Ever wonder what kind of sound a dragon's scales make — or how long it takes to complete a Radio Theatre production when the actors have finished their vocal work? Here are some fun facts about the making of Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

WHO'S WHO

Mouse Hunt

How do you find someone to play the part of a gallant, noble and fearless mouse?

Reepicheep is one of the best-loved characters in all of Narnia. So the Radio Theatre creative team decided to hunt for an actor who would, first and foremost, capture the essence of Reepicheep's spirit. If he could sound like a mouse — even better!

After considering many possibilities, the team members found themselves delighted with a test made by one of Radio Theatre's most versatile and accomplished actors. Robert Benfiled has appeared in several of our productions over the years — but nobody knew how well he could portray this chivalrous mouse!

Keeping Up with the Joneses

A splendid cameo role as Governor Gumpas features the unmistakable voice of distinguished British actor Freddie Jones. He is the latest in a long line of Joneses — none of them related. Paul Jones played Tarkaan in "The Horse and His Boy." In the same production, Peter Jones portrayed the kind and gentle hermit. And be sure to listen for Milton Jones in "The Last Battle"!

SOUND EFFECTS

The sound of the dragon shedding its scales is comprised of several different elements: the ripping of beef ribs with a hunting knife, tearing of a pineapple, and the slashing of a honeydew melon, mixed with the sound of falling pineapples, leaves and pistachio nutshells.

Q: What do a Duffer's footsteps sound like?

A: A rubber mallet and plumber's helper synchronized together. An earthquake rumble was mixed underneath the "footsteps" to emphasize the sheer number of Duffers on the move.

Sound effects for the dragon's treasure were created from three grab bags of jewelry (and a very old silver cup) purchased at the local thrift store, along with one hundred dollar coins (By the way, stepping on earring posts with your bare feet is a very painful experience).

MUSIC

The music score for the islands is built around Gustav Holst's suite, "The Planets." Each island is represented by a different planet in the composition.

PUTTIN' IT ALL TOGETHER

Dawn Treader's production process encompassed almost a full year.