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All photos by David Diloreto
By Melissa Aguilar |
The 1940s provoke a sense of reminiscence, of a time when all Americans on the home front rallied together in the face of war.
UP’s production of the musical The 1940s Radio Hour transports the audience back to the nostalgic era, while offering a unique glimpse behind the scenes of a radio show.
The show begins subtly, with a few actors running around making preparations while the house lights are still on.
The audience remains a part of the live audience for the New York radio station WOV’s Dec. 21, 1942 broadcast. Signs remind audience members the production is on air and encourage applause.
Just when you think there is enough chaos, another six actors burst on to the stage, one of which is seceded by the flash of camera bulbs and girls’ high pitched squealing.
This man is none other than Johnny Cantone, the Frank Sinatra-esque character played by senior Theater and Communication Studies major Michael Rexroat.
Rexroat is using this production to fulfill his Theater capstone.
“Watching other people has been great, watching the process of other people trying to take on these characters in the '40s has been really helpful to me, as an actor,” Rexroat said. “That’s a big takeaway, I always enjoy working with other people.”
In addition to all the actors, the Zoot Doubleman Orchestra performs on stage, bringing lively jazz tunes and heart-felt ballads to life.
Interspersed among all the song and dance numbers, some of the actors perform old fashioned advertisements for everything from laxatives to moon pies.
As the production takes place near Christmas, there is even a segment of A Christmas Carol performed. The snippet is representative of the type of serialized radio dramas also popular at the time.
Director and Costume Designer Gregory Pulver said this show can serve to remind contemporary audiences of a time when Americans had a shared sense of patriotism. He talked about how citizens supported the decision to go to war, and then continued to support soldiers when they returned home.
“We’ve come so far from that beautiful, sweet period in our American history,” Pulver said. “Where we just believed in ourselves and we believed in the prosperity of people as opposed to the disparity of people.”
In one scene, Ann Collier, played by Katie May, reads letters to loved ones overseas. She wishes the best for all those Jims, Joes and Bills out there fighting on behalf of American citizens. The show reminds us while that kind of sentiment is often forgotten today, it is no less important than it was years ago.
Rexroat added that aside from being an entertaining show, it offers an encouraging message for both the characters’ personal problems as well as for modern audiences.
“Things don’t always go well, there’s war, there’s poverty, there’s a lot of social issues and political issues in the world but there’s always hope.”
Melissa Aguilar is a reporter for The Beacon. She can be reached at aguilarm16@up.edu.
