The Retro Cocktail Hour brews up another hip-shakin', finger-snappin' monster mash, with an ALL NEW Halloween special for 2012.  This year's mix includes classic albums like Alfred Hitchcock's Music To Be Murdered By...Poe for Moderns...Shock: Music for Hi-Fi...Themes from Horror Movies and more.  The show's chockful of goodies from TV and movies, too, with memorable music from The Addams Family...The Ghost and Mr. Chicken...The Bat...The Munsters...and Mad Monster Party.  Also, there's insane, spook-ified rock'n'roll by Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Nervous Norvous, The Rigorticians, Frankie Stein and his Ghouls, among others.  As always, our Halloween monsterfest is spiced with "coming attractions" trailers for such cheesy movies as The Brain That Wouldn't Die...Caltiki, the Immortal Monster...The Alligator People...The Robot Vs. the Aztec Mummy and lots more.  It's party music for graverobbers!

The perfect soundtrack for Halloween listening - Offer the ghosts, goblins, vampires and princesses in your audience the perfect accompaniment for gathering up all those delicious treats or any party or spookfest. Selections from the films “War of the Worlds,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” and “Lord of the Rings 3” join Tunes from the Crypt classics such as Danse Macabre from Camille Saint-Saens and This is Halloween by Danny Elfman (from Tim Burton’s The Night Before Christmas.) This two-hour fright fest also features music from Andrew Lloyd-Webber, John Williams, Igor Stravinsky, Giacomo Puccini, and many others, with the diabolical Mark Perzel as host.

The Colonial Radio Theatre on the Air presents this Award Winning production meticulously adapted to stay true to the mood and atmosphere of Washington Irving's famous story. Featuring outstanding performances by the Colonial Radio Players, a rousing and scary music score by Jeffrey Gage, thousands of sound effects, and a terrifying final encounter with the Headless Horseman, this production will surely be a Halloween family favorite.

Schoolmaster Ichabod Crane arrives in Tarrytown, New York, a region of shadows that is better known as Sleepy Hollow. Local superstitions abound with tales of the Woman in White, Major Andre's Ghost, and the most fearsome of all, the Headless Horseman.  Ichabod sets out for the Harvest Frolic being held at the Van Tassels, but encounters a huge misshapen figure on a large black horse ... gigantic ... and headless.

Winner of the 2005 Ogle Award for Best Fantasy Production of the Year.

PIECE DESCRIPTIONS

See No Evil - Segment A

The trouble began in Sri Lanka, when Chandra’s aunt woke up one day and couldn’t move her arms or legs.  The doctors had no answers, but a mysterious priest led the family on a quest to find the truth beyond medical science.

Haunted Hacienda  - Segment A

Rita found a gorgeous place to stay for dirt cheap.  Problem was, she didn’t much care for the roommate . . .


The Chinese Seer -  Segment B


Lee kept seeing things, hearing voices and noises late into the night.  As Lee’s mind slowly lost  grip on reality, a Chinese mystic (thousands of miles away) lent a helping hand.


Judge Not  - Segment B


The good Judge has always gotten his way.  But he’s dead.  And there’s a new sheriff in town . .


My Special Friend -  Segment C


Baywatch’s Donna D’Errico tells a story about her childhood best friend, Nancy.  At first, she seems like the best playmate a girl could ask for, but then things go terribly wrong.  (Thanks to Celebrity Ghost Stories and the Bio channel for this story. )

This program is offered to current SOUNDPRINT MEMBER stations as a free alternative to our weekly (full 59 minute) Soundprint feed. If you are interested in broadcasting this Newshole-Friendly version of Soundprint, but are not a Soundprint Member Station, please contact us (BEFORE DOWNLOADING) about a trial period or other options at  (301)317-0110 . Thanks for reading carefully!!

**** PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS ****

Halloween: The Time Between  ?Put on your scariest costume and go trick-or-treating again in this portrait of the personal--and cultural--meanings of Halloween. Derived from ancient beliefs about the the dangers of times of transition--the end of October marks the time between the summer and winter seasons,between earth's time of life and death--and this is the theme of the holiday. Incorporating Celtic rituals with Catholic ones, involving the dead coming back to possess the spirit of the living, and the living trying to hide or scare the spirits away, the modern American holiday has developed its own set of strange rituals. Hear a myriad of voices tell about their memories of Halloween--the tricks, but especially the treats.

