Friday, October 30: War of the Worlds and The Lost World
Science fiction fans and lovers of old-time radio shows, take note. L.A. Theatre Works, America’s premiere radio theatre company, comes to Staller Center‘s Main Stage on Friday, October 30, at 8:00 pm for a special back-to-back double bill of chills, thrills, and great literature as they present two masterpieces of science fiction and adventure: War of the Worlds and The Lost World.
Veteran actors of sci-fi TV shows, (Star Trek, Law and Order, The Mentalist) as well as stage and screen, will take the stage, giving the audience the experience and excitement of a live radio broadcast. Star Trek alum John de Lancie (Q, the omniscient alien) is directing the superb team of actors, who will be in costume for this trip back in time. Tom Virtue (Star Trek Voyager, 7th Heaven), Josh Clark (Heroes, Star Trek Voyager, ER, and LA Law), Kyle Colerider-Krugh (Third Rock from the Sun, ER) and stage actors Kenneth Alan Williams, Peter McDonald, Diane Adair, and Kate Steele are in the cast.
Old-Time Radio Recreated
“On the night before Halloween, Friday, October 30, L.A. Theatre Works recreates H.G. Wells’ War of the Worlds exactly 71 years from the very date that the 1938 radio broadcast was made,” said Staller Center Director Alan Inkles. “Orson Welles’ presentation was so convincing that the broadcast threw the country into a panic when listeners thought a real invasion from outer space was taking place.”
Recreating the breathless pace and convincing details of Orson Welles’ infamous radio broadcast, L.A. Theatre Works makes it clear why War of the Worlds is truly the mother of all space invasions. Originally performed by Welles’ Mercury Theatre of the Air on Halloween Eve, the 1938 live 60-minute broadcast of an “eyewitness report” of an invasion from Mars caused a nationwide panic. This fascinating piece still resonates today as concerns swirl around our environment, protecting our borders, and UFO sightings.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s campy adventure The Lost World follows a scientific expedition deep into the Amazon jungle and back in time. Cut off from the outside world on a primeval plateau, the fearless explorers discover a place where dinosaurs have evolved beside ape-men, and the fate of the human race hangs in the balance. From riding the rapids to dodging whizzing arrows, The Lost World will take you on a fantastic ride.
Tickets are $34, with discounts available for students and seniors. Tickets are half-price for children ages 12 and under. Order online at www.stallercenter.com or call the Staller Center Box Office at 632-2787.
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