The infamous October night in 1938 that panicked millions of American radio listeners – convinced that a vanguard of Martians had invaded Earth – will come alive again as The Oswego Players proudly presents The Mercury Theatre’s version of “The War of the Worlds”.
The recreation of the legendary “panic broadcast” will run as a one night only event on Monday, October 30, 2023 – the 85th anniversary of the original CBS 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.
“Considering that both the Players and the 1938 Broadcast were having an 85th anniversary this year, it just seemed like a natural convergence to bring a little Martian invasion to Oswego for a good cause,” William Edward White, director of the event, said.
The Mercury Theatre script, adapted from H.G. Wells’ original 1898 novel, was penned by Howard Koch. Under the direction of Orson Welles, director and star of the Mercury Theatre, the play was structured so that it would sound like a live broadcast. As it unfolded, dance music was interrupted a number of times by bulletins reporting that a “huge flaming object” had dropped on a farm near Grovers Mill, New Jersey. The results were legendary. News reports of the time estimated that over 6 million people heard the broadcast, with up to 3 million people believing that it was real.
“The War of the Worlds” is part of a Halloween-eve “Two Tales of Terror” double-bill that includes White’s own adaptation of WW Jacobs’ “The Monkey’s Paw”, the original story about being careful what you wish for.
The production will be staged as an actual radio broadcast of the era, with actors dressed in period clothes, working with scripts in hand in front of studio microphones.
The evening’s ensemble cast includes the talents of: Inez Parker, Gina Mazzoli, Norman Berlin, Wayne Mosher, Jim Martin, Jay Merante, Michael A. Bolio, Josh Mumm, and Michael Moss Along with directing, William Edward White, will also be playing the iconic Orson Welles.
For White, taking on the Mercury Theatre broadcast is like spending time with an old friend. He was first introduced to the radio script in high school at WCSQ FM, the student-run radio station that was located in the Paul V. Moore High School in Central Square. He also directed a 75th–Anniversary recreation in 2013 while Artistic Director of Fulton Community Theatre.
“I have done a lot of Halloween productions, but this script is always like coming home,” White said.
“The War of the Worlds: The 1938 Radio Script” by Howard Koch is presented by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.
PICTURE CAPTION:
“THIS IS THE END NOW.” Cast members of The Oswego Players face the arrival of an invading army from the planet Mars for their upcoming production of “The War of the Worlds”, a staged recreation of the infamous 1938 Mercury Theatre “panic broadcast”. The Howard Koch play – which is being presented along with an adaptation of “The Monkey’s Paw” – will play as a one night only event on Monday, October 30, 2023 at 7 PM on stage at the Frances Marion Brown Theater at Fort Ontario in Oswego, NY. Pictured, from left are: Norman Berlin, Josh Mumm, and Michael Moss.