Radio Tales
Encyclopedia
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
series of radio drama
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
s produced by Generations Productions. This series adapted classic works of American and world literature such as The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds
The War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles...
, Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction novel by French writer Jules Verne published in 1870. It tells the story of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as seen from the perspective of Professor Pierre Aronnax...
, Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
, Gulliver's Travels
Gulliver's Travels
Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels , is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of...
, and the One Thousand and One Nights. Premiering on National Public Radio on October 29, 1996, the series has been described by NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
as “music drama programs packed with discovery, mystery and intrigue wrapped in original cinematic music and elaborate sound design”.
The series was conceived and created by producer Winnie Waldron
Winnie Waldron
Winnie Waldron is an American music producer for video games, a producer for radio, a radio script editor / adapter and a radio host.- Radio :...
, who also served as on-air host and principal script editor for the series. Composer Winifred Phillips
Winifred Phillips
Winifred Phillips is an American music composer for video games and radio, a published fantasy author, and a radio producer and actress.-Video games:...
created over fifty hours of music for the series, and also performed as featured actress. Waldron and Phillips are co-founders of Generations Productions LLC, and co-producers of the Radio Tales series. In addition to their work on this series, Waldron and Phillips are also known for their subsequent work as producers and creators of music for the videogame industry, most notably for the Speed Racer
Speed Racer (2008 video game)
Speed Racer is a racing video game developed by Sidhe Interactive for the PlayStation 2 and Wii consoles and by Virtuos Games for the Nintendo DS console, and published in-house by a new division of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, WB Games. It is a tie-in to the 2008 film adaptation of the...
videogame in 2008, the Shrek the Third
Shrek the Third (video game)
Shrek The Third is an action video game based on the 2007 DreamWorks Animation animated film of the same name, developed by 7 Studios, Gameloft, Amaze Entertainment and Vicarious Visions. The game was published by Activision on May 14, 2007 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Wii, PC, Nintendo DS, and...
videogame in 2007, The Da Vinci Code videogame in 2006, and the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (video game)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been made into two video games: once in 1985 and also in 2005. The games are based on the book of the same name by Roald Dahl.-Charlie and the Chocolate Factory :...
and God of War
God of War (video game)
God of War is an action adventure video game for the PlayStation 2 first released by Sony Computer Entertainment's Santa Monica division in March 2005...
videogames in 2005.
The Radio Tales series has won numerous awards, including an International Radio Festivals WorldMedal for its production "Fortress of Doom" and four Gracie Allen Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television, including a Best Actress in a National Network Drama award for Winifred Phillips’ performance in "The Yellow Wallpaper".
History
Waldron and Phillips’ first venture into the field of radio drama came in 1992, when they collaborated on a limited-run anthology series of original dramas entitled Tales from the Other Side. The series consisted of 10 half-hour programs. Programs from the series were chosen by Noah Andre Trudeau, then cultural program director for National Public Radio, to be featured as a part of NPR PlayhouseNPR Playhouse
NPR Playhouse was a series of radio dramas from National Public Radio. The series was a successor to the NPR series Earplay and was discontinued in September 2002....
in the summer of 1992. The entire series was subsequently broadcast on WBAI-FM in NYC in 1994, where it earned comparisons to the Twilight Zone and the Outer Limits.
In 1996, Waldron and Phillips produced the pilot program for a new series of dramatic radio adaptations of classic stories and novels from around the world. The series was first presented on National Public Radio Playhouse under the title Generations Radio Theater Presents, and then later as Generations Radio Theater Presents: Radio Tales. The pilot program was an adaptation of the classic Edgar Allan Poe horror story "Masque of the Red Death", and was described by NPR as "elegantly macabre". National Public Radio Playhouse aired the pilot program on October 29, 1996.
The Generations Radio Theater Presents: Radio Tales series aired on National Public Radio affiliate stations from 1996 until 2002. During its broadcast run on National Public Radio, the Radio Tales series was underwritten by the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
. In 2002, the series moved to XM Satellite Radio’s
XM Satellite Radio
XM Satellite Radio is one of two satellite radio services in the United States and Canada, operated by Sirius XM Radio. It provides pay-for-service radio, analogous to cable television. Its service includes 73 different music channels, 39 news, sports, talk and entertainment channels, 21 regional...
