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Portland Night High School
Date: May 14th, 2008
Location: Benson High School Auditorium
The RadioLab Workshop Process
In the radio lab workshop, we explore differences between visual and aural mediums by examining plays in terms of how they sound versus how they looked when they were performed. We have a range of sound effects and props for students to play with, and writers are encouraged to experiment with on their own – how to create the sounds and voices that will be used in the show. We might work on just one of the plays per school, or we might do a little bit of each play, but all the workshop participants have a say in, and help create the foley (live) sound effects for all the pieces. This time the scripts are performed as though the audience is watching an old time radio show, where they see the various sound effects being used while the actors read into the microphones.
The students also write additional material to be performed, especially commercial spoofs, which of course will come from their own original ideas, but are easier and more fun to write than a whole play! Students also create an “advice columnist” segment, where various listeners call in with their conundrums. Here we incorporate the writers’ former PlayWrite characters, i.e.: “Oh Doctor, I’m having a problem with my best friend. I’m a fuzzy scarf, see, and I have some worn places. My friend is a rabbit and I have always been there for her! I don’t see why she can’t just pull out a tiny bit of her fur to help fix me up, but she won’t do it! What should I do?” The writers brainstorm ideas for the columnist to advise and VOILA! they’ve figured out new ways of tackling problems, just as in the core PlayWrite workshop.
The 2008 RadioLab was organized by Alyson Osborn, and produced in conjunction with Sam A. Mowry of Willamette Radio Workshop.
