Collaborative+Radio+Theatre+Project

Invented in 1989, //The Simpsons// took the high road to success. Currently broadcasted up to three times a day on Fox, causing laughter, joy, and relaxation, this comedy has become a television staple in American households. However, //The Simpsons// first gained popularity over the radio, where it was initially broadcasted. Defined as audio drama broadcasted over the radio, the idea of broadcasting plays or novels over the radio originated in 1920s. Soon, in the 1940s, Radio Theater reached the apex of its popularity because it became the worlds number one source of entertainment. However, in the 1950s, when television spread across the world, Radio Theater's likability dramatically dropped and has been falling ever since.

Plot Structure is very similar for books, movies, plays, and radio shows. ~ The **exposition** is the beginning of the story, and it introduces the audience to the characters, setting, place, and time. For radio theatre, you have to be specific enough so that the audience understands what is going on, but not too detailed so the audience is bored. From here, the conflict will develop. ~ The **initiating action** is the event that bring opposite forces into conflict for the first time. It could be an external conflict between the main character and another person, or with a society, or against nature. An internal conflict would be a battle within the main character. ~ The **rising action** is different incidents that lead up to the climax. This is usually the longest part of the story. ~ The **climax** is highest point of the story (emotionally) before the conflict is fixed. The audience should be engaged with a high interest. ~ The **Falling Action** is when the conflict is resolved and one of the forces establishes superiority. ~ The **denouement** is the resolution of the conflict and the fate of the characters is confirmed. For a radio production, listeners enjoy very exciting plots. It is better if there are more twists and turns. Without a good plot, the audience will be bored. If possible create a subplot or two. Keep the plots connected understandably within the same play. The best system is a major and a minor storyline linked to one another and make them to come together at the end. There has to be emotional, financial, human, moral, and/or physical conflicts so your listeners can feel emotions. The audience likes drama.
 * Plot Structure**

Writing the Script
First and foremost, the script needs to catch the interest of the audience. Who cares about flaws in the writing, grammar, or pace, but make sure the dialogue does not put everyone to sleep! The dialogue must constantly be exciting. Although power and excitement helps, the audience must enjoy the play because of its twists and turns in the structure. The script has to have all of the elements of an exciting story: a good plot, good transitions, and great dialogue. Dialogue is the main focus of a radio play in every type of radio show.

Making Setting Clear
The actor must state the setting of the scene (time, place, conditions). The radio theater setting should be described as much as possible to describe the plot. Since your audience has no visual aid, you must describe every facet of your scene so meticulously that your listener can clearly imagine a detailed setting. However, make sure you DO NOT talk too much about the setting. That could put the listeners to sleep as well. Example: AL: What a great day at the beach! JOE: Yes, very nice. But, what is that? Sound affects: BOOM! Look at that boat! It smashed into the Chelsea Pier! Who will help those people?! AL: I will... And here’s how this conversation would sound normally. Example: AL: It’s a nice day. JOE: Yes. Wait, what is that? AL: Here, hold this. I’ll go help! See the difference? Without the added “the beach” “large boat” and “my pack” the audience would have absolutely no idea what is going on. Although you want to state the setting, overstating is overkill. Example: JIM: Look at the red car coming toward the curb that we are standing on. BILL: It appears to be approaching us. It is now parked two feet away from us. JIM: My friend is driving it. I should like to enter but I am hesitant that Bill will not like my friend. Shall we go, anyways? BILL: I am hesitant, yet I will enter the car anyways. That is a painful example of overstating. Most of this can be said in audio effects or subtext. Audio effects could tell the listener that the car is approaching, but subtext, the way the actor says their lines, could tell the listener that Bill is hesitant. He might tremble his voice or pause before responding. Subtext is what the actor is not saying, and what the audience understands from their manner of speaking or acting.