Sonic Theater
Sonic Theater
Sirius XM Book Radio, formerly known as Sonic Theater , is a channel on the Sirius XM Radio network that specializes in playing Audio Books and Radio Dramas. It is available on channel 80 on Sirius and on XM . The program director is Josephine Reed...
channel. Retitled Radio Tales, the series made its XM Satellite Radio premiere on Thanksgiving Day with the holiday program "O. Henry's Thanksgiving". The Radio Tales series aired on XM Satellite Radio's Sonic Theater channel from 2002 until 2008. In 2008, the Radio Tales series moved to Sirius XM Satellite Radio. The series airs regularly on the Sirius XM Book Radio channel of Sirius XM Satellite Radio.
Programs in the series
The following episodes were produced by Winnie WaldronWinnie Waldron
Winnie Waldron is an American music producer for video games, a producer for radio, a radio script editor / adapter and a radio host.- Radio :...
with Winifred Phillips
Winifred Phillips
Winifred Phillips is an American music composer for video games and radio, a published fantasy author, and a radio producer and actress.-Video games:...
as composer:
- "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea": An adaptation of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the SeaTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the SeaTwenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea is a classic science fiction novel by French writer Jules Verne published in 1870. It tells the story of Captain Nemo and his submarine Nautilus as seen from the perspective of Professor Pierre Aronnax...
by Jules VerneJules VerneJules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
, first broadcast on April 24, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "A Matter of Prejudice": An adaptation of "A Matter of Prejudice" by Kate ChopinKate ChopinKate Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty , was an American author of short stories and novels. She is now considered by some to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century....
, first broadcast on September 25, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Apocalypse": An adaptation of "FinisFinis (short story)"Finis" is a short story written by American science fiction author Frank L. Pollack , and published in The Argosy magazine, June 1906. It has been reprinted in magazines, translated, and anthologized numerous times, occasionally under the title "The Last Dawn"...
" by Frank L. PollackFrank L. PollackFrank Lillie Pollack, was an early American science fiction writer and author of the short story "Finis", published in the June 1906 issue of The Argosy magazine, anthologized several times, and available online. In 1930, he was living in Shedden, Ontario, Canada .Briefly, "Finis" is the story of...
, first broadcast on October 30, 2001 on National Public Radio. - "Arabian Nights Trilogy: Aladdin and his Magical Lamp": An adaptation of the tale of AladdinAladdinAladdin is a Middle Eastern folk tale. It is one of the tales in The Book of One Thousand and One Nights , and one of the most famous, although it was actually added to the collection by Antoine Galland ....
from One Thousand and One Nights, first broadcast on August 21, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Arabian Nights Trilogy: Sindbad the Sailor": An adaptation of the tale of Sindbad from One Thousand and One Nights, first broadcast on September 22, 2003 via XM Satellite Radio.
- "Arabian Nights Trilogy: Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves": An adaptation of the tale of Ali BabaAli BabaAli Baba is a fictional character from medieval Arabic literature. He is described in the adventure tale of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves...
from One Thousand and One Nights, first broadcast on September 15, 2003 via XM Satellite Radio. - "Asteroid": An adaptation of "The StarThe Star (Wells short story)"The Star" is an 1897 apocalyptic short story by H.G. Wells.-Plot summary:In January , the people of Earth awaken to the notion that a strange luminous object has irrupted, into the Solar System, after much disturbing the normal orbit of the planet Neptune...
" by H. G. WellsH. G. WellsHerbert George Wells was an English author, now best known for his work in the science fiction genre. He was also a prolific writer in many other genres, including contemporary novels, history, politics and social commentary, even writing text books and rules for war games...
, first broadcast on August 14, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Beowulf": An adaptation of BeowulfBeowulfBeowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
, first broadcast on May 15, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "The Birthmark": An adaptation of "The Birthmark" by Nathaniel HawthorneNathaniel HawthorneNathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
, first broadcast on Dec. 15, 1998 via National Public Radio. - "The Boarded Window": An adaptation of "The Boarded Window" by Ambrose BierceAmbrose BierceAmbrose Gwinnett Bierce was an American editorialist, journalist, short story writer, fabulist and satirist...
, first broadcast on April 3, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "The Canterville Ghost": An adaptation of "The Canterville GhostThe Canterville Ghost"The Canterville Ghost" is a popular short story by Oscar Wilde, widely adapted for the screen and stage. It was the first of Wilde's stories to be published, appearing in the magazine The Court and Society Review in February 1887. It was later included in a collection of short stories entitled...