Hags and Nightmares  ?It's the middle of the night. You wake up with a start. There's a presence in the room watching you. You sense that it is evil. But you are paralyzed and powerless. It's your worst nightmare, or is it? This program looks at a strangely common condition called sleep paralysis in which people are dreaming while they are awake and are unable to move. Psychologist Al Cheyne explores what happens to the body during these episodes and tries to explain why the experience is so terrifying. Sleep paralysis appears to be the source of some of our most terrifying myths and legends, and it has inspired artists through the ages. Hags and Nightmares was produced by Michele Ernsting of Radio Netherlands, and airs as part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.

The House of Blues Radio Hour is a weekly syndicated program hosted by Elwood Blues (a.k.a. Dan Aykroyd).  In this episode, Elwood brings out the ghosts, goblins, and demons with Halloween-ready blues from Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, and many more.

Jazz Time's Halloween Jazz Party is hosted by Igor . He spins the music from his master the Doctor's record collection. Good fun and Halloween Jazz music includes the "Theme from The Adams Family ", "The Theme from the Munsters ", "Dracula ", "Frankenstein ", "Blues For Dracula ", "Halloween Spooks ", "The Witches Pit ", "Devil May Care ", "Prince of Darkness ",  and much more.

Halloween is not just kids and candy. It is about masks and identity, horror as well as grown-up fun. On Costume Party, a special All Hallows Eve edition of Liner Notes, Host Paul Holdengraber and his lively Algonquin round table of guests discover Halloween in literature, theater, film and web games. Guests include: * Author, Film director and visual artist Clive Barker * Horror Novelist Peter Straub * Mythology and mask scholar Wendy Doniger * Ellen Datlow, editor of The Year's Best in Horror & Fantasy * Hampton Fancher, co-screenwriter & producer of science fiction cult favorite, BLADE RUNNER Plus Maraleen Manos-Jones will take listeners to Mexico to experience the Day of the Dead, which is not about dread but about celebration. LINER NOTES is an eight-part literary/travel series. Aboard Queen Mary 2, host and raconteur Paul Holdengraber helms roundtable gatherings exploring the many meanings of Place with notable and knowledgeable guests. Each program is appropriate to a holiday or a season, yet evergreen. Shipboard conversations are supplemented with special features recorded ashore. LINER NOTES is created by veteran public radio producers Jon Kalish and Marty Goldensohn, and underwritten by Cunard.

In this hour, we'll celebrate Halloween with an hour of stories and sounds from jazz’s spooky side. We’ll talk with mystery writer Bill Moody about the real-life jazz mysteries that have inspired his novels, and visit the cemetery in the Bronx that’s become the final resting place for an A-list of bygone jazz legends. That plus the myth and truth behind bluesman Robert Johnson’s notorious deal with devil, and plenty of the best Halloween jazz are all part of this installment of The New Jazz Archive.

Welcome to Harmonia. . . . I'm Angela Mariani, and this hour, we're exploring the boundaries between this life and beyond.  We'll hear musical laments that pass beyond the veil from the Codex Las Huelgas, as well as a musical homage by Josquin des Prez, and death's depiction in the keyboard music of Johann Jakob Froberger.  Plus, we'll follow Percival on his quest for the Holy Grail, travel along Celtic crossroads, and hear a thirteenth-century service for St. Martin of Tours. Join us.

Yes, in the Americas, the Dead can Dance!  Día de los Muertos, celebrated on Nov. 2 in Mexico and Latin America, celebrates the good times had with the dearly departed. This special hour of Beat Latino gives you plenty of reasons to move your bones: Cumbia de los Muertos! (Cumbia for the Dead) El Muerto se va de Rumba! (The Dead Man goes partying) because to quote one of the songs, "A la memoria del muerto" (In the Deceased´s Memory): The deceased go into the ground, and the living go onto the dance floor!

Meet Elizabeth, a 29-year-old writer suffering from an impending birthday, heartache from countless failed relationships, regret, a devoted but nagging mother, and writer's block. Searching for her muse, Elizabeth finds and channels the immortal gothic writer, Mary Shelley, only to unleash her own monster. Shelley's creation of Frankenstein mirrors the monster within the written page and everyday life of Elizabeth. Join Elizabeth in the "lab" of Los Angeles, where she discovers that the monster she created has faithfully followed her. As she watches the events of Mary Shelley's life unfold, Elizabeth is left to unravel the mystery behind her own monster's conception. ROT features somgs by Ugly Casanova, Paul Simon, Joy Division, Tom Petty, Jani Ian, Ryan Adams, Townes Van Zandt, Johnny Cash and Warren Zevon. Written and Performed by Juli Hendren. Directed by Byron Laurie + Elsa Menendez. Sound Design by Paul Ingles.

