Project Audion: Classic Audio Dramas for Modern Times

"Death of a Salesman" is one of the classic America plays: the first to win both the Tony Award for Best Author, the New York Drama Circle Critics' Award, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Arthur Miller's intense family drama might have seemed promising material for a prestige radio adaptation, but perhaps it was too intense for American radio networks.

However, Australia's radio stations had no such nervousness. The Australian edition of Lux Radio Theatre adapted "Death of A Salesman" on January 29, 1956, using two of the lead actors who originally premiered it in Australia.

Now, even as a new production arrives on Broadway, Audion brings forth the Lux adaptation for Project Audion's virtual airwaves: a story of the American Dream gone wrong, and the devastating effects it has on Willy Loman and his family. Still vital, after all these decades. Our big, widespread cast:

Les Marsden in California Laura Mirsky in New Jersey Pete Lutz in Texas Dana Gonsalves in Texas Paul Arbisi in Illinois Nick Wommack in Texas Rhiannon Mcafee in California Patte Rosebank in Toronto Canada David Ian in Oregon Tom Konkle in California

Original music was by Ross Bernhardt Directed by Pete Lutz Production was supervised by Larry Groebe

Just the facts, ma'am: DRAGNET is one of the few programs from the classic age of audio drama which is still recognized by most people today - for the iconic four-note theme, at least. But even Dragnet didn't hit the airwaves at the start in its fully-realized familiar form. Episode number one, which aired on June 3, 1949, survives only via a script, not a recording. That script reveals a compelling cop show, but one which doesn't quite match our memories of Jack Webb's LAPD detective formed from years of radio, television, and movie versions. All of which makes Project Audion's new reconstruction of that very first episode such a fascinating show worth listening to. Even the Dragnet theme isn't yet there. But Joe Friday is, along with his partner Ben Alexander, and the true-life crime stories where "only the names have been changed - to protect the innocent."

But wait -- there's more (as they used to say on the commercials accompanying Dragnet TV reruns). R. L. Mills, that senior scriptwriting script and storyteller from the days of Bob Hope, has penned a parody of Dragnet called "Hairnet" - and THAT plays back right AFTER our lost premiere. The same cast is heard (and seen) in both shows...only of the parts were changed, to protect the actors...

Denise and Norman Cline, Kentucky Pete Fernbaugh, West Virginia Caleb Fisher, Virginia Chris Hart, Florida Ed Herman, New York Sean Massey, Texas Bob Mills, California Craig Whichman, New York ...with production, direction, sound & music by Larry Groebe in Texas

Even the greatest creative people had to start somewhere. For Rod Serling, whose "Twilight Zone" series is one of the landmarks of television, it was the radio series "Doctor Christian." Project Audion is proud to recreate his very first professionally-sold script for that show, which hasn't been heard since it originally aired back on November 9, 1949.

Doctor Christian, which starred Jean Herscholt, was a popular and long-running light drama series about a small town doctor and the wide range of people he helped. While completing college, Rod Serling submitted a script about a boxer who was facing the fight of his life - titled "To Live a Dream." Entered into the annual Dr. Christian scriptwriting contest, it came in second place, and gave Serling his first income from writing, his first national broadcast...and the first step of Rod Serling's own dream. It's a surprisingly polished and intense first step, at that! Audion's far-flung voice actors included.

Ken Raney in Texas Andy Hartson-Bowyer in Virginia Sheree Wichard in Pennsylvania Pete Lutz in Texas Hunter Adkins in Maryland Dana Gonsalves in Texas and Tim Burns in Kansas Music, Sound, production and direction from Larry Groebe in Texas.

Arch Oboler was one of radio's most accomplished writer/producers. Although he may be best known for his creepy horror scripts, he cared deeply about the human condition and regularly tackled weighty topics. "Special To Hollywood" was an indictment of the vacuousness of Hollywood celebrity, told in a sort of proto-"Twilight Zone" form. The story was performed on three occasions, and the 1945 script (from the series "Arch Oboler's Plays") became the core of Project Audion's second-ever show back in 2020. Six years later, we've gone back to our old Zoom files and remixed them because - well, just because it's a yarn that's worth re-hearing with a message that is still relevant today. Our cast:

Patte Rosebank, Canada Tim Burns, Kansas Larry Jurrist, Florida Trevor Rines, Canada Paul Arbisi, Illinois Directed by Patte Rosebank, & Produced by Larry Groebe

Project Audion presents a special Christmas audio drama recorded before a live audience at the Grapevine (TX) Public Library on December 14, 2025 as part of "Christmas On The Air."

This half hour recreates a "A Christmas Carol" as it was traditionally heard on on the radio networks in the days before television. For nearly two decades spread across across the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, actor Lionel Barrymore definitively portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge for eager American radio listeners. We recreated his 1949 production with a full cast, right down to Tiny Tim, plus music and live sound effects. It's the voices of Christmas past, here as your Christmas present...