" by Oscar WildeOscar WildeOscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
, first broadcast on July 3, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Celtic Hero": An adaptation of Tochmarc EmireTochmarc EmireTochmarc Emire is one of the stories in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology and one of the longest when it received its form in the second recension . It concerns the efforts of the hero Cú Chulainn to marry Emer, who appears as his wife in other stories of the cycle, and his training in arms...
(The Wooing of Emer) from the Ulster CycleUlster CycleThe Ulster Cycle , formerly known as the Red Branch Cycle, one of the four great cycles of Irish mythology, is a body of medieval Irish heroic legends and sagas of the traditional heroes of the Ulaid in what is now eastern Ulster and northern Leinster, particularly counties Armagh, Down and...
, first broadcast on February 29, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Charles Dickens' Ghost Story": An adaptation of "The Trial for Murder" by Charles DickensCharles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, first broadcast on December 6, 2003 via XM Satellite Radio. - "Chicago 2065": An adaptation of "With the Night Mail" and "As Easy as A.B.C." by Rudyard KiplingRudyard KiplingJoseph Rudyard Kipling was an English poet, short-story writer, and novelist chiefly remembered for his celebration of British imperialism, tales and poems of British soldiers in India, and his tales for children. Kipling received the 1907 Nobel Prize for Literature...
, first broadcast on October 23, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Chopin's Locket": An adaptation of "The LocketThe LocketThe Locket is a suspense film directed by John Brahm, starring Laraine Day, Brian Aherne, Robert Mitchum, and Gene Raymond, and released by RKO Radio Pictures...
" by Kate Chopin, first broadcast on August 29, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde": An adaptation of Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde by Robert Louis StevensonRobert Louis StevensonRobert Louis Balfour Stevenson was a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer. His best-known books include Treasure Island, Kidnapped, and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde....
, first broadcast on January 18, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Dracula's Guest": An adaptation of "Dracula's GuestDracula's GuestDracula's Guest and Other Weird Stories is a collection of short stories by Bram Stoker, first published in 1914, two years after Stoker's death...
" by Bram StokerBram StokerAbraham "Bram" Stoker was an Irish novelist and short story writer, best known today for his 1897 Gothic novel Dracula...
, first broadcast on October 19, 1999 via National Public Radio. - "Edgar Allan Poe's Predicament": An adaptation of "A PredicamentA Predicament (short story)"A Predicament" is a humorous short story by Edgar Allan Poe, usually combined with its companion piece "How to Write a Blackwood Article." It was originally titled "The Scythe of Time".-Plot summary:...
" by Edgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan PoeEdgar Allan Poe was an American author, poet, editor and literary critic, considered part of the American Romantic Movement. Best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe was one of the earliest American practitioners of the short story and is considered the inventor of the detective...
, first broadcast on November 16, 1999 via National Public Radio. - "Edgar Allan Poe's Valdemar": An adaptation of "The Facts in the Case of M. ValdemarThe Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar"The Facts in the Case of M. Valdemar" is a short story by American author Edgar Allan Poe about a mesmerist who puts a man in a suspended hypnotic state at the moment of death. An example of a tale of suspense and horror, it is also, to a certain degree, a hoax as it was published without claiming...
" by Edgar Allan Poe, first broadcast on March 14, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Edith Wharton's Journey": An adaptation of "A JourneyA JourneyA Journey is a memoir written by Tony Blair, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom between 1997 and 2007. Published on 1 September 2010, it is an account of how he became leader of the Labour Party in 1994 and transformed the party into "New Labour"; the party held power for a record three...
" by Edith WhartonEdith WhartonEdith Wharton , was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer, and designer.- Early life and marriage:...
, first broadcast on December 24, 1996 via National Public Radio. - "The Fall of the House of Usher": An adaptation of "The Fall of the House of UsherThe Fall of the House of Usher"The Fall of the House of Usher" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in September 1839 in Burton's Gentleman's Magazine. It was slightly revised in 1840 for the collection Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque...
" by Edgar Allan Poe, first broadcast on November 10, 1998 via National Public Radio. - "Feet of Clay": An adaptation of "Feet of ClayFeet of ClayFeet of Clay is the nineteenth Discworld novel by Terry Pratchett, published in 1996. The story follows the members of the City Watch, as they attempt to solve murders apparently committed by a golem, as well as the unusual poisoning of the Patrician, Lord Vetinari.The title is a figure of speech...
