National Audio Theatre Festival
Encyclopedia
The National Audio Theatre Festivals, Inc. (NATF) is a US-based organization sponsoring a yearly, five-day workshop on radio drama
, voiceover
and the audio arts, as well as other special training. Participants take classes on subjects such as voiceover and voice acting
, audio engineering
, Foley
and special effects, audio playwriting and podcasting
, and more. The workshop is helmed by professionals in the field and is frequently held in the small city of West Plains, Missouri
.
The last day of the festival is a live performance of audio drama, carried over local television and radio, as well as streamed live over the internet. The night's entertainment includes original radio plays performed by attendees, and a short workshop play written and produced by first-time conference participants.
Many participants of the National Audio Theatre Festivals' Audio Theatre Workshop have notable careers in the audio arts, such as Yuri Rasovsky
, Audie-nominated producer Sue Zizza, Richard Fish (producer and frequent collaborator with Firesign Theatre), Tom Lopez (producer and founder of ZBS
), and Lance Roger Axt. Groups which frequently participate or support the NATF mission include the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company
, Firesign Theatre, ZBS Foundation
, the Williamette Radio Theatre, and many more. Among the board of directors and advisors are experienced professionals and luminaries such as Norman Corwin
. The host for the 2009 conference was audiobook narrator and actress Kathy Garver
, who also taught a master class in voice acting
, with notable voice actor and announcer Corey Burton
linked in by satellite for a special discussion.
, decided to stage a teaching workshop on the radio arts. The host was Jim Jordan
, of Fibber McGee and Molly
fame, and also included Firesign Theatre regulars David Ossman
and Peter Bergman (comedian)
.
For twenty years, this five-day workshop continued under the MRTW name. In 2001, the National Audio Theatre Festivals became the new sponsor of this weeklong event and workshop.
Radio drama
Radio drama is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance, broadcast on radio or published on audio media, such as tape or CD. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story...
, voiceover
VoiceOver
VoiceOver is a screen reader built into Apple Inc.'s Mac OS X, iOS and iPod operating systems. By using VoiceOver, the user can access their Macintosh or iOS device based on spoken descriptions and, in the case of the Mac, the keyboard. The feature is designed to increase accessibility for blind...
and the audio arts, as well as other special training. Participants take classes on subjects such as voiceover and voice acting
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
, audio engineering
Audio engineering
An audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, Foley
Foley (filmmaking)
Foley is a term that describes the process of live recording of sound effects that are created by a Foley artist, which are added in post production to enhance the quality of audio for films, television, video, video games and radio....
and special effects, audio playwriting and podcasting
Podcasting
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
, and more. The workshop is helmed by professionals in the field and is frequently held in the small city of West Plains, Missouri
West Plains, Missouri
West Plains is a city in Howell County, Missouri, United States. The population was 10,866 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howell County. The West Plains Micropolitan Statistical Area consists of Howell County.-Geography:...
.
The last day of the festival is a live performance of audio drama, carried over local television and radio, as well as streamed live over the internet. The night's entertainment includes original radio plays performed by attendees, and a short workshop play written and produced by first-time conference participants.
Many participants of the National Audio Theatre Festivals' Audio Theatre Workshop have notable careers in the audio arts, such as Yuri Rasovsky
Yuri Rasovsky
Yuri Rasovsky is an American award-winning writer and producer working in the field of radio drama in the United States....
, Audie-nominated producer Sue Zizza, Richard Fish (producer and frequent collaborator with Firesign Theatre), Tom Lopez (producer and founder of ZBS
ZBS
ZBS stands for* ZBS Foundation* Zugbeeinflussungssystem S-Bahn Berlin...
), and Lance Roger Axt. Groups which frequently participate or support the NATF mission include the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company
Atlanta Radio Theatre Company
The Atlanta Radio Theatre Company. is a 501 non-profit organization dedicated to preserving, promoting, performing, and educating people about the art of audio theatre .-Activities:...
, Firesign Theatre, ZBS Foundation
ZBS Foundation
ZBS Foundation, a small non-profit audio production company, was founded by Thomas Lopez in 1970 with a grant from Robert E. Durand as a working commune based on a donated farm in Upstate New York...
, the Williamette Radio Theatre, and many more. Among the board of directors and advisors are experienced professionals and luminaries such as Norman Corwin
Norman Corwin
Norman Lewis Corwin was an American writer, screenwriter, producer, essayist and teacher of journalism and writing...
. The host for the 2009 conference was audiobook narrator and actress Kathy Garver
Kathy Garver
Kathleen Marie "Kathy" Garver is an American film, television, voice-over and character actress of stage, most widely known for playing Uncle Bill Davis's teenaged niece, Catherine "Cissy" Davis, on the popular 1960s sitcom, Family Affair. Before that, she played a slave in The Ten Commandments...
, who also taught a master class in voice acting
Voice acting
Voice acting is the art of providing voices for animated characters and radio and audio dramas and comedy, as well as doing voice-overs in radio and television commercials, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, video games, puppet shows, and amusement rides.Performers are called...
, with notable voice actor and announcer Corey Burton
Corey Burton
Corey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
linked in by satellite for a special discussion.
History
The National Audio Theatre Festivals, Inc. evolved from its predecessor, the Midwest Radio Theatre Workshop. In 1979, a number of radio theater enthusiasts, based around community radio station KOPNKOPN
KOPN is a radio station broadcasting a Variety format. Licensed to Columbia, Missouri, USA, the station serves the Columbia area. The station is currently owned by New Wave Corporation and features programing from National Public Radio and Public Radio International.History=In November 1971 about...
, decided to stage a teaching workshop on the radio arts. The host was Jim Jordan
Jim Jordan
James "Jim" Jordan was the actor who played Fibber McGee in Fibber McGee and Molly, and the albatross, Orville, in Disney's The Rescuers .-Biography:...
, of Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly
Fibber McGee and Molly was an American radio comedy series which maintained its popularity over decades. It premiered on NBC in 1935 and continued until its demise in 1959, long after radio had ceased to be the dominant form of entertainment in American popular culture.-Husband and wife in real...
fame, and also included Firesign Theatre regulars David Ossman
David Ossman
David Ossman is an American writer and comedian, best known as a member of The Firesign Theatre.-Career:...
and Peter Bergman (comedian)
Peter Bergman (comedian)
Peter Paul Bergman is an American writer and comedian, best known as a member of The Firesign Theatre. He plays Lt. Bradshaw in the Nick Danger series....
.
For twenty years, this five-day workshop continued under the MRTW name. In 2001, the National Audio Theatre Festivals became the new sponsor of this weeklong event and workshop.