Parson’s Nose Theatre in Pasadena will continue to use the radio format this season to present American melodrama classics, even with live, in-person productions resuming.
The local theater discovered the radio format connected with audiences and vibrantly brought the classics to life last year after in-person performances had to be canceled because of the pandemic. With the help of a sound engineer and their accomplished theatre artists, Parson’s Nose started their Radio Theatre series and produced a good number of shows radio-style. These are now available online on Spotify and other platforms.
“We had so much fun, and accomplished so much – how else could a theater produce 45 works? We’ve decided to keep the ‘radio show’ format, even if we go back to full productions,” said Lance Davis, artist director at Parson’s Nose Theatre. “Through radio podcasts, we can bring a comedy like Chekhov’s ‘The Boor’ to Aunt Tillie in Schenectady or a kid sitting in bed in Baltimore. It’s a magical form of theater we used to know in America. We’re bringing it back.”
Because they are a small theater troupe, Davis said they were able to adapt to the limitations brought about by COVID-19 and decided to start with the radio format.
“Sixteen years of touring has its benefits,” he said. “So we immediately got started on a project we’d thought about but never tried: turning our bare-bones Readers’ Theater Series – with just actors, audience and script on a bare stage – into a radio show not unlike Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater in the 1940s. We went to Dave Bennett, a successful sound engineer, who took us through recording actors remotely, editing and producing podcast radio drama, available for free, 24/7, on iTunes, Spotify and our website.”
They started with five episodes of “Wind in the Willows” in Davis’ adaptation, then spent last year producing a total of 45 episodes, from Hans Anderson to Shakespeare, to Kathrine Kressmann Taylor. They were also able to put together an hour-long version of their “Christmas Carol” reading.
“We discovered a new way to fulfill our mission – making classic works familiar to everyone,” Davis said.
For this season, Davis said they’ve recorded Dion Boucicault’s 19th Century “Streets of New York,” adapted as “Streets of Pasadena,” which will feature actual audience reactions apart from the dialogue by actors onstage. At the same time, a podcast of the show will be launched, sweetened by the live audience. The podcast will also be available to the public on Art Night, Davis said.
“Streets of Pasadena” will open on Oct. 2 and run through Oct. 10.
Also in October, the theater will produce a new play by award-winning playwright Rachel Carnes, then another live performance and podcast combo for Halloween: “Bump in the Night,” which features “The Cask of Amontillado,” “The Devil and Daniel Webster” and “The Shadow.”
In November, Parson’s Nose will have a new-play workshop offered by resident playwright Hoyt Hilsman, then a live theater/podcast combo of Joseph Jefferson’s 19th Century melodrama “Rip Van Winkle.” The fall season will conclude with a reading of “A Christmas Carol,” David said.
As the theater returns to performances – including Radio Theater – before live audiences, they will be requiring proof of vaccination for attendance at the theater, and masks will be required for all audience members.
For tickets to “Streets of Pasadena,” visit www.tix.com/ticket-sales/tix/
For more information about Radio Theater and to listen to some of the episodes produced since last year, visit www.parsonsnose.org/press-
