DANDELION WINE - JAN.5TH

Our production of RAY BRADBURY'S DANDELION WINE is released on Jan.5th from Blackstone Audio! Here is the official cover art! It's already available for pre-sales in the usual places (Amazon, Borders, ect) and I have a good feeling about this one! Not only is it a magnificent script (by Mr. Bradbury himself), but the cast just nailed it - and lets not even start to talk about Jeff's music score! Anyway, it's going to be exciting to get this one out the door!

HOW ABOUT A PIRATE FOR A CHRISTMAS GIFT? I was at Barnes and Noble over the weekend and saw three copies of our CAPTAIN BLOOD on the shelf! Next month I get the numbers and see how it did in release. Talk about nerve wracking!! Still, I think it continues to sell judging by the sales ranking on Amazon and B&N.com, but you can't really tell as those systems ARE rocket science!

Now I need to play "catch up" on Powder River, as I have missed two planned recording sessions. I got a little bug that caused me to lose my voice completely, and I had to finish a script for the next Bradbury production, AND get new programming ready for our XM show - so Powder River writing suffered and the scripts didnt happen.

DIBBLE IN NEW YORK starts previews this week and opens Dec. 11th!

We have recorded all the PHIL BYRNES scripts we had, and now the final 4 episodes are in post production! Sable Jack did a great job with this series, and I hope she likes the final product! This will be on our XM show in January, and we will offer it for download soon, and eventually a CD release!

Looks like our stage production of William Luce's magnificent play BARRYMORE will rise from the packing trunks for an engagement in Gloucester, MA at the WEST END THEATER. We haven't locked in a date yet, but I think it will be late March or April. Joe Zamparelli will direct again, and we are auditioning the other role in the show. This is very exciting, because it's my favorite play to do, and the last time we performed it was at the Derry Opera House in Derry NH. The GOOD news is, that I need to get in fighting shape for the stage, which means ATKINS DIET again!! So if you're in the Gloucester MA area, I hope you come see the show and say hi afterwards!

Thats all for now.

DICKENS ALL THE WAY

How cool is that artwork!? I'm really glad that our four Dickens holiday shows are FINALLY out on CD! THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH, THE CHIMES, THE SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS and A CHRISTMAS CAROL are available in the 4-CD set! Out of the four, only SEVEN POOR TRAVELLERS, is the original version! TRAVELLERS was actually the last story to be recorded, but the very first CRT show to be digitally recorded! The others had already been done, and edited. So, we release them on cassette tape, but that happens three years later. In the meantime, once I heard we were going to be released as a boxed set by our then publisher, I decided to do the other three shows over all over again, in digital stereo. So, in the Grand Thalburg style, CRICKET, CHIMES and CAROL were ditched, totally re-recorded (only a couple of the original actors remaining) and released. Those are the versions you hear in this set. Turn the lights down low, with a Christmas Tree in the room, and listen to our CHRISTMAS CAROL. It's magic :)

CRT does AESOP / and I HATE computers

So there I am on Saturday after clocking in a 17 hour writing spree (for a script I needed to finish on Sunday - the new Ray Bradbury project), SAVING after every page .... then I shut down the document to work on the New York Dibble show, and la la la, go about my merry way. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE when, the following morning I open the Bradbury script, to discover that NONE OF THE SAVES WORKED! That's right. Everything I did on Saturday was g-g-g-GONE! GONE WITH THE WIND! After I had a melt down with some 25 year scotch, I then had a nervous breakdown. Mainly because the dramatization was not easy, and this was the toughest part of the book.

That was Saturday.

SUNDAY was a waste. I tried to recall the lost document - didn't work.

MONDAY I had recording sessions from the afternoon on, for the POWDER RIVER session the previous Monday. SO - at 8pm Monday night I sat down and started on the script, re-writing what I did on Saturday. It's never as good the second time around. Determined to finish the script - I sat here at the writing desk through the night, morning, early afternoon (pots and pots of coffee), finishing at 2:30pm. Emailed the script off to Mr. Bradbury, and hopefully he will approve of it.

That night, the cyber head ache kicked in. Always happens after 20 or more hours at the computer.

BUT - the script is done, and with luck the show will be in stores in 2007. Well, we have to record it first, but you get the general idea.

We finished a new show this week ... A VISIT WITH AESOP. Now, this is really cool. I know parents are going to say "Aesops Fables? Well, maybe for the kids ... but not me." I'm telling ya, this is one fantastic show! J.T. Turner adapted it, and performed it; and it's so FUNNY! It's also unlike anything CRT has produced before. Basically a one man show, J.T. has a staggering array of voices, and add another classic Jeffrey Gage score with the incredible post production wok of Chris Snyder - and you got a real gem. Kids are going to love it, and any parent within earshot is going to have some great laughs and smiles. Not sure when Blackstone will release this one - probably in the spring - but I really have no idea.

Busy Days, busy days. I got new XM progamming finished through the end of December; went out yesterday so that's all set for a couple of weeks. Today I'm going to be working on (and trying to finish) a script for Ray Bradbury that we are producing soon. worked an average of 20 hours a day this week - so I'm taking it slow this weekend.

Tickets for DIBBLE DOES CHRISTMAS IN NEW YORK! went on sale yesterday, so if you live in NYC or plan on being there in December - check out the show!

Our 1999 production of THE PLIMOTH ADVENTURE airs on XM Radio on Thanksgiving Day! This is the first national broadcast for this show that is now - yikes - seven years old! I can remember the AGONY in writing this script. I worked on and off for two years (mostly "off") and working from Gov. Bradfords 300 year old book "Of Plimoth Plantation." The final show is one of our shortest (for a feature), but went on to be a top seller for CRT. Jeff did a GREAT score for this one, incorporating actual songs from the period.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

1) Does anyone really care about Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes getting married? It's everywhere. Seriously - do you care?? The guy cant even act! He just tilts his upper lip so we can see his teeth in every shot. TOM - you are no longer 17. Close the mouth and act your age!

Cruise fans - dont yell at me - you're right, I never thought much of him to begin with.

2)I think the new James Bond movie looks great! I stopped going to see them when they got silly. I miss Sean Connery's Bond - and this one looks promising.

3) I love the re-vamped STAR TREK - Original Series - with new effects! Outstanding! Too bad Scotty and Bones aren't around to see how cool it looks.

4) I love Pumpkin Ale. The pub ran out. Does that mean I drank too much? Every time I discover a new drink at this place, they run out a week later. Hmmmmmmm

5) I feel so bad for Paul McCartney. Heather was a bus accident waiting to happen - and I said this YEARS ago! paul - a word of advice - NEVER marry a woman who tells you she never heard of the Beatles. That is a HUGE Red Flag!!! I love Paul and I hope he rebounds from this mess without too much finanical loss (The picture on this blog is Macca leaving the stage in Boston)

6) I could listen to Beatles music forever (well, so far, I HAVE been!)

7) No more random thoughts. Time to start writing. Adios!

2)

A Picture Says a Thousand Words

Veterans Day. Never Forget.

POWDER RIVER Chronicles

You know, it's very odd. I actually hate writing. I only do it because I need the scripts and I love radio theatre. POWDER RIVER is a good show, and I know people like it - but MAN is it tough to come up with so many western stories! Right now I'm working on my ... ummm .... hold on a sec, I need to count them .... 55th POWDER RIVER episode! This season isn't writing as easy as season 3 did. I think it's because of all the personal stuff going on right now and also so many projects that we are involved with. BUT - I thought you PR fans would like a sneak peek at some up-coming episodes! Here are the first five titles for Season 4!T

IN CHICAGO
The action moves from Wyoming to Chicago in this episode, that picks up where season 3 left off.

REVELATIONS
Still in Chicago, and we meet a character who appeared in several episodes in season two!

AMBUSH AT POWDER RIVER
Back in Clearmont again, and the action heats up with an unfolding mystery.

THE SHOOTIN' ARM
The territory is accusing the peaceful Shoshone tribe of the ambush that left several settlers dead.

THE TOMAHAWK TRAIL
Britt takes a small posse up the forbidden Tomahawk Trail in search of the killers - risking all out war with the Shoshone.

~ And that's what I have so far! 15 episodes to go. Keep an eye out on our website, because we will be posting a trailer for season 4 very soon. I think these episodes will air on XM Radio in February, but I will begin posting 1 episode per week on Spoken Network starting in December!

I really love this series. I just wish all the scripts were done!

Well, spent most of the day re-editing two of our OZ programs for air, and now I'm going to recut our new production of TREASURE ISLAND for air. These will all run in December and January. OH - I'm going to be in NYC for the Dec.13th opening of DIBBLE LIVE ON STAGE , so I'm excited about that - Its odd thinking a script I wrote is being produced Off-Broadway right next door to the Phantom of the Opera(did I mention that before?). Too bad I never did a Dibble version of Phantom. Hmmm .... there's still time!

DANDELION WINE Coming Soon

We got our first official reciew for our upcoming release of Ray Bradbury's DANDELION WINE. The CD isn't out until January 1st, but Bradbury Media in the UK got an advance copy. I don't agree with some of the comments :) but for the most part its an awesome review and we're VERY happy with it! Of course, the BEST review we got was from Ray himself, who said it was beautiful, and it made him cry. Can't beat that in my book. Check out the review HERE

The session was OK last night;another 2 PHIL BYRNES mysteries in the can. Everything is on schedule with this one and should have no trouble airing in January. It's a fun cast and some cool stories. I think lovers of film noir will enjoy this series.

Tonight I'm writing for POWDER RIVER and trying to get myself out of another complex storyline I've gotten myself into. Why do I do this to myself!!??

Did a little yard work this afternoon (hoping to get the brain cells going again), and that was all well and good. I'm not really cut out for yard work though. I should do a dibble show about it. Oh wait ... I already did

OH - and the most important thing I did today - I VOTED! Now, I am not going to get political here on my CRT blog, however one of the local TV stations has just projected Dem.Liberal Duval "together we can" patrick as the winner in the Governors Race. So, now we have a dem. house and a dem. governor here in good ol MA - We'll finally find out what "together we can" - really means; i.e; GET READY TO BE TAXED BACK INTO THE STONE AGE! And dare I leave out fearless leaders like Ted Kennedy and that stand up comedian with the bad timing John Kerry representing us in DC. Pass the scotch. That's it - I'll shut up now. Don't debate me - I won't respond :) I'll bet a couple of former CRT players who had issues with my political leanings are dancing a jig tonight :) I doubt they'll be dancing in four years though - their wallets can't afford the music (yeah, I'm bitter, but these Bozo's were rather rude to me in the first place)

OK - Out of the political arena of BS; I am working hard to finish a script for Mr. B that we are going to be recording in December (if he approves it!). I'm looking forward to this one very much!

I kinda miss doing our Colonial Radio Christmas Show. We did it live on stage, playing some really nice Opera Houses in New Hampshire and Maine. I want to take that out again sometime. Maybe for a months run in the same location. Maybe next year.

That's it for now. Aloha!

Recording continues tonight with A PHIL BYRNES MYSTERY, and would you believe I am having trouble casting a major role? So, we'll see what happens. I have a ton of very willing and excited child actors on our CRT players list, and I wish I had more for them to do! I am thinking about writing a series where I can use them more.

I managed to send XM Radio enough DIBBLE episodes to carry them into late April, so that's all set for a few months! This week I need to get them new episodes for December (for our Mon-Fri show), and also I am writing more POWDER RIVERS for next Mondays recording session.

DIBBLE in NYC has been cast! I am planning on going Opening night, and this is going to be something to see! How weird will it be seeing a totally different cast do the roles we have been playing on radio for years and years? I'm looking forward to it, and I LOVE Christmastime in NYC anyway, and I hear there's an awesome party afterwards. :)