The dates below indicate the date we upload each play to our website (usually around 10 PM Pacific time). You can listen to "Shoestring Radio Theatre" on-demand or find out how to tune into one of our radio broadcasts on our homepage.
April 29 and May 6
The Armchair Detective and the Celebrity Stalker
Intrepid reporters Trench and Sally Anne are asked by Editor Law to help actress Darnia Storm find out who has been stalking her. Of course, Trench turns to Old Tom, the armchair detective, for help. This production is dedicated to the memory of lead actor Ian Mackenzie.
- Written by ................ Ian Shimwell
- Directed by ............... Steve Rubenstein
- Produced by ............... Monica Sullivan
May 13 and 20
Concerto For Lovers
The Tusks, an uneasily-married couple, receive a surprise anniversary gift: a weekend stay at the Sandpiper Hotel, on the south-east coast of England, where they had spent their honeymoon...They have several other surprises in store.
- Written by ................ Les Thomas
- Directed by ............... LeAnne Rumbel
- Produced by ............... Steve Rubenstein
The Bickerlees Go Out to Dinner (May 13 only)
Don and Marcy Bickerlee are going to spend the evening at her brother’s railroad themed restaurant, The Whistle Stop Café. The menu is far from the greatest surprise at the cafe.
- Written by ................ Leslie Slape
- Directed by ............... LeAnne Rumbel
- Produced by ............... Monica Sullivan
May 27
Joanna On My Mind
Middle aged Pearl and Bill haven't seen each other since shortly after high school. When they reconnect in a park they each learn unexpected secrets about each other they'd never known before.
- Written by ................ Lynn-Steven Johanson
- Directed by ............... Steve Rubenstein
- Produced by ............... Monica Sullivan
Founding Producer
Producer
Artists-In-Residence
- Greeta Ahart
- Rob Avila
- Dawn Bailey
- Tom Backos
- Erik R. Deckers
- Stephen Dietz
- Chrissy Dodds
- Kathy Dominici
- Paul Dougherty
- Melissa Flower
- Julie Long Gallegos
- Charlene Godard
- Geoff Godard
- Frances Germeshausen
- Virginia Handley
- Mim Herzenstein
- Russ Hickman
- Marilyn Hughes
- Steven Kacsmar
- Byron Lambie
- Adam Ling
- Ian Mackenzie
- Pam Mackenzie
- George McRae
- Frank Munnich
- Paul Nowack
- Annette Oliveira
- Randy Parker
- Louis Parnell
- Nico Pemantle
- Damien Pickering
- LeAnne Rumbel
- Bryan Session
- Anne Stone
- Darryl Standring
- Randolph Varney
- Clinton Vidal
- B.K. Wells
- Perry Whittle
- Jeff Wincek
- Jonathan W. Wind
Webmaster
Submission Guidelines
"Shoestring Radio Theatre" accepts submissions from writers. We are always looking for good, original radio plays of any genre. We have produced hundreds of scripts submitted by writers from all over the world who originally found us on the web.
Format
Your script needs to be a radio play (i.e. no stage directions or visual cues). We do not accept stage plays or screenplays. Radio drama scripts should include only things you can hear—i.e. dialogue, sound effects and music cues (stings, transitions, etc.). Radio drama scripts should also include a synopsis of the story, and a cast list of characters. There is no industry standard for radio drama script layout, so we will leave the exact formatting up to you; just make sure that it's easy to distinguish the dialogue from the sfx and music.
Length
To fit into our weekly 30-minute broadcast, plays can be a maximum of 28 minutes long (most scripts are about one minute per page but it depends on the formatting). Therefore, we accept 25-28 minute plays (which air in one part) and 50-56 minute plays (which air in two parts). We also accept shorts, which can be up to 10 minutes in length.
Fame Not Fortune
As a not for profit radio production company which really does operate on a shoestring budget, we do not pay for scripts at this point in time. However, if we produce your play, we absorb all production costs. You will also receive a copy of the finished production.
Agreement
If we accept your script, we will send you a writer's agreement, which:
- Grants us permission to produce your script
- Grants us public broadcasting rights to the finished production
- Grants you, the writer, all rights to the original script
Feedback Policy
Unfortunately, due to the volume of scripts we receive, we cannot provide feedback on your scripts.
Please do not be discouraged if we reject your submission. We reject scripts for any number of reasons,
including excessive length, unsuitable content, and sometimes writing quality. Unfortunately, even if we
really like the idea, we do not have time to work with writers to improve their scripts. Our advice is to
keep writing as much as possible to gain experience, show your scripts to others for feedback, and take
writing classes if you feel it would be helpful. Good luck!
Since we receive a lot of scripts, and because we are a small not for profit radio production company, it can take us a long time to read your scripts. We produce on average, one hour of radio plays every other month. We read the plays in the order received.
Mailing Address and Email Address
We accept both hard copies of scripts and email submissions (Microsoft Word, PDF or Text file).
Please use the contact info below.
Below are links to other radio drama resources on the web. If you would like to add your web site to this list, please email its name, its URL, and a brief description to .
The Ancient Radio Players
A troupe of radio theatre performers who do live and studio shows, ranging from adventure-serials to horror, comedy and variety.
Atlanta Radio Theatre Company
Best known for their adaptations of the works of H.P. Lovecraft, the ARTC "performs, records, and broadcasts fully dramatized, fully sound-scaped audio dramas." Their catalog includes everything from the horror of Lovecraft, to the seminal science fantasy of H G Wells, to their own original works in dark fantasy, science fiction, romance, pulp adventure, and comedy. The site includes a good index of links to other radio drama sites.
Audiotheater
A resource page for finding audio theater and producing it.
Crunchy Frog Comedy
Crunchy Frog Comedy is a comic "radio" show inspired in large part by Monty Python's Flying Circus. The show features original comedies (sketches and plays) written and performed by the Crunchy Frog Players, many of whom are also involved in Shoestring Radio Theatre.
Radio Repertory Company of America
"Producers of Original Suspense/Comedy for the Audio Medium." Titles include "The Stealer of Souls" with special appearance from "Married with Children" star Katey Sagal, "Garson Krebs: Private Eye" which aired on NPR Playhouse, and "The Brooke Sisters" in which two wonderfully eccentric ex-criminals help solve murders.
Tony Palermo's RuyaSonic Site
Info related to radio drama including script writing/formatting, music, sound effects, engineering, directing, old radio shows and more. Hosted by Tony Palermo, a radio dramatist, director and composer living in Los Angeles, California. He has written, adapted and scored numerous radio plays for the Museum of Television & Radio's Los Angeles branch.
Staff Web Sites
Visit the personal web sites of SRT staff members!
Erik Deckers' Laughing Stalk
Writer Erik Deckers (who wrote our Slick Bracer P.I. comedy series) has a web site which contains several humor pieces he's written for The Wakarusa Tribune and The Mishawaka Enterprise, two small papers in Northern Indiana.
Emusements.com
This web site by writer/director/webmaster Randy Parker includes his blog and creative portfolio.
Nico Pemantle: Singer/Songwriter
Writer-director Nico Pemantle is also a singer/songwriter. His web site includes a biography, information on his two albums (and how to mail order them), and six songs which you can listen to online.
