The Thrilling Adventure Hour - Old Time Radio Lives On!

photos: Ladykiller: Elizabeth Sisson

I've been listening to "old time radio" since I was in the 5th grade. it may seem like a strange thing to have discovered as a youth in the 80s, but those old shows are just perfect for anyone who likes stories, or who likes a good laugh. I feel very fortunate to have discovered Jack Benny and Stan Freberg and Space Patrol in my formative years. If you can slow down your internal clock a little, those stories still hold up decades later.

Here at Retro Thing some of our favorite discoveries are when someone finds a new take on some cherished vintage thing that not only breathes new life into the old, but takes those old ideas in entirely new directions. The Thrilling Adventure Hour is such a discovery. TAH is a monthly live show where actors stand up on stage and perform new stories in the style of old time radio. I comment on this in the interview, but I'll say it again... the writing is so superlative, that I find it hard to believe that the two authors are able to create a fresh hour of brilliance every single month.

I had the chance to spend some time with co-writer/co-creator Ben Blacker (his is the first voice you'll hear in the podcast), and the voice of Croach the Tracker; Mark Gagliardi. We chatted about Old Time Radio and the excitement of bringing back those thrilling days of performing imaginative stories before a live audience. You can stream the interview below, or download the MP3 and take our interview with you.

Make sure to visit ThrillingAdventureHour.com to download free podcasts of their many different "shows" every week. Many of the programs carry an absurd nigh soap-opera level of continuity, but don't let that scare you. You can drop in pretty much anywhere and be as amazed as I am with every episode.

Thanks to Ben and Mark for taking the time to speak with us, and we hope to bring you more podcast fun like this in the future.

links:

Visit The Thrilling Adventure Hour to download free episodes
Shows are also hosted on Nerdist
All Things Considered interview