One of the most famous radio broadcasts of all time happened on October 30, 1938.
Orson Welles, just 23 years old, and his Mercury Theater Company convinced many Americans that Martians had invaded with their radio adaption of H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds.
It’s a reminder of the power of a radio performance, and it’s something that Joseph Zettelmaier wants to bring to audiences in Michigan.
Zettelmaier’s Roustabout Theatre Troupe is going around Southeast Michigan bringing creepy, spooky, old-time radio plays to audiences so people can see the actors and see how the sound effects are made.
And, in keeping with the fact that it’s almost Halloween, they’re calling it The Dark Ride Radio Hour.
According to Zettelmaier, The Dark Ride Radio Hour is full of "All sorts of fun stuff."
"It's a collection of four different radio dramas, all horror-themed, and they're all about different sorts of things," he said. "We have one set in the Civil War, we have one set in the middle of a snow storm in the Upper Peninsula, one set in the Christmas era during 1977 and one of them is set in a creepy cabin in the woods."
Watch one of the performances they did for Stateside below (or listen above for the genuine radio experience):
The Roustabout Theatre Troupe will be at Livonia’s Trinity House Theatre this Friday, October 21, doing The Dark Ride Radio Hour.
Details are on their website.
You can hear our full conversation with Zettelmaier below.
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