Columbia Workshop podcast

Columbia Workshop

Experimental series about radio and its capabilities, from the 1930s and 1940s
from archive.org

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The Columbia Workshop dedicates itself to the purposes of familiarizing you with the story behind radio, both in broadcasting, as well as in aviation, shipping, communication and pathology, and to experiment in new techniques with a hope of discovering or evolving new and better forms of radio presentation, with especial emphasis on radio drama; to encourage and present the work of new writers and artists who may have fresh and vital ideas to contribute.

Early shows on the Workshop exemplified Reis's penchant for experimentation through narrative and technical means. The second program, Broadway Evening followed a couple as they meandered down Broadway during an evening. A subsequent show had at least 30 characters functioning within a half-hour drama. Among the technical demonstrations were sound effects, the use of various kinds of microphones to achieve various aural effects and voice impersonators (including sound effects produced by voice). The Fall of the City, Archibald MacLeish's verse play for radio, was published by Farrar & Rinehart following its Columbia Workshop premiere on April 11, 1937.

Reis called upon others to try their hand in writing new or adapting existing material for the experimental nature of the Workshop. Orson Welles did a two-part adaptation of Shakespeare's Hamlet (mentioned along with the Workshop in the fictitious film Me and Orson Welles), as well as a 30-minute condensation of Macbeth. Irwin Shaw contributed one show, and Stephen Vincent Benét adapted several of his short stories. Reis also experimented with readings and dramatizations of poetry, including works by Samuel Taylor Coleridge, John Masefield and Edgar Allan Poe. One of the most notable presentations of Reis's tenure was Archibald MacLeish's original radio play, The Fall of the City. With a cast that included Burgess Meredith, Orson Welles and 300 students, the play was notable for its portrayal of the collapse of a city under an unnamed dictator, a commentary on fascism in Germany and Italy.

(description from Wikipedia)

