as we travel to the future with the Robotz of the Company and their season finale, “Santicon Day”.

Classic Sonic Society #15: Stellar Tripping

September 15, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: John Bell of the Batfry remembers the Sonic Society!
This week we return once again to the next exciting installment of the Arbiter Chronicles from Prometheus Theater. One of the enduring ideas of space that has been explored so readily in television shows like Star Trek, Firefly, Space Above and Beyond, and Babylon 5 among others is the concept of isolation. Like great adventurers of the past, heroes in space will not have the opportunity to turn to the powerful resources of a city, country, or empire to solve problems that arise. This leaves room for the ingenious, the clever, and the wiley. Surviving in space requires a quick understanding of a situation when it arises and the best solution with the least amount of depleted resources in the task. The best Captains in space are those who inspire courage in their fellows and answers to the most complex solutions. Whether they are Kirk, Adama, Reynolds or Atal.
After our feature in this meeting we’ll listen to a segment from Crazy Dog Audio on the process of writing radio drama, and of course end with the second last episode of Dream Realm Enterprise’s Robots of the Company.

Classic Sonic Society #14: There Be Dragons Afoot!

September 14, 2025 / Jack / 0 Comments

Prologue: Joe Stofko remembers the years!
Music has a powerful draw in all our lives, and its importance seems to grow as the years pass. We purchase CD’s of the music of movies as readily as the DVD’s of the movies themselves. No less is the importance of music in radio drama. While there have been very successful series that have not utilized music, for the most part, modern radio drama depends upon it to cover the skeletal structure of an audio performance and make each contour seamless… beautiful. In this week’s feature, music is very much the magic that enchants and beguiles the characters in our story. Texas Radio Theatre’s live show of “Dragon Song” begins in a moment.
Also included in our meeting this week is an interview with Richard Frohlich architect and creator of The Texas Radio Theatre group, another shout out for all those interested in writing your own audio cinema scripts, and we begin to wrap up our run of Robots of the Company by DreamRealm Enterprises.