Radio Static - Part 2

Written by Karl Wagner and John Alexander

Get ready to laugh out loud in this delightfully silly throwback to the golden age of radio drama! Radio Static 2 is packed with quirky characters, cheesy sound effects, and more cereal ads than a Saturday morning cartoon. The story follows a band of pint-sized performers as they struggle to keep their “riveting” radio show on track—complete with villains like Clyde the Rattlesnake Dentist and a rhyming hero named Robbie.

Perfect for youth groups, intergenerational events, or just anyone who needs a good giggle, this 20–25 minute script is designed for live sound effects and audience participation. No deep thoughts here—just classic fun with a wink to old-school radio and a spoonful of Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs.

Cast: 7 m or f

• ACTORS 1,2,5,(GIRLS)
• ACTORS 3,4,(BOYS)
• ACTOR6 (BOY OR GIRL)
• ANNOUNCER (Adult)
• WALLA Audience, prompted by signs

Bible Reference: Ecclesiastes 3:4

Set: standard

Sound: wireless mics if available

Song: none

Lighting: standard

SFX:

• Hammer, saw, footsteps, horse (coconut shells) door knocking, all done by hand live.
• MUSIC: KEYBOARD

Props: none

Costumes: standard

Special Instructions:

• I prefaced this production with a 15 minute or so brief history on Radio Drama. Many of those present were older folks who remembered old time radio, so it added a lot. I talked about some basics and some specific shows, and just some general info. 
  This utilizes cheap and basic sound effects, and is supposed to be done that way. We ended up having the children stomp their feet for the footsteps, because they liked doing it.
  The locations mentioned in the sign-on all just reflect locals about three to five miles away, and just that alone got laughs.
  Make some signs for the Walla Walla and have a run-through with the audience. They seemed to like being drawn into being a part of the show and are usually great.
  The announcer is written as a man, but could be female. Just go through the script and change the gender references, like, “Hey Mister…”
  Karl Wagner

Time: 25

Sample script:

NOUNCER: (SINISTER) Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of…

ACTOR 1: (INTERRUPTING ANNOUNCER, KNOCKING ON HIM LIKE KNOCKING ON A DOOR)
SOUND: SFX-DOOR KNOCKING
ACTOR 1: What are you doing?

ANNOUNCER: The Shadow.

ACTOR 2: That’s a scary show! This is the family hour.

ANNOUNCER: You mean like, children and stuff?

ALL CAST: (GIVE A SERIES OF LOOKS) (ADLIBS) What do you think we are? (Etc.)

ANNOUNCER: Really short actors?

ALL CAST: (GIVE A SERIES OF LOOKS)

ACTOR 6: We’re gonna be watchin’ you, mister.

ANNOUNCER: Sorry, my bad. I’ll be good, I promise.

ACTOR 3: (HANDING ANNOUNCER A SCRIPT) Here, mister! Do you need help reading it?

ANNOUNCER: Thanks,…uh, I think I can read. (TAKES SCRIPT, READS A SECOND)

SOUND: PAPERS RUSTLING

ACTOR 3: So does my baby brother. (PAUSE) But he really can’t…

ANNOUNCER: I’ll be okay…

ACTOR 3: …he just licks the pages and then tries to eat ‘em…

ANNOUNCER: Uh, ..can we get on with the show?

ALL CAST: (TOGETHER) We’re waiting on you to start!

MUSIC: THEME (ESTABLISH, BUILD TO BED) RISING TO A SUSTAINED PITCH, AND HOLD TO “signing on”

ANNOUNCER: Good evening, ladies and gentlemen! WDOG, Toccoa, GA is signing on! And a very special welcome to Eastanolle! Yes, you heard right. Eastanolle. Now thanks to our new upgrade to 20 watts of power we can be heard from Toccoa Falls to Eastanolle, and from Currahee Mt. to the South Carolina border!

WALLA: CHEERING, WHISTLES

ACTOR 1: And, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages, fear not! It has been studied and proven, radio signals will not scare your horses, and will not lessen milk production from Bessie the cow.

ACTOR 2: Truth be told, Bessie may well produce milk like never before… and you know what more milk means…

ACTOR 3: It means more milk for your breakfast!

ACTOR 4: And breakfast means our sponsor!

MUSIC: CHARGE

ACTOR 5: Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs!!

ACTOR 6: I’ll get the bowls and spoons!

WALLA: CHEERING

ANNOUNCER: That’s right. Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs. The breakfast cereal sensation that is sweeping the nation. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, do you long for lengthy levity as you listen to larks lurking on your lawn, not likely to leave?

ACTOR 1: What did you say?

ACTOR 3: He said, “To listen to your lawn leaves.”

ACTOR 6: Mister, have you ever done this before?

ANNOUNCER: (TO ACTOR 1) Quiet, kid, I’m working here… (TO THE AUDIENCE) If you give your children new Chocolate Frosted Sugar Bombs, I personally guarantee you, it will increase your children’s energy. (AN ASIDE) And probably make you crazy… And, now ladies and gentlemen, WDOG proudly presents our riveting radio drama…

MUSIC: (BED) — ESTABLISH AND UNDER — A LIGHT BUILDING INTRO

ANNOUNCER: …“Build a Better Bridge and the Boys Will Be Back”.

MUSIC: (BRIDGE) LIVELY, BUILDING, FADES DURING WALLA

WALLA: APPLAUSE

ANNOUNCER: As our story opens, two of the local townspeople are approaching the burned out bridge.

MUSIC: (STING) SUSTAINED NOTE FOR 2 SECONDS AT “burned out bridge”

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS ON GRAVEL ROAD

ACTOR 2: (IN SHOCK) The bridge! The bridge is burned out!

ACTOR 1: Oh, who could have done such a thing!

MUSIC: (STING) A LOW RANGE NOTE AT “thing”

ACTOR 1: With the bridge burned out, how will the boys get back!

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS ON GRAVEL ROAD, APPROACHING

ACTOR 2: (DISTRAUGHT) I don’t know! (PAUSE) Someone’s coming…

ACTOR 3: (APPROACHING) There’s only one person who could have done something so terrible.

ACTOR 1&2: (TOGETHER) Who?

ACTOR 3: …Clyde…

MUSIC: (STING) SINISTER — SUSTAINED — THEN FADE OUT

ACTOR 1&2: (TOGETHER) The rattlesnake dentist!

ACTOR 4: That’s right! Me, Clyde…

MUSIC: (STING) UNDER

Want to see how the story unfolds? DramaShare members get this complete script— and access to our entire library—free! Not a member? You can still grab this individual script and bring it to life.