Hiro & Liling / The Martian Death March
Season 09, Episode 07
July 19, 2021
Lyrical love story. Insight to inhumanity.
Re-Imagined Radio presents The Willamette Radio Workshop performing two short radio dramas, "Hiro & Liling" by Kristina Jones, an original work, and "The Martian Death March" by Ernest Kinoy, an episode from Dimension X and X Minus One. Both are directed by Sam A. Mowry.
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Background
Hiro & Liling
Inspired by Japanese folklore, possibly the story of Meoto Iwa, the wedded rocks, "Hiro & Liling," an original love story by Kristina Jones, Portland, Oregon, unfolds as an old man teaches his grandchild the legend of an ancient rock formation said to represent a war-hardened Japanese General and a young Chinese girl orphaned by his troops. In simple, lyrical language the grandfather traces the relationship between the two. At once poignant and hopeful, potent and reflective, the piece represents some of the best work to come out of Willamette Radio Workshop's 2004 Writers-on-the-Air Workshop directed by Cynthia McGean.
The Martian Death March
"The Martian Death March" is an original radio drama from a true master of the genre, Ernest Kinoy (1925-2014). Born and raised in New York City, Kinoy's attendance of Columbia University was interrupted by military service during World War II. Captured in Europe by German forces he served time in the slave labor camp at Berga in Thuringia, Germany. Following his release at the end of war, Kinoy graduated from Columbia and became a staff writer at NBC Television in 1948.
Kinoy remained at NBC until 1960 writing scripts for many of the network's television series including Studio One and Playhouse 90. After leaving NBC Kinoy continued writing episodes for popular television series like Doctor Kildare, The Defenders, Route 66, Naked City, and Shane. His script for Victory at Entebbe was nominated for four Emmy awards. His script, co-written with William Blinn, for the second episode of Roots won an Emmy in 1977. The 1981 television movie Skokie won Kinoy a Writers Guild of America award.
Kinoy adapted numerous stories by young science fiction writers like Ray Bradbury, Isaac Asimov, and Philip K. Dick for both Dimension X (1950-1951) and X Minus One (1955-1958). He also contributed his own original scripts. Notable is "The Martian Death March" which was first broadcast as episode #34 of Dimension X (14 January 1951), then reprised for episode #17 of X Minus One (8 September 1955), and repeated as episode #75, 14 November 1956.
"The Martian Death March" is told by a narrator who, as a young colonist from Earth accompanied a group of spider-like Martians on a trek from an Earth-imposed reservation to their former homes in the mountains of Mars. The experience changed his life and his prejudices against the native Martians.
Science fiction writers are often able to move Earth-bound topics into space or to other planets where they can be examined and discussed with greater ease and insight because perhaps they seem fictional, more distant, less imposing. Kinoy achieved great success with this approach, offering with "The Martian Death March" a prism through which to view more clearly human inhumanity to other humans here on Earth. "The Martian Death March" becomes an allegory of systemic racism toward indigenous peoples seen as obstacles to national expansion.
An interesting connection can be made between "The Martian Death March" and a group of eight hundred Nez Perce Indians, who led by Chief Joseph, left their reservation in Oregon hoping to find freedom in Canada. Chief Joseph led his people more than one thousand miles across rough mountainous terrain evading U.S. troops only to be captured within forty miles of the Canadian border in 1877. As Chief Joseph surrendered he allegedly proclaimed, "Hear me, my chiefs! I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever."
Willamette Radio Workshop
Willamette Radio Workshop is a Portland, Oregon, based company of actors, designers and writers dedicated to continuing the legacy of the Golden Age of radio drama while pushing the boundaries of its future. Begun in 2001 and led by Sam A. Mowry, Willamette Radio Workshop provides live performances around the Portland-metroplex and has won several awards in national and international competitions.
Willamette Radio Workshop and Re-Imagined Radio have collaborated since 2013 when The Willamette Radio Workshop performed The War of the Worlds as the first live performance of Re-Imagined Radio. It is great to welcome them back and listen to these two fine performances they prepared for this radio broadcast.
Production
Contents
"Hiro & Liling," by Kristina Jones
Cast
Chris Porter
Laura Faye Smith
Janet Penner
Genevieve Winters
David Loftus
Atticus Welles Mowry
Sam A. Mowry
Credits
Written by Kristina Jones
Original Music by Peter Armetta
Recorded by Robert Kowal
Post Production by Martin John Gallagher
Produced and Directed by Sam A. Mowry
The Writers-on-the-Air Workshop directed by Cynthia McGean
Post Production by Sam A. Mowry and Marc Rose
"The Martian Death March" by Ernest Kinoy
Cast
Christopher Hart as Announcer
Sam A. Mowry as Narrator
Karyn O'Bryant as Al
Patt Blem as Mom
Scott Jamieson as John
Todd Tolces as Martian
David Ian as Miner
David Ian as Captain
Christopher Hart as Sergeant
Credits
Sound Effects by Marc Rose
Engineer and Sound Effects by Martin John Gallagher
Foley by David Ian and Dino de AElfweald
Dramaturgy by Cynthia McGean
Produced and Directed by Sam A. Mowry
Post Production by Marc Rose
Credits
Promotional Graphics by Holly Slocum Design
Social Media by Regina Carol Social Media and Photography
Sound Design/Original Music Composition/Post Production: Marc Rose
Produced and Hosted by John F. Barber
Producer's Notes
This double feature showcases the versatility of radio drama . . . from intimate personal stories to grand science fiction allegories. Both pieces demonstrate the enduring power of audio storytelling to explore the human condition.
It's a pleasure to offer exposure for local radio drama writers, actors, sound artists, and musicians.
— John F. Barber
Promotion
Press
Graphics