" by Kate McPhelim ClearyKate McPhelim ClearyKate McPhelim Cleary was a noted 19th century American author.- Biography :Kate McPhelim was born in Richibucto, New Brunswick, Canada, the daughter of Irish immigrants James McPhelim and Margaret Kelly. Kate’s father died when she was two years old, leaving her mother Margaret Kelly McPhelim to...
, first broadcast on December 11, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Fifth Dimension": An adaptation of "The Plattner Story" by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on September 5, 2000 via National Public Radio.
- "Fortress of Doom": An adaptation of "The Fortress Unvanquishable, Save for Sacnoth" by Lord Dunsany, first broadcast on January 10, 2005 via XM Satellite Radio.
- "Frankenstein": An adaptation of FrankensteinFrankensteinFrankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus is a novel about a failed experiment that produced a monster, written by Mary Shelley, with inserts of poems by Percy Bysshe Shelley. Shelley started writing the story when she was eighteen, and the novel was published when she was twenty-one. The first...
by Mary ShelleyMary ShelleyMary Shelley was a British novelist, short story writer, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer, best known for her Gothic novel Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus . She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, the Romantic poet and philosopher Percy Bysshe Shelley...
, first broadcast on November 2, 1999 via National Public Radio. - "The Furnished Room": An adaptation of "The Furnished Room" by O. HenryO. HenryO. Henry was the pen name of the American writer William Sydney Porter . O. Henry's short stories are well known for their wit, wordplay, warm characterization and clever twist endings.-Early life:...
, first broadcast on February 1, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "The German Student": An adaptation of "The Adventure of the German Student" by Washington IrvingWashington IrvingWashington Irving was an American author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th century. He was best known for his short stories "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" and "Rip Van Winkle", both of which appear in his book The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. His historical works...
, first broadcast on October 6, 1998 via National Public Radio. - "The Ghost of Wuthering Heights": An adaptation of Wuthering HeightsWuthering HeightsWuthering Heights is a novel by Emily Brontë published in 1847. It was her only novel and written between December 1845 and July 1846. It remained unpublished until July 1847 and was not printed until December after the success of her sister Charlotte Brontë's novel Jane Eyre...
by Emily BrontëEmily BrontëEmily Jane Brontë 30 July 1818 – 19 December 1848) was an English novelist and poet, best remembered for her only novel, Wuthering Heights, now considered a classic of English literature. Emily was the third eldest of the four surviving Brontë siblings, between the youngest Anne and her brother...
, first broadcast on February 8, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "The Gift of the Magi": An adaptation of "The Gift of the MagiThe Gift of the Magi"The Gift of the Magi" is a short story written by O. Henry , about a young married couple and how they deal with the challenge of buying secret Christmas gifts for each other with very little money...
" by O. Henry, first broadcast on December 24, 1996 via National Public Radio. - "Gulliver's Travels": An adaptation of Gulliver's TravelsGulliver's TravelsTravels into Several Remote Nations of the World, in Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships, better known simply as Gulliver's Travels , is a novel by Anglo-Irish writer and clergyman Jonathan Swift that is both a satire on human nature and a parody of...
by Jonathan SwiftJonathan SwiftJonathan Swift was an Irish satirist, essayist, political pamphleteer , poet and cleric who became Dean of St...
, first broadcast on December 7, 1999 via National Public Radio. - "Homer's Odyssey Trilogy: Tale of the Cyclops": An adaptation of Book Nine of the OdysseyOdysseyThe Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
by HomerHomerIn the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
, first broadcast on January 4, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Homer's Odyssey Trilogy: Voyage to the Underworld": An adaptation of Book Ten and Book Eleven of the Odyssey by Homer, first broadcast on April 19, 2003 via XM Satellite Radio.
- "Homer's Odyssey Trilogy: The Voyage Home": An adaptation of Book Twelve of the Odyssey by Homer, first broadcast on April 26, 2003 via XM Satellite Radio.
- "Hop-Frog": An adaptation of "Hop-FrogHop-Frog"Hop-Frog" is a short story by American writer Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1849. The title character, a dwarf taken from his homeland, becomes the jester of a king particularly fond of practical jokes...
" by Edgar Allan Poe, first broadcast on October 27, 1998 via National Public Radio. - "The Hunchback of Notre-Dame": An adaptation of The Hunchback of Notre DameThe Hunchback of Notre DameThe Hunchback of Notre-Dame is a novel by Victor Hugo published in 1831. The French title refers to the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, on which the story is centered.-Background:...
by Victor HugoVictor HugoVictor-Marie Hugo was a Frenchpoet, playwright, novelist, essayist, visual artist, statesman, human rights activist and exponent of the Romantic movement in France....
, first broadcast on November 20, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Ice Maiden": An adaptation of "Hilda Silfverling: A Fantasy" by Lydia Maria Child, first broadcast on September 5, 2000 via National Public Radio.
- "The Invisible Man": An adaptation of The Invisible ManThe Invisible ManThe Invisible Man is a science fiction novella by H.G. Wells published in 1897. Wells' novel was originally serialised in Pearson's Weekly in 1897, and published as a novel the same year...
by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on April 10, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "The Island of Dr. Moreau": An adaptation of The Island of Dr. Moreau by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on March 21, 2000 via National Public Radio.
- "Jason and the Argonauts": An adaptation of the Argonautica by Apollonius Rhodius, first broadcast on September 4, 2001 via National Public Radio.
- "Journey to the Center of the Earth": An adaptation of Journey to the Center of the EarthJourney to the Center of the EarthA Journey to the Center of the Earth is a classic 1864 science fiction novel by Jules Verne. The story involves a German professor who believes there are volcanic tubes going toward the center of the Earth...
by Jules Verne, first broadcast on August 15, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Laughin' in Meetin'": An adaptation of "Laughin' in Meetin'" by Harriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher StoweHarriet Beecher Stowe was an American abolitionist and author. Her novel Uncle Tom's Cabin was a depiction of life for African-Americans under slavery; it reached millions as a novel and play, and became influential in the United States and United Kingdom...
, first broadcast on September 26, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "The Lone Indian": An adaptation of "The Lone Indian" by Lydia Maria Child, first broadcast on July 17, 2001 via National Public Radio.
- "Lord of the Celts": A celtic musical adaptation of the story of Fionn and Sadb from the Fenian Cycle, first broadcast on December 1, 1998 via National Public Radio.
- "The Lost World": An adaptation of The Lost WorldThe Lost World (Arthur Conan Doyle)The Lost World is a novel released in 1912 by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle concerning an expedition to a plateau in the Amazon basin of South America where prehistoric animals still survive. It was originally published serially in the popular Strand Magazine during the months of April 1912-November 1912...
by Arthur Conan DoyleArthur Conan DoyleSir Arthur Ignatius Conan Doyle DL was a Scottish physician and writer, most noted for his stories about the detective Sherlock Holmes, generally considered a milestone in the field of crime fiction, and for the adventures of Professor Challenger...
, first broadcast on September 12, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Masque of the Red Death": An adaptation of "The Masque of the Red DeathThe Masque of the Red Death"The Masque of the Red Death", originally published as "The Mask of the Red Death" , is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe. The story follows Prince Prospero's attempts to avoid a dangerous plague known as the Red Death by hiding in his abbey. He, along with many other wealthy nobles, has a...
" by Edgar Allan Poe, first broadcast on October 29, 1996 (the initial program of the series broadcast on NPR). - "Moon Voyager": An adaptation of The First Men in the MoonThe First Men in the MoonThe First Men in the Moon is a 1901 scientific romance novel by the English author H. G. Wells. The novel tells the story of a journey to the moon undertaken by the two protagonists, the impoverished businessman Mr Bedford and the brilliant but eccentric scientist Dr. Cavor...
by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on November 6, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Mrs. Manstey's View": An adaptation of "Mrs. Manstey's View" by Edith Wharton, first broadcast on December 18, 2001 via National Public Radio.
- "The Mummy": An adaptation of The Jewel of Seven StarsThe Jewel of Seven StarsThe Jewel of Seven Stars is a horror novel by Bram Stoker, first published in 1903. The story is about an archaeologist's plot to revive Queen Tera, an ancient Egyptian mummy.-Second edition:...
by Bram Stoker, first broadcast on October 5, 1999 via National Public Radio. - "A New England Nun": An adaptation of "A New England NunA New England Nun"A New England Nun" is a short story written by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman in 1891.-Plot summary:"A New England Nun" is the story of Louisa Ellis, a woman who has lived alone for many years. Louisa is somewhat of an eccentric, as she likes to keep her house meticulously clean, wear multiple...
