The Truth Object Piece
Mar 19, 2026
Eric/Erik Bowersfeld, pioneering radio dramatist who created and performed in Object Piece. Randy Thom, award-winning film sound designer who cut his teeth recording the piece. They discuss a 1978 location-recorded radio drama made in a dried lake bed. The conversation covers the tense performed story, the bold choice to record on location, and the gritty technical and live-sound decisions that shaped its power.
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Host's Personal Link To Bowersfeld's Work
- Jonathan Mitchell recounts learning about Bowersfeld through faculty recommendation while producing his own location-recorded thesis at Mills College.
- Despite initial timidity, Mitchell later accessed Object Piece via Neil Verma and studied Bowersfeld's influence on location drama.
Writing To Let The Environment Hijack The Play
- Drury Pfeiffer wrote Object Piece after frustration producing studio plays; he intentionally made a script that embraced environmental contingencies.
- The play's premise guaranteed that any birds, cars, or interruptions would simply become part of the piece.
Randy Thom's Start From Radio To Apocalypse Now
- Randy Thom began his career recording radio plays with Eric Bowersfeld and used those skills to transition into film sound on Apocalypse Now.
- Thom credits working on Object Piece as an influence on his cinematic approach and later work at Skywalker and Lucasfilm.