Comedy of Danger-Finger of God (6.8Mb)
Broadway Evening (6.8Mb)
Cartwheel (6.9Mb)
Experiment-Highway Incident (7Mb)
Case History (6.7Mb)
There Must Be Something Else (6.7Mb)
The San Quentin Broadcast (6.8Mb)
Voyage to Brobdingnag (6.7Mb)
Hamlet (6.5Mb)
Track 1 (13.5Mb)
Track 2 (13.6Mb)
Scoring for Radio (Vocabulary of Music) (13.8Mb)
Hamlet Part 2 (6.6Mb)
Track 2 (13.6Mb)
Patent System (3.8Mb)
Track 1 (13.6Mb)
The Gods of the Mountain (13.7Mb)
The Happy Prince (6.7Mb)
Public Domain (8.1Mb)
Track 2 (13.5Mb)
The Signalman (13.6Mb)
Track 1 (13.6Mb)
Pitch Perception (6.7Mb)
Split Seconds (13.7Mb)
Danse Macabre (13.5Mb)
Track 2 (13.5Mb)
Track 1 (13.6Mb)
The Fall of the City (6.1Mb)
R U R (13.5Mb)
Saint Louis Blues (13.5Mb)
Track 2 (13.6Mb)
Track 1 (13.5Mb)
Track 2 (13.7Mb)
Night at the Inn (13.6Mb)
Track 1 (27.6Mb)
The Downbeat On Murder (27.4Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
Babuouk (7.1Mb)
The Tell-Tale Heart (13.6Mb)
Track 2 (27.5Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
Incident of the Cosmos-Last Citation (13.7Mb)
no title (13.1Mb)
S S San Pedro (13.7Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Part 1 (6.9Mb)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland Part 2 (7Mb)
Track 1 (13.5Mb)
Sweep (11Mb)
The Horla (13.7Mb)
Metzungerstein (26.8Mb)
Alice Through The Looking Glass - Pt 1 (6.9Mb)
Alice Through The Looking Glass - Pt 2 (6.9Mb)
no title (13.7Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
no title (13.3Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
no title (14.8Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
Meloddrams (13.8Mb)
Columbia_Workshop_38-05-21_Ecce_Homo_(Behold_the_Man) (13.2Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
Columbia_Workshop_38-06-11_Surrealism_(From_Ooh_to_Aah) (13.7Mb)
Track 2 (27.4Mb)
Track 1 (27.2Mb)
Tristram (6.6Mb)
The Devil and Daniel Webster (13.7Mb)
Track 1 (13.5Mb)
Track 2 (13.6Mb)
Track 1 (20.6Mb)
Track 2 (27Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
Air Raid (7.1Mb)
Track 2 (26.6Mb)
Track 1 (26.8Mb)
Luck (6.6Mb)
Beauty and The Beast (15.1Mb)
Track 2 (27.3Mb)
Trip to Czardis (6.5Mb)
Bread on the Waters (27.3Mb)
Crosstown Manhattan (8.6Mb)
Track 1 (27.3Mb)
Track 2 (27.3Mb)
Track 1 (27.3Mb)
no title (12.9Mb)
Now Playing Tomorrow (13.7Mb)
Track 2 (27.4Mb)
Nine Prisoners (6.6Mb)
Track 1 (27.4Mb)
Winged Victory (6.5Mb)
In the Train (6.4Mb)
Letter from Home (6.2Mb)
Pepito inherits the Earth (3.5Mb)
Rendezvous with Kit Carson (6.2Mb)
They Fly Through the Air (7.9Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Track 1 (28.2Mb)
Wet Saturday (14.5Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Track 1 (27.2Mb)
Track 2 (27.2Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Track 1 (27.4Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
John Brown's Body (25.7Mb)
Radio Play - Saroyan (6.6Mb)
Drink of Water (6.5Mb)
Meridian 7-1212 (5.7Mb)
Track 2 (24.9Mb)
Track 1 (27.2Mb)
Track 2 (27.4Mb)
Now It's Summer (6.9Mb)
The Fall of the City (10Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Blennerhasset (10.2Mb)
A Letter from Above (10.1Mb)
A Circular Tour (10.4Mb)
The Wonderful Day (6.4Mb)
As You Like It (6.7Mb)
The Story in Dogtown Common (6.3Mb)
Track 1 (27.2Mb)
Higher Than a Kite (8.8Mb)
Track 2 (27.2Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Track 2 (27.4Mb)
columbia workshop 400307 double exposure (13.7Mb)
Track 1 (27.4Mb)
Track 2 (27.4Mb)
Double Exposure (13.2Mb)
Track 1 (27.4Mb)
Track 2 (27Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Track 2 (26.9Mb)
The Honest Captain (14.2Mb)
Track 1 (27.4Mb)
Track 2 (26.9Mb)
Track 1 (4.9Mb)
Track 2 (13.5Mb)
Track 1 (27.3Mb)
Track 2 (27.2Mb)
The Cock-Eyed Wonder (8.8Mb)
Track 1 (27.7Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Carmilla (13.5Mb)
Track 1 (13.7Mb)
Track 2 (13.7Mb)
Track 1 (27.4Mb)
Alf, the All American Fly (13.6Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
The Pussy Cat and the Expert Plumber Who Was a Man (13.7Mb)
A Man's House (27.4Mb)
Track 2 (27.3Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
Track 1 (13.6Mb)
Track 2 (13.6Mb)
Track 1 (13.7Mb)
Track 2 (13.7Mb)
Track 1 (13.6Mb)
