Chinook Speech and Drama Season Transitioned to Radio Theater

When the Montana High School Association (MHSA) committed to an all-virtual competition for the 2020-2021 Speech, Drama, and Debate season, the Coach of the Chinook High School program, Bonnie Ortner, and her team decided to opt out. In lieu of virtual competitions, they engaged in the reading of radio theater scripts this past season. Showcasing an "all-senior" script, they are celebrating their graduating seniors this week: Gavin Lemro, Grace Ymzon, Martin Nussbaum, and Allyssa Schoen.

Because the virtual format just didn't seem to capture the true spirit of the live performance and competition, the team declined to perform online. Furthermore, they did not wish to deal with all of the variables and unpredictability of equipment from video challenges to sound problems and other technical issues. But, they also craved the creative outlet of performing.

As they were brainstorming their options, Ortner fondly recalled her years at the University of Nebraska in Omaha, where she took radio and television courses. Ortner also has an appreciation for old-time radio shows like Our Miss Brooks, which features a clever, sarcastic, kindhearted teacher as its central character. She envisioned the artistry of such audio presentations and the zany humor of the shows as potentially intriguing for her young thespians. So, she proposed the idea of performing radio shows to them.

After trying out the art form during a few meetings in December, the first month of this year's forensics season, the group was enthusiastic about the prospect of recording some of the old scripts.

"We started with scripts featuring Archie and his days at Riverdale High. Archie and his pals were an instant hit," Ortner reported.

However, Ortner wanted a commitment from her student group before she invested in a mixing board, individual microphones, and other essential sound equipment. Once committed, the equipment was purchased, and the group took off.

Since their exploring period, they have been reading and recording scripts, finding sound effects on their phones to incorporate in their shows, running sound boards, and learning about the mixing, timing, and production aspects of a radio show. They're also focusing on the nonlexical components of vocal communication: intonation, pitch, volume, rhythm, pace, emotional projection, hesitation noises, and other sound effects.

"I'm not just giving them something fun but something translatable into the world beyond high school," Ortner said. "After running a sound board and finding it fascinating, one of my crew members is considering a career in audio engineering. It's a good feeling when students discover an area where they find both passion and success."

Senior Night will honor four upcoming graduates: Gavin Lemro, Grace Ymzon, Allyssa Schoen, and Martin Nussbaum. Their celebration will involve a posting to the Chinook High School (CHS) website of a recording of Blondie and Dagwood, an all-senior script.

"We post our performances to the high school website as a link to the audio. It has been a TON of fun," Ortner said. "Plus, we're learning so much about the history of humor and how important it is to consider the context. For example, some things from an Archie Andrews script of the 1940s might not be funny in 2021, so a joke can fall flat."

Yet, by adapting the script in order to hit just the right mix of familiarity, slapstick comedy, and small-town warmth, the CHS Drama team is resurrecting some history while being dramatic-just like the characters from "The Adventures of Archie Andrews." In typical sit-com fashion, the plots usually revolve around some simple misunderstanding that quickly turns into chaos.

Because some things remain constant-such as a teenager's interest in fashion, friendship, cars, and school crushes-the concerns of Archie, Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper, and Veronica Lodge resonate still today.

One challenge the team has faced regards the issue of copyrights. Their research into possible permissions for performance resulted in more questions than answers. According to the Center for the Study of the Public Domain at Duke Law School, "the 1998 Copyright Term Extension Act gave works published from 1923 through 1977 a 95-year copyright term. They enter the public domain on January 1 after the conclusion of the 95th year. Works published from 1923-1977 had to meet certain requirements to be eligible for the 95-year term-they all had to be published with a copyright notice, and works from 1923–1963 also had to have their copyrights renewed after the initial 28-year term."

Based on this legalese and because many of the transcripts from the Golden Age of Radio were never published in the generally understood sense, nor were their original performances considered publishing, they are not under copyright. Still, unless the script's author died before 1938, that script is still under copyright.

Given these turbulent waters, the team is navigating with respectful caution and limiting their recordings as much as possible to scripts in the public domain so as to honor the spirit of intellectual property.

This week, Ortner advised the public to listen for the drama team's recording of Blondie and Dagwood to hit the airways. Because the team decided they would rather be recognized on air than on the basketball court with the senior athletes, they will be posting a recording on the school's website.

"Syrus Pomeroy will be on the sound board, and Liam Edwards is responsible for this script's sound effects. We hope to record, depending upon the basketball tournament schedule, as Allyssa is also a cheerleader," Ortner stated.

With all of the history, humor, literary, and law lessons embedded in the experience of radio script performance, Ortner and her team consider their endeavor to have been a worthy replacement for the typical Speech and Drama season. In fact, Ortner defined their involvement with radio theater as "valid and meaningful."

"Besides being such fun, the kids are polishing their speaking skills, cultivating reading proficiencies, and strengthening listening skills by listening for their cues. Because many of the radio theater scripts are from previous eras, what a super way for students to learn about the past," Ortner exclaimed