Revolt of Mother (radio)

Revolt of Mother 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 “Revolt of Mother" program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of the classic short story by Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman.

Broadcast History

The Radio Tales production of “Revolt of Mother” was first broadcast via NPR on August 8, 2000 [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Summer 2000". NPR Marketing, July – Sept. 2000, Vol. VI, No. III] . 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 “Revolt of Mother” program debuted on XM Satellite Radio on July 26, 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.] . “Revolt of Mother” was part of the fifth 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 “Revolt of Mother” 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 “Revolt of Mother” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site [ [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=567&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 27, 2008.] .

Opening narration

Plot Summary

Sarah Penn stands in the front doorway of her house, repeatedly asking her husband why there are men digging in the adjacent field. After Sarah repeats the question several times, Adoniram Penn finally answers that the men are digging a cellar for what will be a new barn. Astonished, Sarah reminds her husband that he had promised to build her a new house in that field. She leads him into the old house and sits him down at the kitchen table, whereupon she proceeds to argue her case. Adoniram had promised her a new house when they were married forty years ago, and had never kept that promise. She had worked all that time in a tiny pantry taking care of the milk of his six cows, while her two children had slept in drafty, cold rooms that were not in as good condition as the stalls where Adoniram kept his horses. Now, after forty years of marriage, the ten-year old dirty wallpaper on the walls in the front room is peeling away, and her own bedroom is only large enough for a bed and bureau. Meanwhile, their daughter (who had grown into a very pretty young woman) can't receive suitors in their dilapidated house, nor can she live with her future husband in the Penn’s home. Here, Sarah Penn makes an emotional appeal to her husband, saying that her daughter is too fragile to maintain a household by herself, and would need her mother’s help or she would be worn out before a year had passed. Yet, without a new house there is no way that their daughter can stay with them.

Adoniram listens to all this dispassionately, and repeatedly tells his wife that he has nothing to say, after which he leaves the room. Work on the new barn continues. The barn is completed and ready for the new cows when Adoniram receives a letter from his brother-in-law in Vermont. There is a horse available, the letter says, and if Adoniram comes right away he can buy it. Adoniram makes preparations and departs, after which Sarah Penn rallies her two children and begins moving all their worldly possessions into the new barn. Within a few hours, everything that the family owns is situated in the barn, which Sarah quickly begins to convert into the house of her dreams. The fresh new barn is much better constructed than their old house had ever been, and with partitions and windows, the barn will be a perfect home for the Penns. Later that day, the hired man finishes milking and is directed to bring the milk to the new barn. He gapes, astonished at what Sarah Penn has done to the barn, and before morning of the next day he has spread the story across the entire village.

On the day when Adoniram is expected home, he passes a knot of men inexplicably gathered in the road near the new barn. Adoniram enters the old house, and encounters a cow inside. He emerges, perplexed, and leads the new horse to the new barn. Rolling the barn doors back, he sees his wife and children inside, gathered around a table set with his favorite Saturday meal. Sarah leads Adoniram inside. Adoniram is clearly frightened by all this, but Sarah explains in a firm voice that she and the children have as much right to live in the nice new barn as the cows did. The Penns will be living in the new barn from now on, and that is simply how things are going to be, Sarah says. She sits Adoniram down at the table for their Saturday meal, and despite his astonishment he manages to eat well. Afterwards, he goes to sit out on the steps. A short time later, Sarah goes to find him there, and finds that he is weeping. He promises to put in the partitions and anything else she wants. Sarah stands quietly, hiding her triumph, while Adoniram tells her in a choked voice that he had no idea she wanted a new house as much as she did.

References

External Links

* [http://www.audioville.co.uk/store/view.php?Id=567&ProductCategoryId=59 “Revolt of Mother” Streaming Audio 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® Streaming Audio on AudioVille]
* [http://www.xmradio.com/onxm/channelpage.xmc?ch=163 XM Satellite Radio – Information on the Sonic Theater Channel]