Sputnik Satellite Radio Show. STAGE MUSICAL Story Outline Act 1

Act One. WNYK 1150 AM Radio. Take a trip back to the height of US/Soviet cold war and dawn of the space race. Sputnik Satellite Radio Show is an all original Musical Dramedy (partially fictitious) checking the pulse of the Sputnik event in late 1950's USA. The story spins a feel good dramedy around The Sputnik Moment (that did nothing. yet changed everything) and the unlikely friendship which developed between Nick Nicolas 3rd. Bygone era big band singer turned radio DJ and the rookie news anchor Tracy Albright . The story morphs from Nicks financial failure through the Sputnik world changing event into the rising star of Tracy Albright. Celebrity talk show host of WNYK 1150 AM Radio.

Sputnik Satellite Radio Show. Season One

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
Let's see it.

(00:07):
Nick, 1150 radio.
Sputnik Satellite Radio Show, The Musical.
Written and narrated by Blair Hebert.
Copyright Grind and Mix Productions 2023.
Story Outline, Act One.

(00:27):
The timeline begins October 1st, 1957.
Nick Nicholas III is a bygone era big band singer, turned radio DJ at the crossroad of his career.
Blessed with a big singing and radio announcer voice, Nick developed his personal brand with
hard work and a big show host personality.

(00:47):
Nick, along with his business partner, operator, engineer Daryl Ang, run a small town radio
station near the US-Canadian border, where during the late 1940s they managed to acquire
the FCC radio call letters N-I-C-K.
The old school radio show call letters are Nick, 1150 AM Radio.

(01:09):
The radio format only spins big band swing, jump blues, torch ballads and boogie woogie
from the 1930s, 40s and early 50s.
During the mid 50s, young listeners start calling in requests for Elvis, Johnny Cash,
and Bill Haley's Rock Around the Clock.
Nick can't stand Bill Haley or rock and roll.

(01:33):
While taking requests from teenagers live on air, he seems to get pleasure from dismissing
them and their music.
This stubborn attitude is a losing formula for the station, as he watches his demographics
disappear.
Nick has invested all his time, energy and money into his beloved Jazz Record Collection
and the small town AM radio station.

(01:56):
As he watches his music style and life's work draw little interest from a dwindling
household audience, now hooked on television, he finds himself in a downward spiral.
Nick is in a financial crisis.
Watching his ratings fall and advertising dollars leave the station, many are leaving
radio airtime altogether, preferring to advertise on TV.

(02:20):
His frustration is watching the economy boom, yet for him income is dwindling.
The bank is about to call in a past due loan and Nick is in default with no cash to pay
staff or the bank.
Ignoring the elephant in the room, Nick hides the truth from his staff and secretly hopes

(02:41):
for the great radio revival.
With all the new affordable 57 Chevy's on the market boasting AM radios, he still has
a chance to resurface.
If only he can land a large auto manufacturer to advertise on daily rotation, he will rise
again in the new radio market, perhaps expand into a syndication of stations, anything is

(03:05):
possible, like a roll of the dice as far as he's concerned.
He's got all the plans, but no idea how to get there.
With loads of faith and little imagination, he's got a narrow focus on old school jazz
and only one major advertising client, the Cadillac brand.

(03:31):
By midday October 1st, 1957, the bottom drops out of Nick's world when his staff walks out
due to missed back pay and current wages.
Everybody leaves the station, including Nick's long time business partner, Daryl Lange, who
can no longer take the strain.
Unbeknownst to Nick as a parting gift, Daryl tosses him a rescue line in a time of need.

(03:55):
A young awkward rookie female wannabe news reporter named Tracy Albright.
She will work for free if she gets to read the hourly news.
After an awkward entrance and introduction, right off the bat, Tracy makes her first big
mistake, presenting herself to Nick as an equal.

(04:16):
To Nick, she's just a kid with a puffed up ego and misguided ideas about updating the
format to rock and roll to boost ratings as if she knows best.
Nick is baffled by her brazen and liberal attitude.
As he is prone to do when he gets upset, he judges her by her attitude and her attire.

(04:36):
He finds her not particularly attractive, dressed in blue jeans like a tomboy.
She's easily distracted and most irritating, professes a love of rock and roll.
Hardly top drawer radio talent.
During the interview, there's little spark between Nick and Tracy.
Although he intends to give her the opportunity, he'd rather he didn't have to.

