Chicago 2065 (radio)

“Chicago 2065” 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 "Chicago 2065" program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of two science fiction short stories written by Rudyard Kipling – “As Easy as ABC” and “With the Night Mail”.

Broadcast History

The Radio Tales production of “Chicago 2065” was first broadcast via National Public Radio on October 23, 2001 [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Fall 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. IV] . The program encompassed one half-hour installment that was 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 “Chicago 2065” program debuted on XM Satellite Radio on May 24, 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 twenty-eight 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.] . “Chicago 2065” was part of the sixth year of Radio Tales on NPR Playhouse [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Fall 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. IV] .

Media

The Radio Tales production of “Chicago 2065” 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 “Chicago 2065” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site [ [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=554&ProductCategoryId=59 "audioVille | Stor>>Fiction | Radio Tales | Download Audio Books, Podcasts and more in MP3. Comedy, Fiction, sport, news, science, drama."] Audioville.co.uk. Accessed [September 25] , 2008.] .

Opening narration

Plot Summary

The narrator begins the story with a description of the Aerial Board of Control (otherwise known as the ABC), who effectively run the planet by way of their control over all routes of airborne transportation. It is the year 2065, and as the story opens, the narrator (who is commander of the ABC fleet) has rendezvoused with a group of diplomats and boarded an ABC airship to make an emergency trip to Illinois. Apparently, the state of Illinois has gone dark, cutting off all communication, and all transportation, whether in or out. The narrator is pleased that this emergency has arisen, for the ABC fleet so rarely has opportunity to take action now that war has been completely abolished.

The short night-time journey to Illinois is marked by the impressive sight of heavy traffic as countless civilian air ships streak in their altitude ‘lanes’ below the clouds. Reaching their destination, the narrator and the accompanying diplomats observe the complete absence of lights and traffic over Illinois. The narrator guides the ship to hover over the center of Chicago, where a mob is rioting in the streets. Some can be heard singing the ‘forbidden song of The People’ – a rebellious anthem warning against the dangers of overpopulation and the unwanted invasion of radical ideas that inevitably follows. At this point, the rest of the ABC fleet arrives – two hundred and fifty ships in wide formation. The narrator gives the order to the fleet, which begins firing on the crowd.

After a shattering display of light and sound, the fleet ceasing firing, and the narrator lands the ship containing the now-traumatized diplomats. Disembarking, the commander and the diplomats move among the people who lie prone in the streets, temporarily blinded by the dazzling light but otherwise unharmed. No other damage has been done by the fleet’s attack, which was in fact an advanced form of crowd control. Questioning the blinded citizens, the narrator discovers what had sparked the Illinois riot. A hundred radicals had arrived in Illinois and had begun spreading inflammatory ideas about free speech and democracy. This had so upset the good citizens of Illinois that they had irrationally blamed the traffic lanes for providing easy passage to these extremists, and had rashly cut themselves off from the rest of the world.

The narrator orders that the hundred radicals be rounded up immediately, and then listens to their impassioned speeches about such quaint ideas as ‘ballot boxes’ and ‘newspapers’. The narrator finds it all highly amusing. Deciding that the absurd entertainment presented by these extremists would be more accessible to the general public if presented with appropriate costumes and scenery, the narrator immediately signs the hundred radicals to binding contracts and has them shipped off to New York City, where their first performance will be held. With the threat now gone, the state of Illinois opens itself up to the flow of traffic and communication, restoring the proper order of things once more.

References

External Links

* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=554&ProductCategoryId=59 Chicago 2065 Streaming Audio Excerpts 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 Series - Streaming Audio Excerpts]
* [http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=163 XM Satellite Radio – Information on the Sonic Theater Channel]