Adding Pace to Keep the Audience Interested
Dynamics in the pace of your script keep the audience from slipping away into boredom. Short, quick sentences generally quicken the pace of the story. But too many short, quick sentences for too long tend to bore the audience. To add another pace, long speeches and monologues tend to slow the pace down. If the script switches up the pace like this every so often, the audience may not get bored.

The plot structure is similar for all types of entertainment like books, movie and radio shows. First, the setting and characters are introduced to the audience. The initiating action is when the main character faces the problem which then leads to the conflict. The conflict can be with someone/something else, or it could be an internal battle within the character. The rising action is different events leading up to the climax. The climax is the highest point of emotion and the part just before the character’s crisis is resolved. The falling action is the resolution of the character’s conflict. Finally, the denouement is the resolution of the problem.

For a radio production, listeners enjoy very exciting plots. It is better if there are more twists and turns. Without a good plot, the audience will be bored. If possible, run at least two story lines. Two sub plots would be interesting. But remember to keep these two plots connected logically during the play. The best system is a major and a minor storyline linked to one another and make them to come together at the end. There has to be emotional, financial, human, moral, physical conflicts so your listeners can feel emotional too. The audience likes drama.


 * Selecting/Creating Characters**

First of all, characters need to be believable and realistic. They must have flaws because perfection is impossible. Also character traits should have a dramatic effect on the plot because the way the character acts heavily influences the choices they make, directly relating to other characters reactions and the plot as a whole.Next you come to the all important stage of character selection. You want to make sure each character has a couple clear and specific traits like, lazy, tricky, cautious, or energetic. Be make sure all the characters are varied in their personality. Just like a TV show, you can’t have all the characters be stupid and silly, but usually only one is.

You really should not have more than three or four main characters in you radio play because it would take too long to explain each of them on a deep level. It is okay to have other characters pop up every once in a while, but you should never have more than 13 characters total because otherwise the audience will become confused about who is who.

One way you can select your characters is by choosing a stock character to work off. Here is a list of some of the most common stock characters. Hero

Sidekick

Comic

Beautiful Maiden

Old sage (think Yoda)

Central Uniting Character

Evil Villain

Wayward Youngster

Braggart Soldier ( person who acts tough on the outside but is really a coward on the inside)

Wily Servant

Pessimist

The best way to create powerful, interesting, and believable characters is to simply make a profile for each one. Even though this information might not be put directly into the script, it really helps to know each character inside and out. So, for each character, decide an answer for each of the following questions:

Job?

Position in the Family? Life Goals?

Age?

Physical Characteristics (appearance)?

Religious/Political Beliefs?

Attitude Toward Others (Bossy, shy, aggressive)?

Habits?

Pets?

Hobbies?

Education?

Fears?

Speech Characteristics (stutter, slur, loud, talks slow or fast)?

Roots (where they are from)?

Use all these questions and maybe some of your own to help figure out who your character really is. Then try to convey this in the script and the delivery of the character’s lines. media type="youtube" key="9G9hyc69MhY&rel=1" height="355" width="425" Back in its day, Radio Theater stood at the upper echelon of all entertainment. But today, it has become a lost art. Currently, podcasts have risen as a somewhat popular form of entertainment, but the old, dramatic, humorous radio theater has yet to be successfully resurrected.
 * Conclusion**

( Characterization)** [|http://www.jhuccp.org/pu][|bs/fg/3/3.pdf] ( pg. 83-106) (Picture #4) http://www.fanboy.com/images/homer-simpson-radio.jpg**
 * Works Cited:**
 * ( Writing for Audio Theater)** http://www.crazydogaudiotheatre.com/writing.php
 * (Plot structure)** http://www.irdp.co.uk/scripts.htm
 * ( Writing the script) [|http://www3.baylor.edu/%7EGreg_Garrett/writing/dialogue.html]
 * (Picture #1)** [|thetvaddict.com/ category/the-simpsons/]
 * (Picture #2)** http://www.simpsonschannel.com/screenshots/shot80.gif
 * (Picture #3) http://www.bradyhour.com/simpsons12.JPG