Serious Theater Revives 1938 Panic: 'War of the Worlds' Broadcast Reenactment in TD
War of the Worlds 1938 Broadcast
From Serious Theater:
By Garry M. Estep
The Dalles, Ore. October 5, 2023 - On October 30, 1938, Halloween, The Mercury Theater on the Air presented a radio show in the format of newscasts and musical entertainment. Most listeners tuning in missed the introductory presentation and thus believed that they were indeed listening to emergency newscasts about cylinders from Mars falling on the Earth. Mass panic ensued with anxious phone calls to police, newspaper offices, and radio stations; as reports of mass stampedes, of suicides.
Serious Theater is recreating this infamous broadcast of The War of the Worlds. Join our studio audience as we take you back to the 1930s as we turn our stage into a radio station. Watch how Kelly Brown creates sound effects and listens to live music by Garry Estep. Be thrilled by Linda Pyles, Janelle Child, Susan Vallie, Larry Slemp, Ken Matley, and Neil Hass as they bring the story to life.
Our stage is in Sawyer Hall at Zion Lutheran Church located at the corner of 10th and Union Streets in The Dalles. Showtimes are Friday, October 13th at 7:00 P.M., Saturday, October 14th at 7:00 P.M., and Sunday, October 15th at 2:00 P.M. Admission is free; donations are accepted.
This production is sponsored by the Oregon Community Foundation.
