BY CHELSEA ALEAGA, Staff Reporter 

Central Theatre Ensemble is taking its talents to the stage in a non-traditional way by performing two radio plays this year instead of one. Members of the theatre department are taking an older form of entertainment and making it their own.

The first act will be “Dick Tracy and the Big Top Murders,” a murder-mystery. The second act will be “Princess O’Hara,” a lighthearted comedy.

Radio plays are what people would entertain themselves with before television was invented. They feature animated voices, songs and dramatic sound effects, but the imagination of the listener is what’s so unique about the art form.

“I wanted to bring back the past, reminding people radio shows are interesting, fun and entertaining dynamic,” Michael Smith, the play’s director and theatre professor, said.

The layout of the show is simple. Each actor has their own microphone and performs his or her role standing still, as if the audience isn’t even there-thus creating the illusion that they are performing in the privacy of a radio station.

Freshman Jake Sapp, theater design and production major, creates all the sound effects behind them.

Sapp uses a technique called foley sound. He uses items like coconut shells to imitate the sound of horse hooves.

“It was a challenge finding the right items to use to make the sound effects seem realistic,” Sapp said. “But this is the first time here at Central I get to showcase my work. I’m really excited about that.”

Stage manager and senior theatre major Holly Lofgren is confident in running the show, considering it is the thirteenth one she has run since attending Central.

“It’s such a fun show to run,” Lofgren said. “The songs, production and the 1940s feel is what makes this show so authentic.”

Since the actors are not physically performing the plays, their voice acting is put to the test. Lead actress and senior musical theater major Whitney Ward plays Tess Trueheart, Dick Tracy’s love interest. Ward has learned the voice holds a lot of power in acting.

“The voice is everything in these plays,” Ward said. “Having to base acting off of just words is challenging, but the audience is hearing the performance how it’s meant to be heard.”

Acting in such an authentic play, Ward  appreciates older generations of acting.

“Radio plays were the first form of entertainment to reach the masses before the television. It’s such a classic way to entertain,” Ward said.

In Princess O’Hara,  Ward stars as the mom in a Cheerio’s commercial. Sources of entertainment were hugely different along with the language they used.

“My role in the Cheerio’s commercial is so funny to me,” said Ward. “I play a chipper, wholesome mom who uses phrases like ‘Gosh Golly!’ It’s so funny to me.”

Lead actor, Paul Bugallo, senior performance major, finds different challenges on the stage.

“I’m generally not a singer, so these plays are a bit challenging for me,” Bugallo said.

Besides the minor set-back of not normally singing, his lead roll as Dick Tracy really makes him feel more connected to the other actors on stage than any other play he’s done.

“We can’t move away from the mics, so voice acting and connecting on stage like that is really cool,” Bugallo said. “This play is just as much acting as any other play, if not more since we have to put every bit of acting into our voices.”

The double-feature will also include a pre-show and intermission entertainment of songs from past generation spanning over 50 years.

The entire night is filled with an authentic blast from the past type of entertainment. The young talents in the theatre department are excited to exhibit what they’ve been working on all quarter.

“It’s on Valentine’s day, so bring a date,” Ward said.

Performances will be Feb. 13, 14, and 15 in McConnell Auditorium starting at 7 p.m. each night.