In every life, a little rain…

We’ve had a little rain in Northern Minnesota these past two weeks. Back home in Oregon, it would be cause for complaint. Here in the Northwoods, however, rain inspires thankfulness that the precep falling from the sky is not yet frozen. For me, it’s a reminder that sometimes, a little trouble is to be expected; even for a group as blessed as the Icebox Radio Theater.

‘Pickaxe Hill’, our next podcast, is slated to go up on the feed one week from today. Recording and basic editing is complete, and I have a pretty good idea what I’d like to do with the music, so over all I’d say this show is on its way. However, family commitments will take me away from the studio (and out of Minnesota) for all but two days of that period. That leaves us with a kind of tight schedule to work under. Plus, the play that follows in three weeks time is part one of our newest Dome Dog saga, which – sadly – I did not get started on last week when I should have. We might try and record Wednesday evening, but getting the crew together for this Dome Dog has been a trial. What makes it even worse is that Harley Droba, our star and creator of the series, is chomping at the bit with plenty of free time to go to work. Sorry Harley! I’m confident it will all come together.

Our Sound Effects Director Dave Erwin will be working on a few final effects for Pickaxe Hill today, after which I will have all the pieces in place. Part of the job here will be figuring out how much of the work can be done via laptop on the road. So, once again, organization is the key.

Another cause for worry for the theater this year is our grant situation. We went ahead and started this podcast studio with grants a big part of the finance plan. Now it seems like one grant we’ve applied for may be a long shot. It’s a frustrating situation in that the grant in question is from the State which is looking at more than doubling its arts funding in the next few years. I serve on a regional arts council, and the folks there are dealing with so many uncertainties, they are getting very conservative with existing funds. This means our grant, which looked likely about three months ago, is now in jeopardy. Luckily, our support from the community has been such that we might be able to continue in our new studio through this season. Still and all, I can’t help feeling like I made a mis-step applying for the state grant at all.

What do you do in this situation? You keep positive.

We WILL finish ‘Pickaxe Hill’ on time.

We WILL keep the doors of the studio open.

We WILL keep getting better and better at producing audio theater.

We WILL pay the rent this month.

That being said, if some of our blog readers wanted to visit the donation button on our website, I wouldn’t complain. : >

Thanks for reading, and remember to…

Keep Listening!

-Jeff

Help the IBRT, and Get Fab Stuff!

The IBRT has put together a Halloween Special that we are currently marketing to terrestrial radio stations via PRX.org, kind of a combination marketing outreach, fundraiser deal. If you're a fan on Facebook, you've already heard all about this. But for the rest of you, here's the pitch.

"Listening in the Dark" is an hour-long program made up of two episodes of Imagination-X, and last season's very popular IBRT episode 'The Thing on the Ice'. If you're a podcast listener, you've heard all this already, but radio listeners haven't. And we need your help to make Halloween a little scarier for those radio folks.

We are marketing this program to community and public radio stations around North America, and those stations generally only listen to requests from people in their listening area. So we're looking for some folks to look up an address and send a letter or email on the IBRT's behalf. If you're interested, respond to this thread and I'll send you a boilerplate letter that you can alter.

If you know of a commercial station that might be interested in airing the special, that would be great too. There's a built-in break at the bottom of the hour where they can insert their own commercials.

AND as an incentive, if your area station plays the show, we'll send you an uncompressed, full stereo CD of our Halloween Special, or a CD of any other IBRT play, plus a $20 gift certificate to our Cafe Press store.

-Jeff

Quick notes:
title: "Listening in the Dark"
time: 54:48
PRX page: http://www.prx.org/pieces/39720-listening-in-the-dark
Our Cafe Press store: http://www.cafepress.com/iceboxradio
Listening in the Dark page: http://www.iceboxradio.org/Halloween%20Special.html

The Icebox Radio Theater 2009/10 Podcast Season (first half)

Here's a run-down of the first few episodes of this podcast season. Schedule subject to change.

October 12 – CASS & LOL Two young girls, the best of friends. Like most girls like most girls these days, there is at least a passing fascination with vampires. But how far will this fascination go? ‘Cass & Lol’ is presented as part of ‘Frozen Frights’, the IBRT’s series of new horror.

October 26 – PICKAXE HILL Frozen Frights month continues with this terrifying tale of a young couple and the house of their dreams. Doug and Julie always wanted a home by the lake, and now they can finally afford it. No matter that the house comes with a mysterious past, and a neighbor who is obsessed with it. But when Doug is mysteriously injured leaving Julie to face things alone, terror awaits her on top of Pickaxe Hill.

November 9 – Dome Dog, Issue 2, Episodes 1 & 2 Minnesota’s very own super hero is back in an all new adventure! When his beloved Vikings football team offers Dome Dog a chance to play pro ball, he can’t resist even though best girl and newly minted crime fighting super-partner Mustard Girl smells a rat. Will Dome Dog realize his mistake in time? Or will the lure of the gridiron prove too much for our hero – and an opportunity for a mysterious stranger from the shadows?

November 23 – THE “CALLS TO SANTA” SHOW Every year, the Icebox Radio Theater revives a holiday radio tradition. In the first weeks of December, Santa himself flies into Northern Minnesota to spend a week at the local radio station fielding calls from area tots live, on the air. This year, we’d like the whole world to join in on the fun via Skype and the theater’s streaming radio station. And to get you in the mood, we offer up a few choice slices of last year’s show, including the heart-warming audio theater classic, ‘The Christmas Room’.

December 7 - Dome Dog, Issue 2, Episodes 3 & 4 Our new Dome Dog Adventure continues! With Dome Dog distracted by gridiron glory, a new villain appears on the scene. He is called, ‘The Hunter’, and he’s ready to use his vast money, privilege and inhuman ability with a deer rifle to turn Minnesota’s wealth of natural beauty over to a select group of rich and powerful playboys; A Slap in the Face to everything the 32^nd State stands for! As the Hunter moves ahead with his plan, Dome Dog’s partner in life as well as crime fighting, the Shape Shifting wonder of the North, Mustard Girl, acts on her own. How will she fare against the Evil Rich One? Tune in next time to find out!

December 21 - Dome Dog, Issue 2, episode 5 All is darkest before the dawn as The Hunter tightens his grasp around Dome Dog and Mustard Girl. We don’t want to give too much away in this capsule, but you’re gonna wanna tune in to this special omnibus climax to the Latest Dome Dog saga!

January 4 – THE SCOOP SISTERS, ‘NEW SCHOOL BLUES’ PART 1 Those small town girls of mystery are back in an all-new adventure! Daughter Mary is struggling with a difficult teacher at her new school in tiny Icebox, Minnesota. But when mom Mel and grandmom Jasmine try to help, yet another mystery bubbles to the surface in the lives of Northern Minnesota’s most dedicated independent reporters.

January 18 - THE SCOOP SISTERS, ‘NEW SCHOOL BLUES’ PART 2 The plot thickens as Mel and Jasmine try to uncover the secrets of Mary’s least favorite teacher, and end up in the middle of an FBI investigation! Recorded in front of a live audience.

AND MUCH MORE TO COME….