| I’m on a road to someplace |
 June 14, 2012 By Glenn Hascall |
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 In the mid 1990s I wrote and produced a half hour audio drama called “The Adventures of Port Chester Lighthouse.” I have always loved audio drama and it was a dream come true to put together my first show. I remember conducting auditions and selecting a cast, I enlisted the wonderful help of Phil Kearney to put together the music I had in my head for two original songs, and I edited the project using a grease pencil and a reel-to-reel machine. From start to finish the project took 18 months to complete. Most of the cast members were children, and most today are grown and married. For ten years KCMI aired that drama each year during the holidays. My interest in audio drama remained strong, but for a while that was only as a listener. It was too hard to shoulder the burden of a full episode alone. I gained a real appreciation for those who derive an income from the development of audio drama. More than a decade would pass before I would begin to record short form audio drama that would be used in an online comedy show. That experience led to a comedy CD. It also led to voice acting for others who were developing their own audio drama. In 2009 I was able to collaborate with the team at Holiday Magic CD to write and produce a 4-minute audio drama that was included in a project that was given to children who spent Christmas at a variety of Children’s Hospitals. I have been honored to continue that involvement each year. Late last year I literally stumbled across a grassroots group of writers, mixers and voice talent who work together to create audio drama. Something inside said it was time to try another long form drama, but I could only do it if I had help. This year I have been provided a mentor producer, Mike Murphy, who has helped me learn how the process works. I now have two fully produced audio dramas and nearly 10 more in various stages of completion. Time has been spent working at identifying roles that I can feel comfortable playing and I’ve accepted numerous roles in other audio dramas. From start to finish my first audio drama took four months and included art direction from the award winning artist, Steven “Sash” Scott. Voice actors from around the globe have auditioned for roles I only imagined a short time before. Audio mixers have taken the bits and pieces of audio and forged them into the drama written in script form. There is something special about being able to take something you’re passionate about and doing something with it. For you that might not be writing, voice acting or producing, but I am certain there is something you feel gives you purpose. You may not be able to tackle that dream 100 percent of the time, but dedicating a portion of the time you do have to something that seems to bring life back to your existence can be a positive thing. For someone like Rick Myers that means photography and the advancement of museums, for editor Lisa Betz it’s promoting Gering and the things that make the valley so special, for Phil Kearney it’s always been music, and for you? Well, only you can answer that. You don’t need to throw caution to the wind in order to find a place at the table where joy in purpose can be served daily. So, what is it – and what will you do with it? |
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