Sketch War

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  • Boring Science Fiction Theatre, Episode Three

    I suppose after all these years, I’m realizing that these tales are less “science fiction” and more “horror.”
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  • Colonel Matt Mecury – Defender of Earth!!!

    The last two weeks were “write 65% of the sketch, then get gobsmacked with something urgent, wake-up Saturday and think ‘aw crap, I didn’t finish the sketch’””.

    Ahhhhh…back in the ring….

    This scene is completely a radio play – no visible actors, done either in the dark or just as an audio recording.

    CAST:
    ANNOUNCER – male, 50’s
    SINGERS – all female voices
    COLONEL MATT MERCURY    – male, late 30’s to early 40’s
    BUCK TUCKER – male, early 20’s
    PAGE – male, late teens
    BESS – late 20’s
    PRODUCER – male, mid \ late 40’s
    MUSICIAN – male, 50’s
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  • Anything Goes on the Radios

    Some really fantastic sketches this week…and now here’s mine to muck it all up. I know very little about old time radio and absolutely nothing about the serials. So, I did something a bit different. One thought I had while writing this was, what might it look like if we were to transplant today’s pop culture into the 1940s…

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  • Boring Science Fiction Theatre, Episode 2

    Here’s part 2. I actually got to do these in front of an audience for a live taping. I was the SFX guy, which was boatloads of fun.
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  • Boring Science Fiction Theatre

    I wrote these as a series of short radio plays for a station in Champaign-Urbana back in 1997. I’ve done very little editing beyond formatting, so please indulge the meanderings of a 23-year-old.

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  • The Silver Stoat

    Oy. Out of the last three weeks, I’ve had big problems with two of our topics. I certainly hope things get better soon. This one…well, I think I’ve got the feel almost right, but other than a few chuckles spread throughout, I don’t think I really brought the funny.

    Y’all be the judges.

    [fountain]
    INT. RADIO STUDIO – NIGHT
    Fat ties and fedoras. Polka dots and pert curls. A haze of yellow smoke hovers near the ceiling of a large, soundproofed studio. PERFORMERS stand one or two to a mic, huge booms hanging from the ceiling emblazoned with the DUMONT logo, scripts in hand or on music stands. In the back of the room sits ORGANIST. Next to her, TWO FOLEY ARTISTS with their collection of sound effects.

    RODERICK BEAN (50s, balding, stooped in a too-large suit) shares a mic with BEA MORTIMER (20s and stunning in gold hair and yellow dress). He speaks with a rich baritone to match her sultry alto.

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  • Peter’s Commentary on the “Silent Scenes” Edition

    Here’s my commentary for the latest round of Sketchwar, which had the theme “Silent Scenes.”

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  • FUTURE MAN – Episode 1 – Google

    I wanted to try something a little different. Moving to old-time radio serial script format wasn’t easy…it’s an entirely different mindset. Doing it and trying to be funny? Well, you tell me…
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  • The Taxman Cometh Wrapup

    It looks like a few of our warriors got caught up having tea or standing in line at the Post Office this week. Either way, only three of us entered the ring. Fortunately (or un-, depending on your opinion) I stretched my entry into a four-part runner when I decided I hadn’t ended the first part strongly enough. So from three battlers: six sketches.

    I wish we’d seen a few more takes on the topic, but maybe talking about taxes the same week they were due was too much to bear. Next week we’ll be closing our eyes and increasing our consumption of Ovaltine as we roll out sketches on the theme of Old-Time Radio Serials. As a side note, we could use some more sketch topics, so if you’ve got something you’d like to see us tackle, leave it in a comment.

    If you think you’ve got the comedy chops to do battle with our scarred and bitter warriors, if you dare step into the hailstorm of seltzer and cream pies, if you think you’re MAN ENOUGH or WOMAN ENOUGH to make us laugh, write a sketch and contact us at submissions(nospam)@sketchwar.org.

  • Mrs. Purcell

    Hi all — here’s my take on the “Taxes” edition of Sketchwar.

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