" by Mary Eleanor Wilkins FreemanMary Eleanor Wilkins FreemanMary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman was a prominent 19th century American author.- Biography :She was born in Randolph, Massachusetts, and attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, for one year, from 1870–71...
, first broadcast on December 4, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "O. Henry's Last Leaf": An adaptation of "The Last LeafThe Last LeafThe Last Leaf is a 24-minute film produced by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is based on an O. Henry short story of the same name.-Plot:...
" by O. Henry, first broadcast on December 31, 1996 via National Public Radio. - "O. Henry's Thanksgiving": An adaptation of "Two Thanksgiving Day Gentlemen" by O. Henry, first broadcast on September 18, 2001 via National Public Radio.
- "Otherworld": An adaptation of "The Remarkable Case of Davidson’s Eyes" by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on October 9, 2001 via National Public Radio.
- "Owl Creek Bridge": An adaptation of "An Occurrence at Owl Creek BridgeAn Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" is a short story by Ambrose Bierce. It was originally published in 1890, and first collected in Bierce's 1891 book Tales of Soldiers and Civilians...
" by Ambrose Bierce, first broadcast on May 29, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "The Phantom of the Opera": An adaptation of The Phantom of the OperaThe Phantom of the OperaLe Fantôme de l'Opéra is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serialisation in "Le Gaulois" from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910...
by Gaston LerouxGaston LerouxGaston Louis Alfred Leroux was a French journalist and author of detective fiction.In the English-speaking world, he is best known for writing the novel The Phantom of the Opera , which has been made into several film and stage productions of the same name, notably the 1925 film starring Lon...
, first broadcast on June 5, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "The Pit and the Pendulum": An adaptation of "The Pit and the PendulumThe Pit and the Pendulum"The Pit and the Pendulum" is a short story written by Edgar Allan Poe and first published in 1842 in the literary annual The Gift: A Christmas and New Year's Present for 1843. The story is about the torments endured by a prisoner of the Spanish Inquisition, though Poe skews historical facts. The...
" by Edgar Allan Poe, first broadcast on July 4, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Revolt of Mother": An adaptation of "The Revolt of 'Mother'" by Mary Eleanor Wilkins FreemanMary Eleanor Wilkins FreemanMary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman was a prominent 19th century American author.- Biography :She was born in Randolph, Massachusetts, and attended Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, for one year, from 1870–71...
, first broadcast on August 8, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "Silence, a Fable": An adaptation of "Silence—A Fable" by Edgar Allan Poe, first broadcast on November 24, 1998 via National Public Radio.
- "Sleepy Hollow": An adaptation of "The Legend of Sleepy HollowThe Legend of Sleepy Hollow"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is a short story by Washington Irving contained in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., written while he was living in Birmingham, England, and first published in 1820...
" by Washington Irving, first broadcast on October 13, 1998 via National Public Radio. - "Stephen Crane's Dark Brown Dog": An adaptation of "A Dark Brown Dog" by Stephen CraneStephen CraneStephen Crane was an American novelist, short story writer, poet and journalist. Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism...
, first broadcast on January 18, 2000 via National Public Radio. - "The Tell-Tale Heart": An adaptation of "The Tell-Tale HeartThe Tell-Tale Heart"The Tell-Tale Heart" is a short story by Edgar Allan Poe first published in 1843. It follows an unnamed narrator who insists on his sanity after murdering an old man with a "vulture eye". The murder is carefully calculated, and the murderer hides the body by dismembering it and hiding it under the...
" by Edgar Allan Poe, first broadcast on September 29, 1998 via National Public Radio. - "The Time Machine": An adaptation of The Time MachineThe Time MachineThe Time Machine is a science fiction novella by H. G. Wells, published in 1895 for the first time and later adapted into at least two feature films of the same name, as well as two television versions, and a large number of comic book adaptations. It indirectly inspired many more works of fiction...
by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on December 21, 1999 via National Public Radio. - "Time Warp": An adaptation of "The New AcceleratorThe New Accelerator"The New Accelerator" is a 1901 science fiction short story by H. G. Wells. The story addresses the invention of an elixir that enables an individual to move rapidly through time....
" by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on August 7, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Voltaire's Planet Trek": An adaptation of "MicromégasMicromégas"Micromégas" is a short story by the French philosopher and satirist Voltaire. It is a significant development in the history of literature because it originates ideas which helped create the genre of science fiction....