(04:59):
On the flip side, Tracy grew up listening to Nick 1150 radio and believes in Nick.
She also believes the station will become great again and she's there to help.
Leaning back in his chair, Nick brags that his station will be number one on the dial
of every car in range of his massive broadcast pattern and he plans to get Cadillac as his

(05:20):
key sponsor.
In an awkward attempt to relate, Tracy responds, well what a coincidence.
I have a fantasy of making out with a dude in a Cadillac with the radio playing.
Nick stares at her blankly.
The disconnect is mind bending and he awkwardly changes the subject.

(05:44):
Tracy is oblivious to the inappropriate goofy confession but senses the interview is going
south so she plays her trump card.
Because she still lives at home, she's willing to work at the station for no pay to gain
experience and radio exposure.
Nick wisely agrees to this and gives her a list of daily tasks.

(06:05):
Number one, she gets in early.
Two, makes coffee.
Three, compiles scripts for the day.
Four, organizes next day.
Five, picks up the mail, answers the phone, takes messages.
Six, reads the hourly news slot on air.
Nick would send her away if he could but couldn't afford to replace her.

(06:26):
When this happens, the Russians are coming?
CBS television presents a special report on Sputnik 1, the Soviet space satellite.
Douglas Edwards reporting.
Until two days ago, that sound had never been heard on this earth.
Suddenly it has become as much a part of 20th century life as the horror of your vacuum

(06:49):
cleaner.
It's a report from man's farthest frontier, the radio signal transmitted by the Soviet
Sputnik.
The first man-made satellite is it passed over New York earlier today.
October the 4th, 1957, at 728 p.m., the Soviets launch the Sputnik satellite into

(07:11):
Earth's orbit.
U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower and the Pentagon go into red alert and U.S. citizens
are in shock, glued to the radio, expecting the worst.
All over the U.S., folks are spinning the radio dial, looking for the latest news on
the Sputnik spy satellite.
Tracy experiences an increase in calls from listeners looking for information.

(07:35):
She records phone calls and takes notes of personal tales and strange events in the sky.
Soon she gets caught up in the moment and takes it upon herself to announce and echo
on air the wacky call-in stories, unfiltered, no matter how strange or unbelievable.
Like magic, the switchboard lights up with new listeners calling in.

(07:59):
Nick is taken aback by her efforts to spin the story with drama, including Hillbilly
News stories.
And he begins answering the phone to calm people down.
But he quickly sees that audience numbers are going up with new and renewed listeners.
For more stories, Tracy begins trolling the airwaves, gathering any current news she can

(08:19):
find on the event.
The phone lines light up nonstop as listeners call in with wild tales of a Russian invasion
and commie spies lurking everywhere.
Tracy takes to interviewing locals and creates a fantastic web of stories that hook and prompt
listeners to call in.

(08:39):
Nick is alarmed at the crazy home-spun stories being broadcast from Nick 1150 Radio.
But he also is energized to see revenue coming in as ad agencies and car dealerships start
competing for prime AAA spots during the news hour.
Nick is over the moon and makes a call to General Motors hoping he can score the elusive

(09:00):
Cadillac brand.
Although Nick is repulsed by the unverified news items, he realizes that Tracy's fake
news bites sell radio airtime.
When Tracy rebuts with,
It's not really fake news, it's more like alternative facts.
Ha ha ha ha, yeah nice try.

(09:20):
What a ridiculous idea.
By the closing of the first act, the audience can see the rising star of the show.
Tracy Albright, rookie reporter, teddy girl from small town Midwest, sharp as a tack,
saying dumb when convenient, she is the perfect host for a call in talk show on Nick 1150
Radio.
Tracy's charm is a magnet, prompting listeners to call in daily.

(09:44):
She refers to these regulars as her Sputnik pod.
Tracy realizes simply by chance she is part of a major world event as the guts to broadcast
the pulse of the nation.
With no guidance or guidelines, she builds her on airtime into a national AAA radio talk
show.
End of act one.

(10:04):
This is Blair Hebert.
Thank you for listening to act one of the Sputnik satellite radio show, story outline.
All music is original, recorded and performed by Blair Hebert.
All rights reserved by Grine and Mix Productions 2023.