Silence, A Fable (radio)

“Silence, A Fable” is a 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, [Hear Here: "Tales by American Masters". AudioFile Magazine, pg. 8, Feb/March 1999, Vol. 7, No. 5.] ) 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 “Silence, A Fable” program from the Radio Tales series was an adaptation of the classic short story ‘’Silence – A Fable’’ by Edgar Allan Poe.

Broadcast History

The Radio Tales production of “Silence, A Fable” was first broadcast via NPR on November 24, 1998. [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Fall 1998". NPR Marketing, Vol. IV, 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 “Silence, A Fable” program debuted on XM Satellite Radio on November 1, 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.] “Silence, A Fable” was part of the third year of Radio Tales on NPR Playhouse. [National Public Radio: "NPR Quarterly Edition Fall 1998". NPR Marketing, Vol. IV, No. III]

Media

The Radio Tales production of “Silence, A Fable” was published on audiocassette as the "b-side" of the Masque of the Red Death program from the Radio Tales series. The audiocassette was published by Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd in 1996 as a part of its “Paperback Audio” line (ISBN 0886468949). [ [http://www.sffaudio.com/?cat=251 "SFFaudio >> Edgar Allan Poe"] SFFAudio.com. Accessed October 8, 2008.] In 1998, Durkin Hayes re-released the program on audiocassette with new packaging and cover art as a part of its new “dh Audio” imprint. [ [http://www.amazon.com/Masque-Red-Death-Generations-Presents/dp/0886468949/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216308591&sr=1-7 "Amazon.com: The Masque of the Red Death"] Amazon.com. Accessed July 17, 2008.] Since that time, the program 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 “Silence, a Fable” program, have been available for download via the Audioville.co.uk web site. [ [http://www.audioville.com/store/view.php?Id=555&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 May 24, 2008.]

Opening narration

Plot summary

The narrator relates a story first told by a Demon. The story is set in Libya, by the shores of the Zaire River, where a field of water-lilies borders a great forest, while clouds churn endlessly overhead, and the air is filled with noise and tumult. On the night in which the story’s events take place, a rain of blood is falling on a huge grey rock inscribed with the word DESOLATION. After reading this word, the Demon notices a man sitting on the rock, dressed in a toga, contemplating the solitude thoughtfully. The Demon hides amongst the lilies and watches him as the hours pass, but he does not stir.

Then, with her powers the Demon calls the hippopotami and the behemoth to gather around the rock and roar loudly. The man remains motionless. So the Demon uses her powers to cause a great storm of thunder and lightning. The man stays where he is. Finally growing angry, the Demon curses the elements with the curse of silence, and everything grows utterly still and motionless, and the word inscribed upon the rock changes to SILENCE. The man reacts with terror and flees immediately.

This marks the end of the Demon’s story, and the narrator adds that when the Demon finishes her tale, she laughs, but the narrator can not laugh with the Demon, and therefore the Demon curses the narrator.

References

External Links

* [http://www.audioville.com/store/view.php?Id=555&ProductCategoryId=59 Silence, A Fable 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]