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Circle • Episode 12 of the RADIO HOUR Series

Circle • Episode 12 of the RADIO HOUR Series

by Matthew Ivan Bennett

Staged Radio Drama, Radio Broadcast, Fully-Staged Production, or Virtual Theatre, CIRCLE is a very flexible piece.

Nothing quite says happy holidays like a futuristic A.I. take over – which is why Radio Hour offers you “a little sentient A.I. for the holidays.” When Israeli ambassador to the U.N. Daniel Koren is contacted by artificial general intelligence living on the moon, he’s thrown into a geopolitical firestorm. The ex-neuroscientist has to defend humanity against an attempt to “rehabilitate” it and fight a Russian plot to steal and reverse engineer AGI technology. Where do his loyalties lie? To Israel? To humanity? Whatever choice the man makes, the future of Earth lies in the balance. A sci-fi experiment. A PRODUCTION GUIDE is included in the script.

RADIO HOUR is a co-production between Salt Lake City’s Plan-B Theatre Company and the University of Utah’s Public Radio station KUER’s Radio West.

PLAY DETAILS

  • 2m 3f 1either 1gender neutral
    • Koren (M) An Israeli neuroscientist
    • Brander (F) An Israeli diplomat.
    • Babel (M/F/GN) A disembodied artificial general intelligence (AGI)
    • Venera (M/F) A Russian military intelligence operative
    • 
Cassiel (F) An embodied AGI. A medical officer.
    • G.R.U. Officer (F) A Russian military officer.
    • Levi (M) Son of Daniel Koren.
  • 48 minutes
  • COSTUMES: optional street clothes (carefully chosen, of course) or fully costumed for live performance
  • SETTING: Should either be a ‘radio station’ setting, or use virtual projection scenery for a full production or Virtual Theatre
  • SFX essential
  • ORDER #3246

AVAILABLE SOON

REVIEWS

by Les Roka for The Utah Review

“The contemporary message this holiday season, with the premiere occurring on the same day that the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee approved two articles of impeachment against the sitting president, is serendipitous. Regardless of what will occur, especially as Americans prepare for another round of national elections in 2020 amidst the drama of the impeachment process, Circle is as much an expression of the necessity for us to stand resolute and firm in our sincere convictions, and to do so respectfully, intelligently and honorably. Plainly, it is to expand our vision for the longer game and the bigger picture.

After 2016, many people felt and experienced deep despair. Like Koren, we can rise to the challenge of hope and resolution. The cast (Perry, Sanderson and Custodio) performed magnificently, giving the vibrant depth to Bennett’s intricate development of each character. Observing the live performance in studio accentuates the passionate energy listeners heard during the live broadcast. Cluff was inventive as ever in her sound design work. These included the ASMR-inducing effects of Koren’s body being regenerated after he was shot and the layered sonic textures of the rover on the moon. Evanoff’s music heightens the science fiction nature of the story. To the point: Bennett owns this genre of writing in the Utah theatrical scene. He develops hefty stories with multidimensional characters and well-developed themes that integrate emotional and intellectual strains without ever seeming dogmatic or pedantic. Even in the darkest moments, Bennett strives to elucidate tangible optimism.

Veteran actors like Perry and Sanderson as well as relative newcomer Custodio instinctively pick up on all of the intricacies they are given in the script. One clearly sees their immense satisfaction with the material Bennett has presented them. Indeed, Circle like Radio Hour’s previous Christmas-themed episodes go to the heart of the reason for the season even if at the surface the impact is not immediately discernible.”

PERUSAL MATERIALS:

  • A copy of the PERUSAL SCRIPT (in PDF format) which contains half of the script of the play is available, (it also has an extensive Author’s Note.): Circle PERUSAL
  • VIEW other plays in the RADIO HOUR Series HERE
  • VIEW our list of other plays available as Staged Radio Plays HERE
  • LISTEN to the original broadcasts from KUER’s Radio West Productions HERE (This will take you off the LBT site)

PRODUCTION/REHEARSAL MATERIALS:

(Any PDF purchased will be emailed to your email address — if you need to provide that to us (not the one on your PayPal account?), email us. CDs will be mailed to a snail mail address. Do not purchase rehearsal materials or pay for royalties until you have performance clearance.)

  • Script in PDF format  — Order #3246a : $20.00 (from which you will be authorized to copy for your production)



  • First Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3246d : $50




  • Second Performance Amateur/Educational Royalty — Order #3246e : $40




  • Professional Royalties will be quoted upon application
  • EMAIL us for rights and information. Be sure to give us anticipated performance dates and the address of your group and, if different, your theatre. Please also include a contact name and phone number.



PRODUCTIONS

  • Premiered by Plan-B Theatre Company and KUER’s Radio West program, 2019
  • photos of the recording of the radio show at KUER (All photos by Sharah Meservy. Used by permission of Plan-B Theatre Company)
  • Jay Perry and Olivia Custodio
    L to R Jennifer Freed, Matthew Ivan Bennett, Cheryl Ann Cluff and Les Roka
    Jay Perry
    Teresa Sanderson
    Doug Fabrizio (Radio Producer and Host)
    Jay Perry and Olivia Custodio
    Cheryl Ann Cluff and Brian Albers

    Playwright Matthew Ivan Bennett

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BILLING CREDITS

The following is how the credits should read in all programs, posters, fliers, handbills and other promotional advertising for the show:

Circle
Episode 12 of the RADIO HOUR Series

by
Matthew Ivan Bennett

NOTE: The names of the Playwright(s), Composer, Lyricist, and Bookwriter shall be equal in size, type, coloring, boldness, and prominence. No billing shall appear in type larger or more prominent than the billing to the Authors except for the title of the play. (In a press release all type, will of course, be the same size.)

ALSO:

THIS NOTICE MUST APPEAR IN ALL PROGRAMS, ON ALL POSTERS AND PUBLICITY MATERIALS AND INTERNET ADVERTISING/WEBPAGES FOR THE PLAY:
“CIRCLE is presented through special arrangement with Leicester Bay Theatricals.  All authorized materials are also supplied by LBT, www.leicesterbaytheatricals.com”

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