The New York Review of Science Fiction‘s Readings Series, hosted by the South Street Seaport Museum, is planning a special event for 2 October 2007, to commemorate the fortieth anniversary of the airing of Samuel R. Delany’s radio drama “The Star Pit.”
“The Star Pit” was originally published in the February 1967 issue of Worlds of Tomorrow magazine, and was a finalist for the 1968 Hugo Award for Best Novella. Delany turned it into a radio play in which he starred, and which was produced by Baird Searles for his Mind’s Eye Theatre on New York City’s WBAI 99.5 FM.
Historical connections abound between that show, the worlds of genre fiction, and today. Searles’ predecessor at WBAI was Anthony Boucher, who also founded The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. Searles himself was the book reviewer for Asimov’s Science Fiction, the film reviewer for F&SF, and the owner of New York City’s Science Fiction Book Store for many years. Searles’ successor was the actor John Lithgow. One of the gophers for the production, a young WBAI volunteer named Jim Freund, has been hosting Hour of the Wolf on WBAI since the early 1970s, and he broadcasts these readings on the show (Freund is also the series curator who scheduled Delany to be the star of the show on 2 October).
This evening’s event will start with Delany discussing the genesis of “The Star Pit,” both the story and the radio drama. After a brief intermission, a cast of actors will perform selections from the drama.
The NYRSF Reading Series is presented at the Melville Gallery, 213 Water Street, New York, New York 10038. Readings are held the first Monday of the month except during the Summer. Doors open at 6:30PM, and the programs start at 7. Admission is free, although a $5 donation is requested to defray expenses. For an up-to-date list of readings, see our page of Upcoming Readings & Signings or the reading series’ page on the Hour of the Wolf site: www.hourwolf.com/nyrsf. Additionally, they send out infrequent emails with schedule updates: to sign up, email nyrsfr_curator@hourwolf.com.