Bradbury 13: The Screaming Woman

Stuff your eyes with wonder, live as if you'd drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It's more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories. –Ray Bradbury

Episode seven {ignore the nine on the picture; the episodes were re-numbered with their recent release on Audio CD, from which I swiped borrowed the image} of the Bradbury 13 series is The Screaming Woman, which was adapted from the short story first published in 1951 and also included in S is for Space in 1966. The stories come from several different Bradbury books, and are on a wide variety of themes and subjects. While reading up on the series, I came across a quote by the writer/producer/director, Mike McDonough, which I thought was interesting and helped tie the story choices together. Mike said, I chose stories that I felt I could mould into half hour radio dramas, stories that had interesting possibilities for sound. Sound is a huge part of the story telling and Mike and his team did a wonderful job of communicating through sound.

The Screaming Woman
Margaret Leary is ten years old and likes to play in the vacant lot on long summer days. She and her friends like to play pirates and bank robbers and cowboys. One summer afternoon, Margaret was playing in the lot and discovered there was something buried deep in the ground — and it was still alive.

My Rating:
I think what makes a good story is its ability to get you to feel like you're a part of it. What makes this story enjoyable is that it is just so frustrating. As an outsider, you can see what is happening but are helpless to do anything about it. I won't say any more, because I don't want to give too much away. But trust me when I say this is a good one. But then again, I think they're all good .

Air Date:
May 14, 1984

{Rachael Jacobs and Mike McDonough
Photo courtesy of Phil at Ray Bradbury & Media
©Mike McDonough}

Narrator:
Paul Frees

Cast:
Rachael Jacobs
Beverly Rowland
Neil Barth
Mark Alston
Bryce Chamberlain
Coleman Creel
Oscar Rowland

Music:
Roger Hoffman
Greg Hansen

Production Assistant:
Patrick Mead

Associate Producer:
Jeff Raider

Created, Produced, Directed:
Mike McDonough

Executive Producer:
Dean Van Uitert

Audio Clip of The Screaming Woman

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