This piece is an uninterrupted 59 minutes. If a station is interested in airing it but can only use a 54 minute, newscast-friendly version, contact the producer at paul@paulingles.com.

"My childhood monster lived under my bed. He wasn't really a monster. He was a creepy old man with long fingernails and really gross teeth... What am I afraid of now? What am I so afraid of that I would go home and write a freakin' book?" - Elizabeth Wilson in ROT

Here's The Plan: This week it's ghouls, ghosts, and gore. A half-hour of scary stories… PLAYLIST: ARTIST | AUDIO | ALBUM (*=PRX piece) 1. MP3J (w/ Gene Moss) | I Want to Bite Your Hand | Mashuptown.com 2. ZBS | The Bleeding Man | The Cabinet of Dr. Fritz 3. Shel Silverstein | Monsters I've Met | The Best Of Shel Silverstein 4. Lon Chaney Jr./Ronald Stein | Song From Spider Baby | Not of This Earth! The Film Music of Ronald Stein 5. David Greenberger And The Shaking Ray Levis | Blood On The Pulpit* | Mayor Of The Tennessee River 6. Alfred Hitchcock | Hitchcock 1 | Ghost Stories For Young People 7. Ginna Allison | La Llorona | Tellus #11 - The Sound of Radio 8. Marianne Faithfull | Alone | Closed On Account Of Rabies - Poems And Tales Of Edgar Allan Poe 9. David Greenberger & Terry Adams | Vampire* | The Duplex Planet Station Promo Text The Scary Plan- Here's The Plan: Ghouls, ghosts, and gore. A half-hour of scary stories; this week, for Halloween and Dios de los Muertos (the Days of the Dead), that is The Plan. Go beyond the grave, this [DAY] at [TIME] on [STATION]. For an excellent hour program combine The Scary Plan with: Jake Warga- Haunted Cabin (20:00). Hassberry Theatre Company- The Raven (9:09).

Exploring the Frankenstein Family Crypt in 1952. Paranormal observations by an eight-year-old. The haunting of an unkind kitty, a discussion of the ghost story structure, and a very scary pantry door. (Seriously).

