Radio Players to present Halloween show

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The Good Humor Radio Players will present “The IceScream Halloween Show” at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday at the Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St., downtown.

The show features live voice actors performing a radio play on old-time microphones. The show includes live sound effects and music.

The troupe is a project of the Youngstown State University communication and theater departments.

This weeks’s performances are free, but tickets must be secured in advance by calling the University Theatre box office at 330-941-3105.

During the 1930s and 1940s, American radio networks perfected the radio drama through a variety of half-hour show that included “Inner Sanctum,” “Fibber McGee and Molly,” “The Shadow” and “The Lone Ranger.”

“Audience members are invited to see the story only in their imaginations,” said Fred Owens, communications professor at YSU and a director of the troupe.

“Like the theater convention of stage hands being ‘invisible’ during blackouts, audio drama actors and their equipment are supposed to be ‘invisible’ during performance. Of course, because normal room lighting is always on, the audience can watch the performance if they want to.”

Two scripts will be performed at this week’s shows: “The Ghost Behind the Black Door” by Roger Gregg, and “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving.

Gregg is a Youngstown native who produces audio drama for RTE, the national broadcasting service of Ireland.

He has written plays for Crazy Dog Theatre, Dublin Youth Theatre, The American National Audio Theatre Festival, Graffiti Theatre, and The Gaiety School of Acting.

His stage and radio plays have been produced by companies in Ireland, Germany, Canada, America and Australia, and he has performed as a voice actor in scores of commercials and animations.

He is currently recording his role “Glarg” for Disney’s animation series “Space Chickens.”

Limited free parking is available on Tyler History Center’s west side lot. For information, call 330-941-2307.

If You Go

What: “The IceScream Halloween Show”

When: 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday

Where: Tyler History Center, 325 W. Federal St., Youngstown

Tickets: Free but must be reserved; call 330-941-3105