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December 2017 events at Red Room


故事分享之夜 十二月號|Read Aloud : December
Friday, December 15 at 7 PM – 9 PM
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Repose, Visual Dialogues
Hosted by Lutetia露特西亞 and Red Room 紅坊國際村
November 17 – December 15 2017
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Stage Time and Wine XCIV 紅緣寄詩酒 94
December 16 2017, Saturday from 6:30 PM – 10 PM


Junior Improv!
Hosted by Red Room 紅坊國際村 and Stage Time and Juice at the Red Room 家庭聆聽分享會
December 23 2017, Saturday at 3 PM – 4:30 PM


Kind of Red XIV : 紅酒爵士夜 第十四場
December 29 2017, Friday, December 29 at 8 PM – 10 PM


The Juice Players Workshop: Green Eggs and Ham 兒童劇團:綠火腿和蛋 1/3
Hosted by Red Room 紅坊國際村 and Stage Time and Juice at the Red Room 家庭聆聽分享會
December 30 2017, Saturday, December 30 at 1:30 PM – 3 PM


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Aesop’s Fables and more

Rehearsals are in full swing for Aesop’s Fables, coming to the Red Room January 21st, 2017
brought to you by Stage Time & Juice in collaboration with Red Room Radio Redux

161204 1st Aesops rehearsal from Red Room on Vimeo.

December 2016 ReadAloud

We had a fine turnout for our December ReadAloud: 16 souls who read aloud from Christmas Carol.
MANY THANKS to the elves who decorated! The wreath and the fairly lights added a festive touch. We sat in the circle created by the furniture in the center of the room. The room smelled DELICIOUS!
Read Aloud 121616

THE WORD FROM R4, December 2016

JACK

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See photos from the Anniversary production of Jack at Stage Time & Juice XX

The idea of a one-day workshop for the purpose of creating a short presentation for the 7th Anniversary celebration came to Juice’s Carol Yao in the course of a discussion about a future and more elaborate R4/Juice collaboration. Jack & the Beanstalk was chosen from a list of familiar (Western) folk tales mainly because of that story’s potential for noise-making (sound effects).

Four teens were recruited: Julian and Nicole Hsu, Jessie Chen and Sosia Chen-Wernik. Carol and Ruth rounded out the cast.
We had less than three hours to learn the show. Radio drama allows for reading the script – no memorization was required. People settled into their assignments easily. Only one person played multiple roles and those characters appeared in separate scenes. The youngest member of the group took responsibility for sound effects and the eldest teen took on most of the narration as well as handling the cue-cards.

A last-minute addition was Ashish Purswaney, who translated the pre-show script, greeted the audience, introduced the craft of Radio Drama and responded to Cue Cards. The show was well received. There was a good turnout and the family audience was receptive to our offering. The sound system was of excellent quality and expertly-managed. All-in-all it was a good experience, if a bit rushed. But sometimes, that’s how we roll.

Earlier in November the ReadAloud met over some poetry by Robert Frost.
Generally, we feel that the monthly ReadAloud could use some more attention. While it was never meant to be a big event, it’s not thriving.

To end on an up-beat: the November calendar also included a visit to the ICRT studios for a recording session of Most Dangerous Game. Pat Woods and Paul Batt met there with Ruth and our favorite recording engineer Liu Ping. Everyone were so familiar with the material that the session went swimmingly and we were satisfied with the work in just a few hours.

xmas-carol-1216

DecemberReadAloud

Charles Dickens wrote his most famous hit single at a time when Christmas traditions and celebrations had fallen out of style.

The novella appeared in December 1843 as: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. It has not been out of print since.

Dickens was quite fond of the holiday and, with his history as a thespian, he thoroughly enjoyed reading it aloud each yuletide to family, friends and neighbors.

It’s become an R4 tradition here in Taiwan to present this classic in one form or another – always closely adhering to the original language. In 2012, a cast of readers assembled at the ICRT studios to record a scripted version, (penned by our own dramaturg, IgnatzRatskywatsky). This recording has been broadcast yearly at holiday time.

Dickens’ own abridged version was our material for the DecemberReadAloud: Sixteen souls gathered in the Red Room at TAF to take turns reading aloud. Incidental music set the mood and simple sound effects enhanced the listening experience.

The room had been festively decorated by Red Room elVes (that’s V for Volunteers, without whom there would be no Red Room) They even made the room smell Christmas-y with cinnamon and citrus and cider.

That’s the Word, and God bless us, everyone!

Ruth Giordano
Red Room Radio Redux

R4 Reflections, January 2016

A Christmas Carol 2015

On December 11 & 12, R4 presented our rendition of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.

Our adaptation, by Ignatz Ratskywatsky, is drawn directly from the original. While the story has been significantly shortened, what remains are, for the most part, the words of Charles Dickens, himself.

Many historians agree that the state of observance of Christmas is largely the result of a mid-Victorian revival of the holiday spearheaded by A Christmas Carol.

Dickens influenced many aspects of Christmas that are celebrated today in Western culture such as family gatherings, seasonal food & drink, dancing, games and a festive generosity of spirit.

The R4 event included Christmas caroling lead by Vincenzo Cuccia and a solo reading by Paul Batt of A Visit from St. Nicholas, with sound effects accompanying.

Photos can be viewed here.

Ruth Giordano
Red room Radio Redux <r4.radioredux@gmail.com>

11 Dec, 12 Dec 2015, A Christmas Carol

RRRR logo newA CHRISTMAS CAROL
by Charles Dickens
Adapted for Radio Drama by Ignatz Ratskywatsky for Red Room Radio Redux (R4).
Performed live at the new Red Room International Village
Friday, Dec 11 at 8:00 PM and Saturday, Dec 12 at 2:30 PM
2015.12.11 (五) 晚上 8:00   /   2015.12.12 (六) 下午 2:30

Your Patronage 票價
預訂 NTD 300 ACCUPASS/現場購票 NTD 400 at the door
Admit (4) persons 四人團購票價 NTD 1000
(scroll down for tickets) (訂購資訊請見下方)
R4 xcarol 112415A CHRISTMAS CAROL, a ghost story originally written by Charles Dickens, has been adapted for radio-drama and will be performed live by Red Room Radio Redux. This is the timeless classic story of Ebenezer Scrooge who learns from Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future and is transformed from the most miserly to a most generous of gentlemen.
<小氣財神>由英國文豪狄更斯(Charles Dickens)所著,由紅房新廣播劇團改編為廣播劇並將現場演出。故事主角埃比尼澤․史固吉(Ebenezer Scrooge)小氣吝嗇,他被三個聖誕鬼魂分別帶回過去、重回現在、預見未來,經過這次奇幻經驗,他從吝嗇守財奴轉變為慷慨和藹的紳士。本故事自19世紀出版以來,至今仍廣受讀者歡迎,歷久不衰。

Performance in English 英語演出

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens a story of transformation.

The richest man in town, Ebenezer Scrooge, is also the most miserable and mean-spirited man. He despises Christmas and the holiday carols sound like caterwauling to him. “Humbug!” he says of Christmas and its notion of charity. In his opinion, there are plenty of workhouses and prisons to look after the poor and ill-stricken.

Unable to comprehend anything beyond materialistic values, Scrooge’s moral soul is being eaten alive by greed. But he does not realize the severity of this damage until he receives a visit from the ghost of Jacob Marley, his old business partner who died on Christmas Eve seven years prior. Marley’s spirit bears heavy chains made of objects that symbolize the burdens of greed. Marley warns Scrooge that if he does not mend his ways, he will suffer a worse fate. Scrooge’s only hope lies in lessons from three Ghosts–the Spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Will Ebenezer Scrooge be able to break the chains of greed in time?

A CHRISTMAS CAROL was first published in the fall of 1843 when Dickens’ financial situation was in a depleted state. Desperate to sustain himself and his family, he published a series of Christmas stories using his own funds. A CHRISTMAS CAROL was the first of the series and it was, and still is the most popular tale. Six thousand copies were sold in the first few days of its release but, because Dickens had set the price of the book at five shillings, his profit did not match his success.

The popularity of this heartfelt story continues to thrive and, for Red Room Radio Redux, it is becoming a Christmas tradition. For R4, part of our goal is to act as a portal to the western culture and so A CHRISTMAS CAROL is a becoming a Christmas tradition in the Red Room community as well.

R4 Update…Fall/Winter 2014

Oct 23: The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe

Oct 23: The Black Cat by Edgar Allen Poe

R4 Update …from the desk of Ruth Giordano
Fall/Winter 2014

In September & October, many hours were spent in the ICRT studio finishing projects we started last spring. The final product was The October Series: five weekly broadcasts of five different hour-long shows. Two shows had been aired previously: Treasure Island (March 2013), Macbeth (Sept. 2013). Our adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula had been completed in March 2014 and saved for broadcast on the night before Halloween. We added two new hour-longs, namely Sherlock Holmes and A Scandal in Bohemia read in its entirety by Charlie Storrar and Pat Woods as well as Two by Poe: The Black Cat (complete) and The Raven (abridged) read by Rick Brundage and Thomas Bellmore, respectively.

On Christmas Eve, our original recording of A Christmas Carol (first aired Dec. 24-25, 2012) was broadcast over Taiwan and streamed live world-wide, thanks to the folks at ICRT-FM100.

Locally, Dickens’ own condensed version was read aloud by a dozen or so merry revelers for their own enjoyment.

Currently, we are:
Organizing gatherings for reading literature aloud as a group.
Forging a new relationship with an independent recording engineer
Researching podcasting as an outlet for recorded readings.
Coaching new readers via Skype

Red Room Radio Redux (R4) Updates – Fall 2014

Screen Shot 2012-12-10 at 3.16.14 AM‘A Christmas Carol’ on ICRT – FM100

On Christmas Eve, Dec 24 2014, ICRT- FM 100 will once again broadcast R4’s 2012 rendition of the timeless Dickens classic: A Christmas Carol.

Recorded at the ICRT studios in December of 2012.

Featuring the voice talents of Marc Anthony, Sarah Brooks, Mark Caltonhill, Ben Gagnon, Ronan Hsieh, Taili Hwang, Reider Larson, Manav Mehta, Murray Richardson, Angela Utshig.

Mastered by Sound Engineer Liu Ping.

Adapted for radio by Ignatz Ratskywatsky.

Directed by Ruth Giordano.

Show starts immediately after the 9:00 pm news.

 

Red Room Radio Redux (R4) Updates – Fall 2014

August

Aside 6 at the Red Room: R4 Reader Thomas Bellmore single-handedly tackled The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (the Original) by James Thurber. Carefully selected background music and live sound-effects were provided in R4-style by Director Ruth Giordano.

October

R4 was broadcast weekly over the airwaves of Taiwan via ICRT-FM100 reading our adaptations of selections from the canon of  Western Literature: Macbeth, Treasure Island, Sherlock Holmes & A Scandal in Bohemia and Two by Poe: Short Stories by the Master of the Macabre. We finished off the month with our rendition of Dracula. Each script had been adapted for R4 from the original by Ignatz Ratskywatsky (I.R.). Each hour-long program featured readers from the Red Room Community and, with generous support from Sound Engineer Liu Ping, had been given the full post-production treatment: background music carefully selected and timed, sound effects expertly mastered at the ICRT studio to enhance the listeners’ experience.

Mid-November

R4 contributed to the 5th Anniversary Event with a live presentation of A Most Dangerous Game, a short story from American literature in the 1920s. Two readers, Pat Woods and Rick Brundage brought the story to life with background music and sound effects provided by Director Ruth Giordano.

December

Dickens’ A Christmas Carol Reader’s Edition was read aloud informally at the home of Ruth & Peter Giordano. Red Room community members and new friends gathered for a cozy afternoon with tea and cookies and wine and chocolates. The book was passed freely from hand to hand and we sometimes heard a solo narration, sometimes a dialogue between characters. Each reader had several opportunities to read to the group in this supportive, non-competitive way.

What’s next?

While I.R. continues his research into potential adaptations, members have agreed that the informal reading, (ala the December reading party), is a fine way to nurture the spirit of listening. Plans are underway to gather monthly at homes or tea-shops. Under consideration for reading material: Alice in Wonderland, selections from The Odyssey. Additionally, individual readers are preparing short stories for recording.

RRRR brings Dickens to ST&W

charles_dickensThe year 2012 marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of one of the better known authors in the English-speaking world: Charles Dickens.

On Dec 15th, 2012, at the Stage Time & Wine @ Red Room event, Red Room Radio Redux, a company of voice actors from the Red Room community will read aloud their dramatized rendition of Dickens’ best beloved masterpiece ghost story: “A Christmas Carol”