At 9 p.m. tonight, “Roscoe Taylor: The Tallahassee Tween” and his bounty-hunting horse Checkers Justice will ride into the West of the imagination for the first in a series of adventures on KZSM.org.
This live old-style radio play is the brainchild of Garrett Buss, Texas State Theater Arts graduate and stand-up comedian. “Roscoe Taylor” blends two sources of inspiration— old Western radio plays like “Gunsmoke” and the comedy radio series “The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.” The broadcast offers fun for both kids and adults: kids can enjoy the fantastic adventure, and adults will appreciate the allusions and references.
Buss writes the scripts, directs the broadcasts, and provides the narration. Roscoe is voiced by Sam Pierce, who “does a very funny thing with his voice, where he makes it sound like someone going through puberty—up and down,” Buss reports. Mitchell Odem voices the horse. Because Covid-19 precautions limit the number of people in the studio, the actors must take on multiple roles. “Sometimes we have a scene where one actor is playing three people are talking with two other people. They have to on the fly switch to the gruff voice, the high voice, the confused voice--but they’re all really, really talented.”
Buss also creates the sound effects that bring radio drama to life. “I’ve been making horse clops by tapping my knuckles on my hardwood desk and then playing it back a little bit slower to make it deeper sounding.”
After experience doing stand-up and writing musicals, he feels enthusiastic about the possibilities of radio. “Since it’s an audio production, we can do anything—we can make horses talk; we can make a tumbleweed 300 feet tall plug up a tornado. We can make all kinds of fantastical things happen. We give the sound effects, but the rest of it is all up to your imagination.”
Buss and the cast of “Roscoe Taylor” found their way to KZSM.org through their fellow stand-up veterans Lexi Morris and Jordan Pilkenton, hosts of “Swamp Gas Uggos” (Sundays 10 p.m.-midnight). Radio provides the perfect outlet for comedians sidelined by the pandemic. “I was really struck by the cool and relaxed environment of KZSM,” Buss explains, “it feels very professional with tons of equipment, but it also feels like someone’s house.”
Working with radio could create real magic for you as well. To learn more, contact [email protected].
