I wrote an audio series called Kid Again, about a man who suddenly finds himself 14 and back in his 9th grade classroom. He's not sure if he's dreaming or time traveling, but decides that he can have a lot more fun this time around if it is real. We put the episode together by having the actors record their lines and then assembled the dialogue with added sound effects. My hope is that this will help with the GoFundMe so we can continue to create the rest of the 10 episode series.

Audio Chimera

Kid Again Episode 1 (Pilot)

I've always been interested in audio drama (once called radio drama). During the pandemic, I chose the audio drama format for my usual university theatre production, and am also working on a series called "Kid Again." After some background info on those, I  include the short play "In the Refrigerator" which I have subtitled "A Comedy of Revenge." Since the pandemic has chased all back into our homes, we have to find new ways to collaborate. So I cast this piece with people I knew, and asked them to send me recordings of their lines. (I recorded one person using Skype.) I then put it all together in GarageBand, adding music (composed also in GB) and sound effects, many from a free site called Soundjay.com. So here it is, another of my written works, rescued from the filing cabinet of time.Note that during the podcast I call this episode #44. #43 is in script form and I need to record it AFTER I take my recording studio out of storage post-move.

What's In The Fridge?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I offer some observations on people's behaviors during such an event, relaying personal reactions (yes, my anxiety), people's responses (yes, hoarding), and some suggestions for proper behavior (like, let's treat this like we're all in it together!).

Notes From Quarantine

In my Intro to Theatre courses I like students to DO theatre, and so I include the Making Theatre Project which has them, in groups, create a 5-minute play. There are times when the results are tepid, but sometimes they are terrifying. More frequently, they are just funny.

Making...Theatre?

Memory is a gift the past gives us. And when it fails we struggle. In this recycled episode of my defunct podcast, "A Leg Up for Caregivers," guest Brenda talks about her mother's struggles with memory--and Brenda's eventual solution to deal with her mother's Alzheimer's. This episode suggests a useful technique in dealing with those with this dreaded disease.

Forgetting

Unlike Hank in the Eugene O'Neill play The Hairy Ape, who is clearly i need of belonging to something greater than himself, I am not a joiner. But here are two stories of me joining in, one an organization (Mensa) and another while attending a singles event.

Belonging

As an AM DJ I played records, did some news and weather, but mostly played a lot of tapes--and Orioles baseball games. In between (and sometimes during them), I took calls from many listeners, including a young woman with, I think, a crush on me, and other strange agents. This is of course while constantly changing formats with each new ratings book and each brand new program director. It was a fun job, but not without its challenges, especially in the midnight to 6am graveyard shift.

Behind the Scenes in AM Radio

After attending a Podcast Movement conference, and scoffing at the idea of creating s second podcast (who has time??), I did exactly that. A Leg Up 4 Caregivers was going to be for sudden caregivers. But then that time issue resurfaced. However, rather than totally abandon that podcast, I am resurrecting parts of it here in Season 4 (which features a shorter intro!).

Abandonment

Eye health is so important, and when we ignore the warning signs, we could lose our vision. When I first had problems, I panicked, but it turned out it was not vision-threatening. And then when it was, I assume it wasn't. What a mistake! The tale of discovering a retinal detachment, and surviving the surgery and an intense bout of despair.

The Retinal Detachment

Everyone always says, "But I really want to direct." It's always been true for me. But some of the directing positions I have applied for? These crazy stories deal with chocoholic dogs, chickens (both living and dead), and always crazy theatre people who get involved in one way or another.

But I Really Want to Direct!

Sometimes the ways people speak leave me speechless! In college I took a Voice and Diction class that taught me how to speak properly--ideal for a future podcaster! So operating from that perspective, I am astounded at some people's ways of speaking. Dialects, regionalisms, improper pronunciations...and then let's talk about not reading and just hearing things incorrectly. Like I said: speechless!

Speaking of Speaking

In a previous episode, I flippantly suggested that my wife would be late for her own funeral. Life has conspired to contradict me, and she passed away in October 2018. I offer this eulogy in memory of her, and am posting this episode on what would have been our 30th anniversary.

In Memorium

For many, "midnight movie" now means that first showing of the newly-released movie blockbuster tentpole, likely featuring some sort of superhuman creatures. But when the midnight movie idea started, the movies were hardly mainstream; in fact, they were decidedly "out there." Listen to some of my experiences--often with second-hand smoke altering my perceptions--with films shown at the witching hour. Note: Many of the sounds that I don’t record myself come from SoundJay.com. For this episode, the Ricochet Sound is by Grant Evans.

Midnight Movie Madness!

I haven't rubbed elbows with many celebrities, but here are a few of my humble stories about that--and how ridiculous that can be. Whether in a public restroom, me trying to make a witty quip and having it fall flat... And why don't we question why we give some people celebrity anyway?

Encounters With The Famous

A subversive podcast taking refuge in The Sanctuary of Allegory about the fragility of memory. With Audio Chimera I share memories from my past, while at the same commenting on various aspects of modern life. The links are not always obvious, since I create each podcast through stream of consciousness writing techniques—and sometimes even I am surprised by the connections!

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Audio Chimera

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