I'll let my captin, Dudley, explain:
"A few months ago now–I don’t recall how many–this project began. At first, it was the offer of an hour of Saturday morning air time from a local AM station. To do what with? I already had a talk show with compatriot, James Stegall. I had started writing comic bits to perform, feeling the talk format stultifying and tired. When OPT waved a handful of cash at us, my first thought was to cobble together my comic interests with an interview show, and see what happened. To that end, I wrote seven scripts (”The James & Dudley Show” Hated it. ). Then circumstances prevailed that caused this idea to be tossed aside; I needed a new direction.
After a lengthy call for voice actors on Craigslist, our number shook down to 7. One of these actors, Mark Lewis, at one of our meetings in our Eugene annex (a bar), suggested the show should be set aboard an airship–a giant dirigible the length of a football field. I jumped right on it–amazingly, I had been playing with a book idea about an eccentric multi-millionaire who builds a giant airship. Thus was Airship Radio Theatre begun.
Well, not really. Concepts are fine, and fairly commonplace. Next, I had to write the scripts.
A long-time desire of mine has been to write for radio. I never pursued it seriously, since radio drama is a tiny niche (but still larger than I suspected). Here was my opportunity. Now…could I do it?
Then we needed a guest.
Composer of “Classical Gas,” Mason Williams, agreed to be that person–our first guest. One show became three–all of them featuring “Classical Gas,” MW, and sketches (written by MW) by the Smothers Brothers (as well as our own brand of sketch comedy).
How to record it? OPT offered us recording time, but we could never fit into their schedule. We borrowed a mic from them, but had no cable, stand, or way to make the computer hear it (mics generate an analog signal), so gave it back (later, they bought us three mics and cables–but what they bought we considered too low end). Enter Mark Lewis again. This time with two beautiful USB mics. We began recording around our diningroom table. I hung a quilt over the archway leading into the livingroom. We were loud and unruly and kept wife and son awake. But it worked.
Now I’m going to build a studio, a simple affair, out in our garage. A table, lights, chairs, thick curtains, a borrowed computer, USB mics… Many summer night I suspect will be spent out there. This will result in parties. And, of course, there will be actors at these parties. And writers. And an inventor. Just like in olden times.
Now we’re talking about how to do the show live, before a recorded audience. I mean, record before a live audience.
Thanks to Marc Time James Stegall, Allan Erickson, Kristi Koons, Mark Lewis, Nicholas Edwards. And Jenna. One mustn’t ever forget one’s wife.
Revised Release date:Late April
Time: 10 am
Day: Saturday
Station: 1600 am KOPT (mono, sadly)"