" by VoltaireVoltaireFrançois-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
, first broadcast on January 3, 2004 via XM Satellite Radio. - "War of the Worlds": An adaptation of The War of the WorldsThe War of the WorldsThe War of the Worlds is an 1898 science fiction novel written by H. G. Wells.The War of the Worlds may also refer to:- Radio broadcasts :* The War of the Worlds , the 1938 radio broadcast by Orson Welles...
by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on June 19, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "Watchers": An adaptation of "The Crystal EggThe Crystal Egg"The Crystal Egg" is a science fiction short story written by H. G. Wells in 1897.The story tells of a shop owner, named Mr. Cave, who finds a strange crystal egg that serves as a window into the planet Mars....
" by H. G. Wells, first broadcast on October 2, 2001 via National Public Radio. - "The Yellow Wallpaper"": An adaptation of "The Yellow WallpaperThe Yellow Wallpaper"The Yellow Wallpaper" is a short story by the American writer Charlotte Perkins Gilman, first published in January 1892 in The New England Magazine. It is regarded as an important early work of American feminist literature, illustrating attitudes in the nineteenth century toward women's physical...
" by Charlotte Perkins GilmanCharlotte Perkins GilmanCharlotte Perkins Gilman was a prominent American sociologist, novelist, writer of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction, and a lecturer for social reform...
, first broadcast on December 10, 1996 via National Public Radio.
Critical reception
The Radio Tales series has received generally positive reviews for its programs. AudioFileAudioFile (magazine)
-Launch:The publication was launched in 1992 as a twelve-page black & white newsletter with about 50 critical reviews of audiobooks, focused on new releases. In 1997, it switched to a 36-page colour magazine format with about 60 reviews per issue and interviews with authors, readers, and...
described the series as delivering “vivid, intriguing new radio drama”. In its review of "The Mummy", Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
described Phillips’ on-air performance as “a cultured voice that’s appropriate to Stoker’s formal language but is able to convey the appropriate tone of horror,” adding that “subtle and mysterious music adds to the atmosphere”. In its review of the series’ adaptation of Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s feminist horror story "The Yellow Wallpaper", Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
wrote, “Sensational. … (Phillips') charged narration is augmented with sound effects and a musical score.” In reviewing the series’ production "Sleepy Hollow", "Billboard" wrote, “This telling of Washington Irving’s classic yarn is a real treat”, also describing the music as adding “an effectively spooky touch to the production.” AudioFile described the series’ production "Masque of the Red Death" as “a magnificent demonstration of the very best the medium has to offer.” The series was selected as a "Featured Artist Spotlight" by MP3.com, which described the programs as "an art form in and of themselves," adding that the programs feature "richly textured music and sound-scapes commensurate with the changing moods and atmospheres of the text," and that "(Phillips') experience in acting shines through in her apt delivery."
Awards
- American Women in Radio and Television GRACIE AWARDThe GraciesThe Gracie Awards celebrate and honor programming created for women, by women, and about women, as well as individuals who have made exemplary contributions in electronic media and affiliates. Presented annually, the Gracie Awards recognize national, local and student works. - History :The Gracie...
2004 - The New York Festivals WORLDMEDAL 2004
- American Women in Radio and Television GRACIE AWARD 2003
- American Women in Radio and Television GRACIE AWARD 2001
- American Women in Radio and Television GRACIE AWARD 1998, Outstanding Achievement by an Actress
- The International Radio Festivals WORLD'S BEST WORK AWARD, Best Sound Series 2001
- The Audio Publishers Association AUDIE AWARD HONORSAudie AwardsThe Audie Awards are annually bestowed annually in the USA for outstanding audiobooks. The Audies have been granted by the Audio Publishers Association, a not-for-profit trade organization, since 1996. The nominees are announced each year in January, and the winners are announced at a gala banquet...
- The NFCB GOLDEN REEL AWARD HONORS
Audiocassette releases
- The American Classic Collection (DH Audio) ISBN 1-55204-966-3
- The Birthmark (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-887-6
- The Fall of the House of Usher (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-952-0
- The Gift of the Magi (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-898-1
- Hop-Frog (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-859-0
- The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-903-1
- The Masque of the Red Death (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-894-9
- The Tell-Tale Heart (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-953-8
- The Yellow Wallpaper (Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd) ISBN 0-88646-895-7