COMPLETE[PLAY] Orra: A Tragedy by Joanna Baillie - thw

Solo or group recordings that are finished and fully available for listeners
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ChuckW
Posts: 3984
Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 7:47 am
Location: Ohio

Post by ChuckW »

Orra: A Tragedy in Five Acts by Joanna Baillie (1762 - 1851).

Considered by her contemporaries a playwright “second only to Shakespeare,” Joanna Baillie was one of the most critically acclaimed writers of the Romantic Era. The Plays on the Passions, first published in 1798, stands as her undeniable magnum opus: a multivolume series of tragedies and comedies exploring the overruling passions of the mind.

Orra: A Tragedy in Five Acts, which comes from that series' third volume, is Joanna Baillie’s haunting meditation on fear and madness. It is gothic melodrama par excellence. Set in fourteenth century Switzerland, Baillie's play skillfully intertwines psychological horror with early feminist thought. Orra, in love with Theobald, is exiled to a haunted castle in the Black Forest after rejecting a marriage proposal from her ward's son. She is further threatened by the nefarious machinations of Rudigere, a pathologically jealous knight whose desire for Orra verges on obsession. Then there’s the castle itself, a dark and gothic abode that soon brings Orra to the brink of abject terror.

Will Orra survive her expulsion into the Black Forest—or will she descend further and further into madness? ( ChuckW)
BC and Editor: ChuckW
MC: ToddHW
DPL: Kitty
This play is now complete. Audio files may be found in our catalog at: https://librivox.org/orra-by-joanna-baillie/
    1. Is there a deadline?
      We ask that you submit your recorded sections within 1-2 months of placing your claim. Please note that to be fair to the readers who have completed their sections in a timely way, if you haven't submitted your recording(s) after two months, your sections will automatically be re-opened for other readers to claim, unless you post in this thread to request an extension. Extensions will be granted at the discretion of the Book Coordinator. If you cannot do your section, for whatever reason, just let me know and it'll go back to the pool. There's no shame in this; we're all volunteers and things happen.Please do not sign up for more sections than you can complete within the two month deadline.
    2. How to claim a part, and "how it all works" here
      To find a section to record, simply look at point 5. below at the sections. All the ones without names beside them are "up for grabs." Click "Post reply" at the top left of the screen and tell us which section you would like to read (include the section number from the left-most column in the reader list, please). Read points 6. to 8. below for what to do before, during and after your recording.
    3. New to recording?
      Please read our Newbie Guide to Recording!
    4. Where do I find the text? Source text (please only read from this text!): https://archive.org/stream/seriesofplays00bailrich#page/n939/mode/2up
    5. Please claim roles (the numbers in the first column below)! Please note: All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. When you submit your recording, you will be placing your recording in the public domain as well.

      If this is your first recording, please let me know under which name or pseudonym you'd like to appear in the LibriVox catalogue. We can also link to a personal website/blog.



      Please don't download or listen to files belonging to projects in process (unless you are the BC or PL). Our servers are not set up to handle the greater volume of traffic. Please wait until the project has been completed. Thanks!


      Magic Window:



      BC Admin
      ===========================================
      This paragraph is temporary and will be replaced by the MC with the list of sections and reader (Magic Window) once this project is in the admin system.
      • Project Code: 43BLaXls
      • Link to author on Wikipedia (if available): (Joanna Baillie) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joanna_Baillie
      • Link to title on Wikipedia (if available):
      • Number of sections (files) this project will have: 58
      • Does the project have an introduction or preface [y/n]: No
      • Original publication date (if known): 1821
        ============================================

        Genres for the project: Plays/Drama/Tragedy

        Keywords that describe the book: horror, ghosts, supernatural, feminism, Gothic romance, gothic melodrama, horror play

        ============================================
      • BEFORE recording: Please check the Recording Notes: http://librivox.org/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6427#6430

        Set your recording software to:
        Channels: 1 (Mono)
        Bit Rate: 128 kbps
        Sample Rate: 44.1 kHz

        Submit one file per act.
      • Make sure you add this to the beginning of your recording:
        [Role], read by [your name].

        If you are reading stage directions, please include for each file:At the beginning: Act [#] of Orra by Joanna Baillie. This is a Librivox recording. All Librivox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit Librivox dot org.

        At the end: End of Act [#].

        Please remember to check this thread frequently for updates!
      • AFTER recording
        Save files as 128 kbps MP3
        orra_[role]_[#].mp3 (all lower-case) where ## is the act number.



        Transfer of files (completed recordings) Please always post in this forum thread when you've sent a file. Also, post the length of the recording (file duration: mm:ss) together with the link.
        • Upload your file with the LibriVox Uploader: https://librivox.org/login/uploader
          Image
          (If you have trouble reading the image above, please message an admin)
        • You'll need to select the MC, which for this project is: toddhw
        • When your upload is complete, you will receive a link - please post it in this thread.
        • If this doesn't work, or you have questions, please check our How To Send Your Recording wiki page.

        Any questions?
        Please post below
Last edited by ChuckW on March 18th, 2018, 9:26 am, edited 17 times in total.
PROJECTS
Current Solo:Septimius Felton (Hawthorne's final novel)
Help Needed: Strange Interlude (O'Neill's Freudian melodrama - roles available!)
ChuckW
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Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 7:47 am
Location: Ohio

Post by ChuckW »

Yeah, I know this is somewhat out of character. I'm mostly known for launching plays from the early twentieth century... but what can I say? The more I read from and learned about Joanna Baillie, the more I wanted to do one of her plays!

If this goes well, I'd love to produce more of her gothic tragedies, particularly Witchcraft and De Monfort. But we'll use Orra as a test run. We'll see where this takes us.

I'll be doing the editing, of course. I actually have more time to edit than record, so please don't take that away from me. :-P

I'd obviously welcome a DPL, but am willing to do it myself if no one is interested.

I'll also take a role... eventually. I want to see what you guys are interested in first.
PROJECTS
Current Solo:Septimius Felton (Hawthorne's final novel)
Help Needed: Strange Interlude (O'Neill's Freudian melodrama - roles available!)
ToddHW
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Post by ToddHW »

I can MC and set this up for you. MW shortly.

EDIT: Ready for you to fill in.

Thanks, Todd
ChuckW
Posts: 3984
Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 7:47 am
Location: Ohio

Post by ChuckW »

ToddHW wrote:I can MC and set this up for you. MW shortly.

EDIT: Ready for you to fill in.

Thanks, Todd
Thanks Todd!

MW updated. We're ready to go. :-)

I also made some slight cosmetic changes to the summary.
PROJECTS
Current Solo:Septimius Felton (Hawthorne's final novel)
Help Needed: Strange Interlude (O'Neill's Freudian melodrama - roles available!)
ToddHW
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 19838
Joined: August 14th, 2011, 4:24 am
Contact:

Post by ToddHW »

ChuckW wrote:I also made some slight cosmetic changes to the summary.
Good thing to tell me about, becuz the catalog page summary gets set from the original posting - changes in the forum posting don't automatically transfer. If you are happy with it now I will change the MW database entry.

Thanks, Todd
ChuckW
Posts: 3984
Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 7:47 am
Location: Ohio

Post by ChuckW »

ToddHW wrote:
ChuckW wrote:I also made some slight cosmetic changes to the summary.
Good thing to tell me about, becuz the catalog page summary gets set from the original posting - changes in the forum posting don't automatically transfer. If you are happy with it now I will change the MW database entry.

Thanks, Todd
Yes, it should be good. The grammar was a little wonky, so I made some slight adjustments. Blame my enthusiasm for the project for failing to proofread before posting.
PROJECTS
Current Solo:Septimius Felton (Hawthorne's final novel)
Help Needed: Strange Interlude (O'Neill's Freudian melodrama - roles available!)
Availle
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Post by Availle »

A woman descending into madness...? :hmm: I think I'm perfect for this role.

Could I read Orra please? Unless you'd want something younger sounding.
Cheers, Ava.
Resident witch of LibriVox, channelling
Granny Weatherwax: "I ain't Nice."

--
AvailleAudio.com
ChuckW
Posts: 3984
Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 7:47 am
Location: Ohio

Post by ChuckW »

Availle wrote:A woman descending into madness...? :hmm: I think I'm perfect for this role.

Could I read Orra please? Unless you'd want something younger sounding.
Haha. You know, I don't think I've ever really associated a specific age with your voice... so I doubt that'll be an issue... :-P

I think you'd be perfect for this... and I'm not just saying that because I've spent most of the afternoon editing in your sound files from Princess Zoubaroff. Thanks for volunteering! So glad you were able to snatch up the big, tricky role for yourself. :-)
PROJECTS
Current Solo:Septimius Felton (Hawthorne's final novel)
Help Needed: Strange Interlude (O'Neill's Freudian melodrama - roles available!)
WiltedScribe
Posts: 3032
Joined: April 7th, 2016, 8:11 pm

Post by WiltedScribe »

Oh man, so many roles to choose from. :shock: I'd love to claim a role, but I'm not sure which one would best suit me. :hmm: I can play a character of any age, I suppose, though my natural voice would suit someone younger. Any recommendations, Chuck, since this is your project?
Tomas Peter
Kitty
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Post by Kitty »

Gothic romantic ! Can't resist. Now that the Castle Spectre is done, I can help with DPL here again, if you'd like to have me again, Chuck. :)

Also I don't know the play, but I think I'd go for Cathrina, the maid to Orra, if that's all right.

Sonia
I will be on vacation from Wednesday 27 March till Sunday 14 April
and unable to PL during that time. Thank you for your patience.
NemoR
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Post by NemoR »

I'd like to claim Franko please .... the leader of a band of outlaws who sings? ..... yeah!!

Nemo
Nemo

Thoreau - “Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake."
bluechien
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Location: Laurentia

Post by bluechien »

Could I please claim Eleonora?
Eva D
If we do meet again, why, we shall smile;
If not, why then, this parting was well made.
ChuckW
Posts: 3984
Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 7:47 am
Location: Ohio

Post by ChuckW »

Oh, yowza! What a productive night! So much happened while I was sleeping. Thank you all so much! :-)
bluechien wrote:Could I please claim Eleonora?
She's yours! Thanks! :-)
NemoR wrote:I'd like to claim Franko please .... the leader of a band of outlaws who sings? ..... yeah!!

Nemo
Haha. Yeah, Franko is great. Thanks for the claim. Do you think you'll be singing the song or chanting?
Kitty wrote:Gothic romantic ! Can't resist. Now that the Castle Spectre is done, I can help with DPL here again, if you'd like to have me again, Chuck. :)

Also I don't know the play, but I think I'd go for Cathrina, the maid to Orra, if that's all right.

Sonia
Thank you sooooo much, Sonia. I'm so happy to be working with you again. :-)

And Cathrina is a great character. You pretty much spend the entire play unwittingly feeding into Orra's paranoia.

(And don't worry -- nobody knows this play. Baillie's works were extremely popular in the 19th century, but not so much in the 21st. She's only now being rediscovered and her books republished. Valancourt Press recently put together a really cool collection of all her gothic dramas.)
WiltedScribe wrote:Oh man, so many roles to choose from. :shock: I'd love to claim a role, but I'm not sure which one would best suit me. :hmm: I can play a character of any age, I suppose, though my natural voice would suit someone younger. Any recommendations, Chuck, since this is your project?
Thanks Tomas. I'd love for you to take over a role. As for what's available... it all depends on what you're looking for. There are two major male roles that might be of interest: Theobald and Rudigere. Theobald is the heroic lover type who spends most of the play trying to rescue her from her exile. Rudigere, meanwhile, is a straight-up villain: a real jerk who splits his time between scheming against Orra and seducing her... all while cruelly gaslighting her, of course.

There are also some smaller roles, if you're more interested in taking a supporting role. Glottenbal is the character whose spurned advances toward Orra set off the whole horrible chain of events. Hartman and Maurice are other potential suitors, the latter of which who unwittingly aids Rudigere. And Urston is a monk. :-)

Did I get everyone? Is there anyone I missed?
PROJECTS
Current Solo:Septimius Felton (Hawthorne's final novel)
Help Needed: Strange Interlude (O'Neill's Freudian melodrama - roles available!)
Kitty
LibriVox Admin Team
Posts: 38921
Joined: March 28th, 2014, 5:57 am

Post by Kitty »

ChuckW wrote:And Cathrina is a great character. You pretty much spend the entire play unwittingly feeding into Orra's paranoia.
yes that's what I gathered as well :mrgreen: I think that might be fun
Theobald is the heroic lover type who spends most of the play trying to rescue her from her exile. Rudigere, meanwhile, is a straight-up villain: a real jerk who splits his time between scheming against Orra and seducing her... all while cruelly gaslighting her, of course.
if you want my opinion, Tomas, I much prefer you in the role of the villain. I adored your mean streak in Paul Jones 8-)

Sonia
I will be on vacation from Wednesday 27 March till Sunday 14 April
and unable to PL during that time. Thank you for your patience.
NemoR
Posts: 2520
Joined: February 27th, 2017, 1:48 pm
Location: The Present

Post by NemoR »

ChuckW wrote:
NemoR wrote:I'd like to claim Franko please .... the leader of a band of outlaws who sings? ..... yeah!!

Nemo
Haha. Yeah, Franko is great. Thanks for the claim. Do you think you'll be singing the song or chanting?
Since they are sitting around a fire drinking and it mentions a song, I think I'll go ahead and give it a good hearty drinking song try ...you know, the kind when you are sitting in the pub with your mates! :D

Nemo
Nemo

Thoreau - “Our truest life is when we are in dreams awake."
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