The Boarded Window (radio)

“The Boarded Window” 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 Boarded Window" program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of the short story of the same name by Ambrose Bierce.

Broadcast History

The Radio Tales production of “The Boarded Window” was first broadcast via National Public Radio on April 3, 2001 [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Spring 2001". NPR Marketing, Vol. VII, No. II] . 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 Boarded Window” program debuted on XM Satellite Radio on June 21, 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.] . “The Boarded Window” 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 “The Boarded Window” 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 Boarded Window” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site [ [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=569&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 26] , 2008.] .

Opening narration

Plot Summary

Murlock was an old man living on a barren plot of land in Ohio. He lived in a little log house sporting a single window which was boarded up sometime in the past. The mystery of this window was only known to the grandfather of the unnamed narrator, who recounts the story passed down from the grandfather.

Apparently, old Murlock had once been married, for when he died he was buried alongside his wife. She had preceded him in death by enough years to blot out any local memories of her appearance or character. According to the narrator’s grandfather, Murlock and his wife had established their little farm when they were both young and hopeful, but that hope was short-lived. Murlock's wife was struck down with a fever, and given their isolated circumstances, no help could be summoned. She appeared to pass away after three days.

Murlock sat a death vigil for his wife that night, setting her body out on a table and binding her wrists with ribbon. All during this time, Murlock was aware of a disorienting lack of emotion on his own part, and an inexplicable feeling that his wife would be somehow restored to him. He sat with his arms on the table where she lay, and at length he fell asleep, despite the strange wailing sounds drifting in through the open window. Later, he awoke with a sense of alarm and listened sharply to ascertain what had roused him. Suddenly the table shook beneath his arms, and then Murlock heard what sounded like a violent scuffle. Jumping to his feet, Murlock swept his arms over the table, but could not feel his wife there. Terrified, he grabbed his loaded rifle and fired it into the air. The flash revealed a huge panther dragging his wife’s body toward the window, its teeth sunk in her throat. Murlock fainted.

When he returned to his senses, he found his wife’s body sprawled near the window. There was a pool of blood from the woman’s neck which had not clotted completely. The ribbon around her wrists had been torn apart, the hands had become fists, and Murlock saw that a piece of the panther’s ear was now clenched between the woman’s teeth.

References

External Links

* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=569&ProductCategoryId=59 The Boarded Window Streaming Audio Excerpt 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]