20,000 Leagues Under the Sea (radio)

“20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” is a radio program from the American radio anthology series Radio Tales. The anthology series adapted classic works of American and world literature for the radio. The series was a recipient of numerous awards, including four Gracie Allen Awards from the Foundation of American Women in Radio and Television (in 2004, [ [http://www.awrt.org/press-releases/2004/Press_Release_%20Announce_Winners.pdf "AWRT Press Release"] AWRT.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] 2003, [ [http://www.npr.org/about/press/030402.gracie.html "NPR Productions Win Gracie Allen Awards"] NPR.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] 2001, [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20011126020253/www.awrt.org/awards/2000GracieWinners.html "2001 Gracie Allen Award Winners"] AWRT.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] and 1998), a New York Festivals WorldMedal, [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20050207122048/http://www.newyorkfestivals.com/res/pdf/2004RPwinners.pdf "2004 Winners, Radio Programming and Promotion, New York Festivals"] NewYorkFestivals.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] and a Golden Reel Merit Award. [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20010802161539/www.nfcb.org/2001reelsinfo.html "NFCB Announces 2001 Golden Reel Award Winners"] NFCB.org, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed March 21, 2008.] The “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of the classic novel by Jules Verne.

Broadcast History

The Radio Tales production of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" was first broadcast via NPR on April 24, 2001 [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Spring 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. II] . The program encompassed two half-hour installments that were distributed to NPR member stations as part of the NPR Playhouse cultural series. Since November 28th, 2002, the entire Radio Tales series has aired in reruns on the Sonic Theater channel (163) of the XM Satellite Radio service [ [http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/features/sonictheater.xmc "Sonic Theater"] XMRadio.com. Accessed May 22, 2008.] . The "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" program debuted on XM Satellite Radio on March 15, 2003.

Production Information

The program was produced and script edited by series producer Winnie Waldron, who also served as the on-air host [ [http://www.winifredphillips.com/wp_bio.html "Winifred Phillips Official Site: Biography"] Winifredphillips.com. Accessed May 19, 2008.] . Composer Winifred Phillips created over fifty-six minutes of music for the program, and also performed as the featured actress [ [http://www.mninter.net/~jstearns/nprPH.html#top "NPR Playhouse - January - March, 2001"] MNinter.net. Accessed March 21, 2008.] . “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” was part of the sixth year of Radio Tales on NPR Playhouse [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Spring 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. II] .

Media

The Radio Tales production of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" has been available in numerous formats and venues, including burn-on-demand CDs manufactured and distributed by MP3.com [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20031129193548/artists.mp3s.com/artists/33/npr_radio_tales.html "MP3.com: Radio Tales"] MP3.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed July 15, 2008.] and Ampcast.com [ [http://web.archive.org/web/20060212003627/http://www.ampcast.com/music/25229/artist.php "Ampcast.com: Radio Tales"] Ampcast.com, as indexed by the Internet Archive at Archive.org. Accessed July 15, 2008.] . Beginning in 2005, programs from the series, including the “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site [ [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view_productcategory.php?Id=59 "audioVille | Stor>>Fiction | Radio Tales | Download Audio Books, Podcasts and more in MP3. Comedy, Fiction, sport, news, science, drama."] Audioville.co.uk. Accessed May 24, 2008.] .

Opening narration

Plot Summary

News reports describing a fearsome sea monster’s attacks on helpless vessels have finally prompted an expedition to hunt and destroy the creature. The narrator is a marine biologist who joins the team as a last minute addition, and subsequently forms a close bond with the ship’s harpoonist, Ned Land. Their ship is attacked, apparently by the creature, and both Ned and the narrator are thrown overboard. They awaken as prisoners in a strange metal room plunged in darkness and reverberant with a muffled rumbling noise. A stranger enters, and Ned leaps to attack the man who is presumably their captor, but several other men dart into the room and hold Ned back. The stranger introduces himself as Nemo, captain of the ‘Nautilus’ submarine. The two newcomers were to be treated well, but would never be allowed to leave and share their knowledge of Nemo’s submarine with anyone. Ned is appalled, but the narrator, as a marine biologist, is fascinated. Nemo takes them both on a deep sea dive using elaborate diving suits. They encounter a shark, which Nemo dispatches with the help of Ned. After this, they come upon a ruined undersea city, which Nemo indicates is Atlantis. They return to the Nautilus, and the next day their ship is attacked by a host of giant squid. In the battle a crew member is killed. Some days thereafter, the ship encounters the fabled maelstrom whirlpool off the coast of Norway, which threatens to destroy the ship. Fearing for their lives, the narrator and Ned escape together in a life boat, while the Nautilus disappears in the storm.

References

External links

* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=517&ProductCategoryId=59 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea page on Audioville.co.uk]
* [http://www.radiotales.com/ The Official Radio Tales® Web Site]
* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view_productcategory.php?Id=59 Radio Tales® Full Catalog on AudioVille]
* [http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=163 XM Satellite Radio's Sonic Theater Channel]