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A few of our contributing artists and favorite listeners…
A note from Sarah Montague, the director of our second production, That Deep Ocean…
I have been directing and producing radio and audio drama for thirty years—from classics like Archibald MacLeish’s The Fall of the City, to early works by Tom Stoppard, to a range of pieces by contemporary American playwrights.
It was a pleasure and a privilege to join the Play for Voices family this past season as the director and co-producer of Ana Candida Carneiro’s exciting play That Deep Ocean….
Radio drama has not had the robust presence in American culture that it has had in Europe, which means that potential creators, and potential audiences, have not been fully exposed to the form and its possibilities, so it was exciting to discover this important new project committed to extending the form.
Audio is a powerful and evocative tool for storytelling that combines language, sound, and music in ways that fully engage both the intellect and emotions of a listener. It also offers opportunities for writers and actors to move beyond the confines of theatrical space into imaginary worlds that inhabit mental space.
Play for Voices serves the important function of making more audio drama—presenting diverse cultures and worldviews—available for consumption. And sustained support would enable the project to be more proactive, self-sustaining, and competitive in the crowded arena of podcasting.
Within its own sphere, Play for Voices’ emphasis on works in translation sets it apart, and is vital at this challenging moment in our history.
There are significant threats to civil liberties, open discourse, tolerance, and diversity. At the same time, there is an opportunity for a diverse and global community to empower itself and become an agent for change. Theatre has always been at the heart of social change—it is where poetry and politics have met since the time of the ancient Greeks. So offering opportunities to writers from many countries to realize their works and expose them to English-speaking audiences is crucial.
I strongly urge support for this visionary project. In Tennessee Williams’ play Camino Real, a character proclaims that “revolutions only need good dreamers who remember their dreams.” Help make this one come true.
Sarah Montague, Radio/Audio producer/director