In this 1988 documentary, award-winning radio producer and voice actor Joe Bevilacqua looks at how the landmark broadcast came about and examines its impact on broadcast history. The half-hour program includes rare interviews with Mercury Theater producer John Houseman and writer Howard Koch, actor Arthur Anderson and the people of Grover's Mill, NJ who lived through the "Martian Invasion.' This is a perfect program to air on the end of October, as a Halloween special (NOTE: October 30, 2008 is the 70th anniversary of the infamous Orson Welles radio broadcast.) *** CUSTOM PROMOS CAN BE MADE FOR STATIONS BY REQUEST. SUGGESTED COMPANION SHOW: "Tom Mix and the Mystery of the Bodiless Horseman" http://www.prx.org/pieces/28863 Joe Bevilacqua reads this new story written by Jim Harmon, published in the book, It's That Time Again: The New Stories of Old-Time Radio, published by Bear Manor Media. A perfect Halloween bit of story-telling. "I could not have liked it more. Wonderful! It was like getting to hear a new Tom Mix episode. You are a fine actor." - Jim Harmon, author and radio historian. For stations running the War of the Worlds special, here is a press release you can adapt and use to promote it: --- Contact: Joe Bevilacqua, joebev@joebev.com, 845-647-9475 "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast" Marks 70th Anniversary October 30, 2008 On Public Radio Stations Nationwide Radio Documentary On Landmark Orson Welles "Martian Invasion" Features Rare Interviews With John Houseman and Howard Koch October 30, 2008 marks the 70th anniversary of the landmark broadcast of "The War of the Worlds". The 1938 Orson Welles Mercury Theater radio play panicked listeners across the United States, many of whom thought it was a real Martian invasion. In honor of this, public radio stations nationwide will be airing "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast" on the anniversary date. In the documentary, award-winning radio producer and voice actor Joe Bevilacqua looks at how the landmark broadcast came about and examines its impact on broadcast history. The half-hour program includes rare interviews with Mercury Theater producer John Houseman and writer Howard Koch, actor Arthur Anderson and the people of Grover's Mill, NJ who lived through the "Martian Invasion.' In a review for The Public Radio Exchange, Sydney Lewis of Atlantic Public Media called "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast" "engaging, informational, and sound rich." Lewis wrote, "Though 20 years old, this program, like the original War of the Worlds, still rates a listen. Thankfully, the producer interviewed WOW producer John Housman not long before he died (on Halloween of 1988). The story of this legendary Orson Welles broadcast is for the most part allowed to unfold through descriptions by Housman, and writer Howard Koch, along with voices recorded at Grover?s Mills 50th anniversary event. You can hear traces of amazement in the voices of people who heard that broadcast 70 years ago. Housman, reflecting 20 years ago on why the program still holds fascination, said: 'It?s history. It?s one of the great events of the new age of mass communications.' True still." "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast" airs on public radio stations nationwide on October 30, 2008. Check your local stations for air times. Among the stations running the special are: WWUH Radio (West Hartford, CT); KRPS Public Radio (Pittsburg, KS); Yellowstone Public Radio; KEMC (Billings, MT), KBMC (Bozeman. MT), KYPR (Miles City, MT), and KPRQ (Sheridan, WY); KCAM (Glennallen, Alaska). The show can also be heard online at The Public Radio Exchange: http://www.prx.org/pieces/28807 and at http://www.joebev.com. Orson Welles seems to be haunting Joe Bevilacqua, who has played him in a number of radio shows and was featured as Welles's character in last year's 'War of the Worlds" recreation at the Shadowland Theatre in Ellenville, NY. This year, Bevilacqua will perform in multiple supporting roles in Ray Faiola's recreation of the infamous broadcast before an audience at the Lafayette Theater in Suffern, NY on October 31. Joe Bev, as he is also known, is busier than ever. He is writing, directing and starring in the murder mystery dinner, "The Case of the Murdering Microphone" for 90 Miles Off Broadway of New Paltz, being held at the Casa Mia Restaurant in Highland, November 7, 8, 9; editing and illustrating a book of cartoon scripts he co-wrote with Daws Butler, the voice of Yogi Bear, for a 2009 publication; hosting an open mic night the first Friday of each month, at 10 pm, at Aroma Thyme Bistro in Ellenville, NY, and writing a number of upcoming articles the Delaware-Hudson Canvas. Bevilacqua also has another radio special airing on public radio on October 30: "Tom Mix and the Mystery of the Bodiless Horseman," in which he reads the new story (in different voices) written by Jim Harmon, which is part of an audio book of It's That Time Again: The New Stories of Old-Time Radio, being published by Bear Manor Media in 2009. This Halloween bit of story-telling can also be heard online at: http://www.prx.org/pieces/28863. You can read an article about Joe Bevilacqua at: http://www.joebev.com/joebev-press/CANVAS-ARTICLE-Joe-Sept08-BIG.jpg. More on Joe Bevilacqua can be found at: www.joebev.com. # # #

On a summer night in the early 1990s a small group of friends gather for a dinner party in Los Angeles. Just for fun, someone suggests having a séance with a homemade Ouija board. By the end of the evening, perceptions of reality have been altered, relationships have been damaged, and the guests are forever changed. Three people who were there tell the shocking, funny, and hauntingly tragic story of The Séance.

Not broadcast, experimental fiction. I am not sure if this belongs on public radio at all. You tell me. I have found my voice heading in this direction, short fictional audio, and I find that this sounds very un-PR. I'd love to get this aired, but realistically... who could play something like this? What show exists? For more information and conversation, visit this feature on Transom.org.

I woke up from a nap one day having had a major nightmare; that doesn't usually happen but as I lay there, groggy, I thought, "hey, that'd be a great story!" and I jumped up and wrote it.  Having said that, as is usual when recounting a dream, the more I wrote the less sense my dream made.  What finished off was pretty good, made better by a friend who listened to it for me, and said right in the middle his cat jumped off the couch behind him and he whirled around in a panic.  Nice.

Its the Legend of Rainy Lake Hallow about the young school teacher Ichabod Olson who comes up against the manly Bjorn Bones over the favor of fair Heidi VanTassel.  When Ichabod hears the tale of a snowmobile rider searching the frozen lakes and woods for his head, he sets off for home full of fear on a cold winter's night.  Will he fare better than his Knickerbocker namesake? 

Performed live in International Falls, Minnesota by poet Jeffrey Adams with musical accompaniment by Myron Hawrylak. 

"Tom Mix and the Mystery of the Bodiless Horseman" Joe Bevilacqua reads (acting all the voices) this new story written by Jim Harmon, published in the book, It's That Time Again: The New Stories of Old-Time Radio, published by Bear Manor Media. A perfect Halloween bit of story-telling. "I could not have liked it more. Wonderful! It was like getting to hear a new Tom Mix episode. You are a fine actor. You should have a great career reading many books. I have never heard anyone do it better." - Jim Harmon, author and radio historian. SUGGESTED COMPANION SHOW: "The Making of the War of the Worlds Broadcast" http://www.prx.org/pieces/28807 In this 1988 documentary, Joe Bevilacqua looks at how the landmark broadcast came about and examines its impact on broadcast history. The half-hour program includes rare interviews with Mercury Theater producer John Houseman and writer Howard Koch, actor Arthur Anderson and the people of Grover's Mill, NJ who lived through the "Martian Invasion.' This is a perfect program to air on the end of October, as a Halloween special (NOTE: October 30, 2008 is the 70th anniversary of the infamous Orson Welles radio broadcast.)

KUER's RadioWest and Salt Lake City's Plan B Theatre Company present Edgar Allan Poe's horror classic "The Tell-Tale Heart." Murder -- guilt --insanity. The terror is brought to life in this full radio production.

The Nicholas Street Jail in Ottawa was built in 1862, shut down in the 1970s, and described by a jail inspector in 1946 as "a monstrous relic of an imperfect civilization where cells are medieval, incredibly cramped, with conditions far below the limits of human decency." How could a place like this not have a story to tell?

This work was commissioned in 2007 by CBC Radio's Outfront and the Deep Wireless Festival, a festival produced in Toronto by New Adventures in Sound Art.

Commentary: Halloween? Asking owners why they think their house is haunted, and concluding... Aired ATC 7-14-04

Forest Park is the last stop on the Chicago?s blue line subway. Famous for its plethora of graveyards, this suburb is also the final stop for many Chicagoans. In a place with more dead residents than living ones, one particular grave site catches visitor?s attention: Showman?s Rest, a graveyard for circus performers from around the world. The story of the graveyard goes back to a tragic circus train wreck in 1918. Good for Haloween or Memorial Day (with some edits to tweak the theme).

This series of two-minute stories is based on that great American art form known as Film Noir. These are stories about gangsters, bimbos, cops, cons, lovers, losers, platinum blondes, mink coats, high heels, and neon signs reflecting on rain-slicked streets. 

While working on its debut album, the anonymous vérité pop collective Mad Genius decided to follow the real money with this foray into public broadcasting: "2012: A Year In Your Ear." Keeping with what we do best, we're sampling the world's news and audio culture (both professional and amateur) in an effort to tell stories in a way that would make Ira either cry in pain or throw fits of furious envy. Maybe both, come to think of it. We're taking the talking heads and turning them into pop stars, making music with the media and nothing more. The goal is to create an hour-long musical time capsule by the end of the year. That is, of course, unless the apocalypse comes first. Mad Genius proudly presents the latest song in our series: "How To Build A Zombie Apocalypse." The zombie scourge goes from a few oddball cases to a full-blown epidemic in a week... ...at least according to our news and social media. Mad Genius tries to find the true source of the zombie plague gripping the nation by building a song using only news footage and YouTube videos. Grab your shotgun, board yourself in the basement and download. Do it now, before the infection spreads to your house.

A 43-year-old haunts the grounds of Disneyland, but it's not a ghost.  Walt Disney himself oversaw the beginnings of the iconic Haunted Mansion ride.  But he never saw it brought to life.  Reporter Susan Valot takes a look at the not-so-haunted history of the ghostly ride.  The story features Disney historian Tom Fitzgerald of Walt Disney Imagineering and the ghoulish ghosts of the Haunted Mansion.

Millions of people from around the world have ridden the ride, which opened August 9, 1969.  It paved the way for an afterlife, of sorts.  Imagineers eventually created similar haunted mansion rides at Walt Disney World in Florida, at Tokyo Disneyland in Japan and at Disneyland Paris in France.

Weekly 4 minute thrill ride through pop music oddities, rarities and classics. This time we get all spooky for Halloween with Fats Waller, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Warren Zevon and Lady Gaga.

David Terry of UNC Chapel Hill describes the narrative structure of ghost stories and why we are drawn to them.

Commentary: Halloween? Going on a Cemetery Expedition with a group of GHOST HUNTERS. Aired ATC 5-17-04

A stream-of-consciousness recitation of facts from an imagined horror film including Bela Lugosi and Lon Chaney, with spooky music, followed by a ragtime conclusion. Part of the Duplex Planet project, this is a selection from the 1998 CD, The Duplex Planet Hour, with music by pianist Terry Adams. Artist David Greenberger has been collecting thoughts, memories and stories from elderly Americans for more than a quarter century. Genuine, moving, and often funny, combined with music, the pieces explore issues of aging by revealing real characters that are in decline, but are still very much alive. They reveal the common threads of our humanity.