When an ensemble of Oswego Players take the stage to recreate Orson Welles’1938 Martian invasion of Earth they will be doing more than just offering a great Halloween-eve’s bit of entertainment; they will be raising funds for the next generation of Theater and Writing students.
The “Two Tales of Terror” combination of “The War of the Worlds” and “The Monkey’s Paw” will run as a one-night-only event on Monday, October 30, 2023 – the 85th anniversary of the original CBS Mercury Theatre radio program. Curtain time is 7 PM on stage at the Frances Marion Brown Theater at Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY. Tickets are $10 a piece and may be obtained by calling the box office at 315-343-5138 or visiting the Oswego Players’ website at https://oswegoplayers.org/tickets.
This special addition to the Players’ 85th–anniversary season is being presented as a benefit, with all proceeds going to help fund the organization’s annual scholarship programs, which yearly gives awards to college-bound Oswego County High School Seniors intent on studying Theatrical and English Writing Arts. The programs are named for and honor the memory of two Oswego Players members: Lawrence E. Rose and Marion Green.
“Larry Rose and Marion Green were dedicated members of the Oswego Players. The Oswego Players honors these two gifted members every year by giving out a scholarship to a high school senior in their name,” Players president Norman Berlin, III said.
Rose was described as a “jack of all trades”; he could build sets, create props, stage manage, and run sound effects. He contributed his varied skills on-stage as well as off in numerous Oswego Players productions. He had a magnetic, charming personality which he employed to great effect on the Frances Marion Brown stage.
Green was a true patron of the Oswego Players. For over 40 years, she and her mother, Gladys Whalen, never missed a Players production. She also wrote reviews of Players’ productions for the Oswego Palladium-Times. Her prose sought to highlight the strengths of each production.
The scholarships are for $250 each, which makes the October 30 event a crucial part of raising funds not only for the 2024 scholars, but for the future as well.
“If we can pack the house for our ‘Convergence’ of entertainment and fundraising, we can make the scholarship funds go a long way,” William Edward White, the director and organizer of the special event said.
For more information on the scholarship programs, to apply, and also to donate, visit the Oswego Players page at https://oswegoplayers.org/about/scholarships.
“The War of the Worlds: The 1938 Radio Script” by Howard Koch is presented by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.
PICTURE CAPTION:
Lawrence E. “Larry” Rose and Marion Green, the namesakes for the yearly scholarship programs offered by the Oswego Players to college-bound Oswego County High School Seniors looking to study Theater and English Language Arts. The Players will be raising funds for the programs with their “War of the Worlds” 85th-Anniversary special event taking place on Monday, October 30 at 7PM at the Frances Marion Brown Theater at Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY