It’s been awhile.
I’ve spent a lot of the last year listening, but not much writing about audio drama. I aim now to catch up.
I’ve spent a lot of time over the year listening to German language Hörspiel, particularly the SWR2 Tandem series which deserves an entry of its own. I’ve also stayed in tune with Polish, Swedish, Irish, and British audio drama, as well as the collective efforts of the African Radio Drama Association. My thoughts on those matters will surface soon, as well as some thoughts on audio drama books and such, and a personal narrative of mine from sitting on a panel about audio drama for the Dramatists Guild a little while back.
For now, though, I am taking it easy and sticking with the subject of American audio drama. Specifically, the Audio Verse Awards.
The list of 2016 Audio Verse Award winners debuted a couple weeks ago. I have spent the intermediate time listening to both winners and nominees and forming my thoughts. While I certainly have opinions on the matter, for the time being I will simply pass on their list of winners without comment. Comment will come soon enough.
Here you go.
The 2016 Audio Verse Award Winners
Music
Best Original Composition in a Short form Production
Return Home Theme by Kori Celeste
Best Original Composition in a Long form, Small Cast Production
The Kraken by Sara Fairchild
Best Original Composition in a Long form, Large Cast Production
Rainbow Magic Kittens Theme by Ruth Weber
Audio Engineering
Best Audio Engineering of an Original, Self-contained Production
Catherine Rinella for Last Transmission
Best Audio Engineering of an Original, Ongoing, Short Form Production
Mischa Stanton for The Bright Sessions
Best Audio Engineering of an Original, Ongoing, Long Form Production
Mischa Stanton for Ars Paradoxica
Best Audio Engineering of a Fan/Adaptation Production
Roger Payton, Hannah Parsons, Eric Scull, Dan Granata for Improvised Star Trek
Writing
Best Writing of an Original, Short Form, Self-contained Production
Jim McDoniel for Last Transmission
Best Writing of an Original, Long Form, Self-contained Production
Meredith Powell Carroll and Ted Wenskus for Take It or Weave It
Best Writing of an Original, Short Form, Ongoing Production
Lauren Shippen for The Bright Sessions
Best Writing of an Original, Long Form, Small Cast, Ongoing Production
Kelsey Leigh, Jack Pevyhouse, Achitha Sanganeethy, and Shannon Sawyer for Jim Robbie and the Wanderers
Best Writing of an Original, Long Form, Large Cast, Ongoing Production
Daniel Manning, Mischa Stanton, Julian Mundy, Tau Zaman, Danielle Shemaiah Pointer and Eli Barraza for Ars Paradoxica
Best Writing of a Fan/Adaptation Production
Nicholas Arganbright for The Magically Unauthorized Misadventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle
Shows
Best Original, Short Form, Self-contained Production
Last Transmission
Best Original, Long Form, Self-contained Production
Jim Nolan, Private Eye
Best Original, Short Form, Small Cast, Ongoing, Comedic Production
Welcome To Night Vale
Best Original, Short Form, Small Cast, Ongoing, Dramatic Production
The Bright Sessions
Best Original, Short Form, Large Cast, Ongoing Production
Our Fair City
Best Original, Long Form, Small Cast, Ongoing, Comedic Production
Hello, From the Magic Tavern
Best Original, Long Form, Small Cast, Ongoing, Dramatic Production
Wolf 359
Best Original, Long Form, Large Cast, Ongoing, Comedic Production
Wooden Overcoats
Best Original, Long Form, Large Cast, Ongoing, Dramatic Production
Ars Paradoxica
Best Original Anthology/Variety Show
Uncanny County
Best New Original, Short Form, Small Cast, Ongoing Production
The Bright Sessions
Best New Original, Short Form, Large Cast, Ongoing Production
It’s All Been Done Radio Hour
Best New Original, Long Form, Small Cast, Ongoing Production
The Penumbra Podcast
Best New Original, Long Form, Large Cast, Ongoing Production
Ars Paradoxica
Best Fan/Adaptation Production
The No Sleep Podcast
Acting
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original, Short Form, Self-contained Production
Christina Yoho as Professor Raleigh in Last Transmission
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original, Long Form, Small Cast, Self-contained Production
Ella Polischeck as Amber in Scary Ride
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original, Long Form, Large Cast, Self-contained Production
Nicole Greevy as Sally in A Thing for Machines
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original Ensemble Role for a Short Form Production
Lauren Shippen as Sam in The Bright Sessions
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original Ensemble Role for a Long Form Production
Cecilia Lynn-Jacobs as Captain Isabel Lovelace in Wolf 359
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original Supporting Role for a Short Form Production
Bridget Farmer as Narrator in Return Home
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original Supporting Role for a Long Form, Small Cast Production
Michaela Swee as Hera in Wolf 359
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original Supporting Role for a Long Form, Large Cast Production
Amber Lee Connors as Emma Grayson in The Elysium Project
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original Leading Role for a Short Form Production
Julia Morizawa as Dr. Bright in The Bright Sessions
Best Performance of an Actress in an Original Leading Role for a Long Form Production
Emma Sherr-Ziarko as Renee Minkowski in Wolf 359
Best Performance of an Actress in a Fan/Adaptation Production
Julia Weiss as Lt. Rita King in Improvised Star Trek
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original, Short Form, Self-contained Production
Jordan Shear as Samuel in Last Transmission
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original, Long Form, Small Cast, Self-contained Production
Zane Austin as Nathan in Scary Ride
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original, Long Form, Large Cast, Self-contained Production
Andrew Kaempfer as Orson Welles in The Boy Who Cried Martian
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original Ensemble Role for a Short Form Production
Briggon Snow as Caleb Michaels in The Bright Sessions
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original Ensemble Role for a Long Form Production
Chris O’Connor as Jeff Gibson in Geek By Night
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original Supporting Role for a Short Form Production
Forrest Orta as Buddy in Return Home
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original Supporting Role for a Long Form, Small Cast Production
Zach Libresco as Warren Kepler in Wolf 359
Best Comedic Performance of an Actor in an Original Supporting Role for a Long Form, Large Cast Production
Derek Elwood as Martin Mann in MarsCorp
Best Dramatic Performance of an Actor in an Original Supporting Role for a Long Form, Large Cast Production
Matt Shipman as Nick Landon in The Elysium Project
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original Leading Role for a Short Form Production
Jeff Heimbuch as Jonathan Barker in Return Home
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original Leading Role for a Long Form, Small Cast Production
Zach Valenti as Doug Eiffel in Wolf 359
Best Performance of an Actor in an Original Leading Role for a Long Form, Large Cast Production
Felix Trench as Rudyard Funn in Wooden Overcoats
Best Performance of an Actor in a Fan/Adaptation Production
Matt Young as Capt. Julius Valentine Baxter in Improvised Star Trek
Thus spake the Audio Verse listeners. Me? I have other ideas–but that is for next time.
