The is an old fashioned side of me that still favors quality “radio theater” over the medium of visual entertainment. I didn’t grow up during the Golden Age of radio so I can’t claim that as the reason for my love of audio drama. I did grow up in a time when there was only one television in the house and as such, I enjoyed listening to my record player and radio. In fact, one of the first records I ever owned was an LP of Star Trek episodes adapted for audio drama.
Although the Star Trek series was already popular on television, I would look forward to lying in bed at night and listening to the audio versions of the show. There was something more entertaining to me about the audio versions and as I grew older, I now realize why.
The creators of audio drama realize that without the aid of visual stimulus, they must reach into your imagination through a much more vibrant script as well as a rich soundscape. A well done audio drama allows each hearer to “visualize” the story in subtly different ways. They must recreate what they hear into a visual in their imagination.
Have you ever considered writing a script for an audio drama? As a writer of fiction, it is not a giant leap from novels to audio drama scripts, but there are some major differences. The major difference is in the narrative. While in the novel the narrative is written to direct the reader’s attention throughout each scene, but in an audio drama, much of the narrative must be driven by audio ques and tactful dialogue.
Of course there is the consideration for some writers of a viable marketplace for writing such scripts. I have witnessed an ebb and flow within the opportunities for audio drama scripts, but there remain some very viable outlets for such a product.
At the top of my list for wholesome and extremely entertaining audio dramas is Focus on the Family’s “Radio Theater.” The stories that come from this group of gifted and talented organization continues to fuel my own imagination and keeps hope alive for the continued demand for an entertainment experience I greatly admire.
Hear a sample from Focus on the Family Radio Theater below:
