Feature Article Star Wars: The Original Radio Drama Written By Brian Daley Published By: National Public Radio and Lucasfilm Ltd.   By Melissa Minners               When I was a kid, I remember waking up very early in the morning so I could listen to a radio station on the AM dial of my transistor radio.  My goal - to listen to the radio dramatization of my favorite movie, Star Wars.  When I talk to people about National Public Radio and Lucasfilm Ltd’s thirteen part radio drama, they look at me as if I am insane.  They certainly don’t remember it, but I sure do - the excitement of listening to my favorite movie translated into a new media form with extra added scenes.  I remember it like it was yesterday.             Adapted from the original film by writer Brian Daley and directed by John Madden, Star Wars: The Original Radio Drama first aired in 1981 and featured music by John Williams and sound design by Ben Burtt.  Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels reprised their roles as Luke Skywalker and C-3PO, respectively.  Joining them were Ann Sachs as Princess Leia, Perry King as Han Solo, Bernard Behrens as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Brock Peters as Darth Vader and Keene Curtis as Grand Moff Tarkin.  The drama was broken down into thirteen 30-minute segments with titles like A Wind to Shake the Stars, Points of Origin, The Han Solo Solution and Jedi Nexus.             I remember sitting in rapturous awe as I listened to this reworked version of Star Wars which contained scenes that were never in the film and offered some explanation toward character behavior.  I was taken on a journey to Ralltiir, a world in a rebellious struggle with the Empire.  It is here that a young and naïve Princess Leia first learns of the Death Star.  I was whisked away to Tatooine where Luke Skywalker raced his T-16 Skyhopper through Beggar's Canyon.  I was there when Luke witnessed the battle between the Devastator and Tantive IV and rushed off to tell his friends.  I was also there when  Biggs and Luke were reunited and Biggs told Luke he was joining the Rebellion.  I even got to witness the interrogation of Princess Leia.  These were scenes I had never experienced before.  Not only were these scenes new and exciting, but they bring some clarity to certain aspects of the storyline.             Mark Hamill and Anthony Daniels were born to play their respective roles in the Star Wars saga, but the other actors had some rather large shoes to fill.  Ann Sachs did a rather credible job as Princess Leia, but she’s no Carrie Fisher.  There were even times during the radio drama that I cringed, knowing that Sachs’ over dramatization of scenes in which she was worried or in pain were out of character for the tough as nails Princess Leia.  Bernard Behrens was perfect as Obi-Wan Kenobi.  One could actually believe that he had played this role before.  Brock Peters was adequate as Darth Vader, but, let’s face it, there is no one with a voice like James Earl Jones.  The biggest disappointment was Perry King as Han Solo.  He just wasn’t very believable as the smuggler pilot turned rebel.             I can remember how this radio drama allowed me to relive scenes from the movie and forced me to use my imagination to picture what was going on in the scenes specifically created for the radio drama.  I look back fondly at the memory of listening to Star Wars: The Original Radio Drama on my transistor radio, my father coming into the room and asking what I was doing up so early on the weekend as I hushed him during some pivotal moment in the drama.  I remember thinking how interesting Star Wars was in every form of media it presented itself.  I was so captivated by the storyline and its characters, that I bought every toy I could, read every comic book, watched everything that even mentioned Star Wars (including the Holiday Special), owned shirts displaying scenes from the film, had Star Wars posters on my wall and owned the trading cards.  The radio show was just one more interesting addition to all of the various forms of Star Wars entertainment out there and I’m fortunate enough to have experienced it first-hand.   For feedback, visit our message board or e-mail the author at talonkarrde@g-pop.net.