Kim Titus Mitch Carr Reg Platt Susan Platt Brian Hoffman Gary Layton Sheela Bailey A. J. Glendenning Pierce Morgan Chase Morgan Produced and directed by Larry Groebe

Project Audion presents a special Christmas audio comedy, recorded before a live audience at the Grapevine (TX) Public Library on December 14, 2025 as part of "Christmas On The Air."

This show recreates a special Christmas episode of the beloved British radio sitcom "The Men From the Ministry" which was extremely popular during the 1960s and 1970s (and still re-run on the BBC today). The show satirized governmental bureaucracy, but it only aired a single Christmas episode, in December 1964. That recording was subsequently lost or wiped, so Project Audion, performing from the delightfully funny original script, is bringing back to life something which NO ONE has heard in over 60 years! Listen as two bumbling bureaucrats attempt to spread a little Christmas cheer with their plans to deliver "A Present for Norman."

A. J. Glendenning Gary Layton Kim Titus Mitch Carr Brian Hoffman Reg Platt Susan Platt Sheela Bailey Produced and directed by Larry Groebe

Bob Hope was one of the 20th century's greatest entertainers: in vaudeville and movies, and especially his radio (and later TV) comedies, so often performed in front of appreciative US servicemen, kept America smiling for better than six decades. He became an icon of American humor, and it is a special task to bring the Hope style back to life. But now Project Audion premieres a "new" 1940s-era Bob Hope radio show, thanks to the pen of former Hope writer Robert L. Mills, the vocal wizardry of Bill Johnson, and Project Audion's versatile voice actors. In this new Christmas creation, Bob's guest star is Lana Turner, who joins him to spoof the classic movie "Double Indemnity." It's a show to make you smile!

Our cast: Bill Johnson in Nevada Stephanie Johnson in Virginia Les Marsden in California Jacob Palka In Illinois Bethany Baldwin in South Carolina Dane Allred in Utah

The show was written by Bob Mills in California and produced and directed by Larry Groebe from Texas

If you love audio drama, then you will appreciate Project Audion's November episode, which is NOT an audio drama but a podcast ABOUT audio drama - and why we make it, particularly in a time when Artificial Intelligence may be able to impact this art form. youcan "Meet The Creators" of some of best, longest-running modern radio-drama groups in North America, as they discuss why they find value in creating new audio fiction in the 21st century. What's the point in revisiting and continuing this old storytelling art form?

The 45-minute discussion was at different times lively, nostalgic, angry, funny, feisty, thoughtful, enthusiastic, even emotional. Our panelists included Jeff Billard, Doug Fain, Larry Groebe, Tom Konkle, Pete Lutz, Robert L. Mills, Patte Rosebank, Jack Ward...and ChatGPT. As Artificial Intelligence seems to be replacing human efforts in so many different aspects of life, how should we define the roles of both people and AI in creating twenty-first century audio stories.

From the early days of the classic era of audio drama, Project Audion recreates a unique ghost-story/murder-mystery taken from a radio drama which is now so forgotten that it, too, might well be a ghost. But in the early 1930s "Eno Crime Clues" was a major radio hit, following the adventures of detective Spencer Dean (known as "The Manhunter") and his partner, Dan Cassidy. Our lost script from 1936 took the show in a new direction. You know how Orson Welles' "War of the Worlds" made such an impact by making the story sound like a genuine on-the-spot broadcast? Well, he wasn't the first. This Crime Clues episode tried the same trick over two years earlier, using a real location, the show's genuine announcer and director, and a remote broadcast which -- well, you'll just have to listen...

Our cast:

TOM KONKLE in California PAUL ARBISI in Illinois HOLLY ADAMS in NY DOUGLAS HERMAN in California PAUL PATTERSON in Georgia DAVID RIES also in Georgia KEN RANEY in Texas PAUL KOVIT in New York and LARRY GROEBE, directing from Texas

Gunsmoke! The show that created the "adult western" drama genre...the show that moved westerns from the kid-centered "Lone Ranger" into darker, more mature themes... the show that ran for 10 years and nearly 500 radio episodes, and 20 years and 600 more chapters on television. A handful of Gunsmoke audio recordings have been lost for seven decades, but Project Audion now recreates one of those missing episodes - in fact, Gunsmoke's second-ever show from May 3, 1952.

Listen to our-country cast bring back Marshall Matt Dillon, Doc Adams, Chester and others in this live Zoom recording of the dark drama titled "Ben Thompson."

Denny Thompson, Colorado Glenn Hascall, Kansas Norman Cline, Kentucky Kim Titus, Texas Jane Beverley, New Jersey Pete Fernbaugh, West Virginia Duane Noch, New Jersey Caleb Fisher, Virginia Production supervised by Larry Groebe, Texas