Exuberance Is Beauty
Season 09, Episode 05
May 17, 2021
A story of love and loss in 1940s Oregon
Re-Imagined Radio samples from Exuberance Is Beauty by Illuminus Audio Productions, directed by Donna Barrow-Green. In post-WW II Portland, Oregon, Eve Miller grieves the loss of her husband Nick. An intense and exciting love affair with Jeff Lambert, a dashing, married, artist brings passion back into her life. But, both Jeff and Eve must face the consequences of their desires and actions.
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Background
Set in Portland, in the 1940s, following the end of World War II, "Exuberance Is Beauty" is a fine example of how radio storytelling combines sounds, music, and spoken word to create and sustain compelling drama. In this case, "Exuberance Is Beauty" provides a contemporary interpretation of the biblical allegory of Adam and Eve and Eve's fall into desolation.
Eve Miller is a young war widow. She has not gotten over the loss of her husband, Nick. She rebels against the ordinariness of womanhood in the post-war era and succumbs to the sensual temptation of an adulterous affair with a dashing, married, artist, Jeff Lambert. In the aftermath of this affair, both Jeff and Eve have to face the consequences of their desires and actions. Despite being a strong female protagonist, Eve Miller's life unravels and leads to unexpected violence and moral isolation resulting from her estranged lover's obsessive control.
The tragic story unfolds through Eve's eyes, despite her will and resistance. Themes explored include gender norms, liberty, motherhood, obsessive love, mental illness, and justice.
Exuberance Is Beauty (2015), is a fictional, historical novel by Donna Barrow-Green, a writer of dark fiction, memoir, and docu-biography living in Portland, Oregon.
In 2020, Barrow-Green created a serialized literary podcast of her novel. She created and produced the sound design. Vocal parts were performed by Illuminus Audio Productions. This multi-episode podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, Audible, and other podcast platforms, is akin to an audio book and retains the depth and breadth of the original novel.
Exuberance Is Beauty has garnered serious attention and awards as a fictional podcast.
Learn more→ at the Illuminus Productions website.
Production
Contents
In 2015, Donna Barrow-Green, a writer of dark fiction, memoir, and docu-biography, based in Portland, Oregon, published her fictional, historical novel, Exuberance Is Beauty. In 2020, she created a serialized literary podcast of her novel. This episode of Re-Imagined Radio samples that podcast. Themes explored include gender norms, liberty, motherhood, obsessive love, mental illness, and justice. Vocal parts are performed by Illuminus Audio Productions.
Cast
Darlene Sorensen as Eve Miller
Eric Schniewind as Jeff Lambert
Shelley Bryant as Mary and Carmen
Ross Laguzza as Frank and Harry
Credits
Created and Directed by Donna Barrow-Green
Sound Design by Donna Barrow-Green
Post Production by Martin John Gallagher
Social Media by Regina Carol Social Media Management and Photography
Graphic Design by Holly Slocum Design
Produced and Hosted by John F. Barber
Significance
Set in post-World War II, "Exuberance Is Beauty" is locally produced and acted, and provides a contemporary interpretation of the biblical allegory of Adam and Eve and Eve's fall into desolation.
Comments
Donna Barrow-Green writes
"Thank you so much for including Exuberance Is Beauty in Re-Imagined Radio. I listened to
the broadcast yesterday and it was so great. Marty did such a nice job with the sound making the show
very professional and enjoyable. I loved your introduction, intermission, and closing. You really 'got'
the show and captured the plot and brought a compelling context for the episode. It was all so wonderful
to hear the show on the radio. I noticed how much the story sounded like those old time radio
programs/soap operas and it was magical hearing it broadcast on radio. I enjoyed working with you and
your talented team of media experts. It was a great experience. I look forward to listening to more of
your programs!"
— Donna Barrow-Green, creator, Exuberance Is Beauty
Producer's Notes
This is Re-Imagined Radio's first guest producer episode. It presented some interesting challenges. Like how to simultaneously extend a creative context while holding responses to a definite format. Donna Barrow-Green was eager, talented, and gracious about sampling and adapting her podcast series for this one-shot radio storytelling context. Neither of us knew what the results would be. We both were pleased with the resulting story and its several themes.
Created and produced by Donna Barrow-Green, Exuberance is a contemporary interpretation of
Adam and Eve's biblical allegory and Eve's fall into desolation.
— John F. Barber
Promotion
Press
"5 Things To Do in the Coming Week." The Columbian, 6 May 2021, D1.
#4. Turn on your radio: Re-Imagined Radio presents two new radio plays: "The Immortal Sherlock Holmes"
on Monday and "Exuberance Is Beauty" on May 17. The hour-long episodes, featuring voice actors, Foley
artists, musicians and sound engineers, will be broadcast at noon both days on Vancouver's KXRW-FM (99.9
FM) and Portland's KXRY-FM (91.1 FM or 107.1 FM).
Graphics