Track 2 (40.8Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
This is From David (14.1Mb)
Track 1 (27.3Mb)
A Crop of Beans (14Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Track 2 (27.1Mb)
Track 1 (26.8Mb)
no title (27.2Mb)
Track 1 (13.6Mb)
Track 2 (27.4Mb)
Radio Primer (8.5Mb)
Log of the R-77 (26.8Mb)
The People Yes (27.7Mb)
Lip Service (27.5Mb)
Appointment (27.2Mb)
Odyssey of Runyon Jones (6.4Mb)
Soliloquy to Balance the Budget (26.6Mb)
Daybreak (27.6Mb)
Old Salt (27.3Mb)
Between Americans (26.8Mb)
no title (26.3Mb)
no title (26.3Mb)
Descent of the Gods (25.9Mb)
Old Testament Trilogy Part 1 (26.5Mb)
Old Testament Trilogy Part 2 (6.5Mb)
Old Testament Trilogy Part 3 (27.4Mb)
Mary and the Fairy (26.2Mb)
The Anatomy of Sound (26.1Mb)
no title (26.2Mb)
Human Angle (26.7Mb)
Good Heavens (27.4Mb)
Wolfiana (27.2Mb)
Murder in Studio One (27.3Mb)
Descent of the Gods (27.6Mb)
The Odyssey of Runyon Jones (27.8Mb)
Man with a Platform (28.1Mb)
Psalm for a Dark Year (27.2Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
Track 2 (26.3Mb)
Double Ugly (8Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
Columbia_Workshop_41-12-15_ld_These_Truths_(_Special_Broadcast) (27.5Mb)
Track 2 (27.3Mb)
Who Wants to Be Born These Days (6.3Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Man Without a Shadow (13.8Mb)
Jenny, the Bus Nobody Loved (13.2Mb)
Portrait of Jennie (11.4Mb)
Track 2 (22.3Mb)
Track 1 (22.4Mb)
He Should Have Stood in Elba (22.4Mb)
Play Ball (20.8Mb)
Track 2 (22.7Mb)
The City Wears a Slouch Hat (13.8Mb)
Track 1 (22.6Mb)
Ritchie the Great (6.7Mb)
Tag Number 1-184-463 (26.7Mb)
Someone Else (27.3Mb)
Track 2 (27.3Mb)
Track 1 (27.4Mb)
Track 1 (13.5Mb)
Track 2 (26Mb)
Remodeled Brownstone (13.4Mb)
Track 1 (27.3Mb)
no title (13.9Mb)
The Long Name None Could Spell (28Mb)
Lonesome Train (28Mb)
Savage Encounter (25.1Mb)
The Odyssey Of Runyan Jones 440404 (28Mb)
You Can Dream, Inc (24.2Mb)
no title (14Mb)
Dorie Got A Medal (28.1Mb)
no title (13.9Mb)
no title (13.8Mb)
Track 2 (26.1Mb)
no title (12.9Mb)
Untitled (25.3Mb)
American Trilogy 1 - Carl Sandburg (6.8Mb)
American Trilogy 2 - Wolfiana (26.2Mb)
American Trilogy 3 - Walt Whitman (13.5Mb)
no title (13.9Mb)
no title (14Mb)
El Capitan and the Corporal (6.1Mb)
Track 1 (26.9Mb)
A Very Fine Type Girl (27.8Mb)
There Will Be Time Later (26.9Mb)
On A Note Of Triumph (27Mb)
Unity Fair (6.5Mb)
Daybreak (7.4Mb)
The Undecided Molecule (6.7Mb)
New York, a Tapestry for Radio (8.5Mb)
Savage Encounter (7.1Mb)
Fourteen August (7.4Mb)
L'affair Gumpert (7Mb)
Homecoming (13.5Mb)
Anniversary (13.2Mb)
Just a Plain Blue Suit (13.5Mb)
Hard Luck Story (13.5Mb)
Slim (13.5Mb)
Thanks for the Memories (13.3Mb)
Four Quartets of TS Elliot (8.3Mb)
Act of Faith (11.7Mb)
no title (54.3Mb)
The Last Speech (8.3Mb)
Joe Peabody's Dream (8.3Mb)
The Playroom (8.4Mb)
A Study in Bells and House (8.4Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
No Children at Play (6.5Mb)
The Trial (13.1Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
Richard III (41.4Mb)
Peer Gynt (41.8Mb)
Sometime Every Summertime (6.7Mb)
no title (54.9Mb)
Columbia_Workshop_46-06-30_This_Is_Singing_Country_(1776-1864) (6.7Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
The Pied Pied Piper of Hamelin (6.7Mb)
Legend in Brocade (6.8Mb)
Happy Thoughts for a Hot Afternoon (6.7Mb)
Wilber-The Psychoneurotic Auto (13.5Mb)
Modern Exhibit (6.9Mb)
Path and the Door - Psychological Experiment (26.7Mb)
The Last Delegate (7.9Mb)
Midnight Town Is Full of Boys (27.8Mb)
The Day That Baseball Died (5Mb)
Studies in Jealousy (13.9Mb)
Brewsie and Willie (13.9Mb)
Moby Dick Part 1 (6.8Mb)
Moby Dick Part 2 (6.8Mb)
Lee Fountain Comes of Age (13.6Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
no title (13.6Mb)
The Tin Whistle (8.6Mb)
It Shouldn't Happen to a Man (13.8Mb)
The Parade (8.8Mb)
Alice and the Echo (27.1Mb)
The Day They Gave Babies Away (3.8Mb)
Rain, Rain Go Away (6.8Mb)
no title (13.5Mb)
Surreal Marriage (12.8Mb)
My Life with Ernest Ruell (12.2Mb)
Natural History of Nonsense (28.1Mb)
Track 1 (27Mb)
Track 2 (27Mb)
Track 1 (27.3Mb)
Track 2 (27.3Mb)
Track 1 (27.1Mb)
Track 2 (27Mb)

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