Radio plays set to hit the air this weekend
By Rob Vogt
Radio plays have a rich history in the world of entertainment, dating back to the early days of radio broadcasting when families would gather around their radios to listen to captivating stories unfold through sound.
An online radio station in Nanton wants to re-capture some of that old magic.
Better yet, they will be using theatre groups from the surrounding area.
According to a media release, the Nanton Community Broadcasting Association; operating as The HUB – Nanton Radio or “the HUB”, is a local online radio station available at nantonradio.ca.
It said it is about to captivate audiences with its innovative approach to entertainment by producing 1950/60s style radio plays.
These radio plays, each 30 minutes long, showcase the talents of actors from four local theatre groups – Chinook Singers and Players in Nanton; SUCH Drama in Stavely; the Claresholm Arts Society; and Windmill Theatre Players in High River.
The debut of these live radio plays will take place on Sunday, April 7, from 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. then re-run every Sunday at the same time for the rest of the month.
A new radio play will be produced at the beginning of every month and be re-run for the rest of that month.
By collaborating with these theatre groups, “the HUB” not only celebrates local talent but also fosters a sense of community spirit and collaboration within the artistic community of Southern Alberta.
The radio plays produced by “the HUB” and written by each theatre group showcase a comedy series for all ages that focus on a rural schoolhouse and the crazy antics the students get up to. The teacher characters are loosely based on real-life educators at various school houses between the collaborating communities.
“We are thrilled to partner with such talented theatre groups from our local communities,” said David Gale, program director at “the HUB”. “These collaborations not only showcase the incredible acting talent we have in our region but also highlight the power of storytelling through the medium of radio. We know that these radio plays will open a plethora of opportunities from development of talent to the promotion of live theatre productions held in each community.”
The concept of bringing back radio plays on “the HUB” has not gone unnoticed, with audiences praising the station for its creativity and commitment to providing unique and engaging content.
Through these productions, “the HUB” continues to strengthen its position as a leading source of entertainment and cultural enrichment in the Nanton area and beyond.
Listeners can tune in to “the HUB” by visiting the website at nantonradio.ca or installing the apps on their iphone or android devices to experience these radio plays and immerse themselves in the world of audio storytelling like never before.