MORLS Summer Dates Announced

A 1940's radio, the dial is replaced with an image of the god, Pan. In the background are photos of Egyptian pyramids.

THE MYSTERIOUS OLD RADIO LISTENING SOCIETY
 ADDS DATES AND LOWERS TICKET PRICES FOR ONLINE SHOWS

Media Contact
Connie Shaver, shaver@parksquaretheatre.org 

Saint Paul, Minn., May 14, 2020 – After an exciting in-theatre launch earlier this year and now with two sold out online performances under their belt, The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society at Park Square Theatre is announcing new dates, new ticket prices and increasing the capacity of their virtual forays into old-time radio. With performances necessarily happening online for the foreseeable future, the Society has developed a rotation of lost episodes, original works and literary adaptions. Kicking off on Monday, June 15, the shows will feature live introductions and a post-show discussion along with pre-produced radio shows. “We’ve been seeing people dress up to come to the performances, they really get into it,” notes company member Joshua English Scrimshaw. “We’re thinking of sending out cocktails recipes for drinks featured in the shows, maybe have guest artists from around the country. We can do that now in this online world.”

Every month, the Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society revisits the greatest horror and suspense shows from the golden age of radio. Performed in the style of a classic radio broadcast, each show includes original commercials, eerie music and live sound effects. Asked why they are pre-recording the scripted part of the radio shows, company member Eric Webster commented, “it is taking us approximately five times longer to produce shows this way than it would to do them live, but at the end of the day it is a quality issue. We want to give patrons the best product possible and with the limitations of making a show through Zoom, we can make it so much better with editing.” The company relies heavily on the skills of an online technical specialist, Aaron Fiskradatz, perhaps one of busiest people working in Twin Cities theatre during the pandemic.

Having released lost episodes and original works in their spring shows, the June 15 performance will be the first to feature two never-before-heard audio plays adapted from the pages of classic literature, each presented in the format of a fictional old-time radio show. The first play will be “The Great God Pan” from The Weird Library, adapted by Tim Uren from the novella by Arthur Machen. Young Helen Vaughan is plagued by strange happenings and mysterious deaths. Is she the victim of tragic circumstances or the perpetrator of supernatural crimes? Second will be a classic mystery, “The Adventure of the Egyptian Tomb” from A Toast to Murder, adapted by Joshua English Scrimshaw from the short story by Agatha Christie. Belgian detective Hercule Poirot must abandon the logic of his little grey cells and embrace the power of superstition in order to break the terrible curse of Pharaoh Men-her-Ra!

The first two online dates were originally scheduled to be on Park Square’s Andy Boss Thrust Stage, locking in capacity and ticket prices, but with the new dates, built for the coronavirus normal, Park Square is able to increase the number of “seats” and is reducing the ticket price to $15. Ticket holders will be emailed the invitation to a Zoom meeting the morning of the show. “With so much that is uncertain in the world right now, Park Square is excited to be able to share entertaining, meaningful and innovative experiences with a national, and even international audience,” says Park Square’s executive director Michael-jon Pease. The company’s breakout Zoom production of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK was heralded as “the first Zoom coup de theatre” by the Wall Street Journal and has been streamed from St. Paul to Singapore.

Members of The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society include local theatrical favorites: Eric Webster (Shade’s Brigade), Shanan Custer (2 Sugars, Room for Cream), Joshua English Scrimshaw (Comedy Suitcase) and Tim Uren (Ghoulish Delights).

MORE ABOUT THE MYSTERIOUS OLD RADIO LISTENING SOCIETY PODCAST:
The Society’s live performances are inspired by the podcast of the same name. The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Podcast revisits the great crime, horror and suspense shows from the golden age of radio, including tales from Suspense, Lights Out, Quiet Please, The Shadow, and more. Each episode features a classic, or maybe-not-so classic story from the mysterious old-time radio vault, complete with historical notes and nerdy trivia. At the end of each podcast, your hosts, Tim, Joshua and Eric discuss the merits of the story and decide whether or not it stands the test of time.
Subscribe to The Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society Podcast on iTunes, Youtube, or download episodes directly at ghoulishdelights.com.

MORE ABOUT THE CAST:
Shanan Custer
is half of the 2 Sugars Show (with Carolyn Pool) that includes their Ivey Award winning show 2 Sugars, Room for Cream, their Park Square 2018-2019 season opener hit Sometimes There’s Wine and—coming soon—Bad Things, Good Whiskey. Other original work includes the 2018 MN Fringe Golden Lanyard Winning musical Not Fair, My Lady! (with Colleen Somerville and Anita Ruth).

Joshua English Scrimshaw is the co-founder of the Twin Cities-based all-ages theater company Comedy Suitcase, and the dance and physical comedy troupe English Scrimshaw Theatrical Novelties. Joshua has been called “a clever and inventive voice in Twin Cities comedy theater” by The Star Tribune, and “a modern day Buster Keaton” by mnartists.org. When not making comedy, Joshua enjoys performing and listening to old-time radio with his Mysterious Old Radio Listening Society pals.

Tim Uren has been performing, writing, and directing theater at festivals and small venues in the Twin Cities for over 25 years. Along the way, he has worked with companies such as Theater Pro Rata, the Brave New Workshop, and Theater in the Round. In 2013, he established Ghoulish Delights, a theater company dedicated to bringing tales of horror and suspense to Twin Cities stages. Additionally, Uren has written and designed for board games, including Arkham Horror and Eldritch Horror.

Eric Webster is an actor, producer and writer for stage, radio and television for 25 years. On stage credits include; Guthrie Theater, Park Square Theatre, Artistry Theater, Workhaus Collective, Paul Bunyan Playhouse, Pioneer Place Theater. He also directs Theater and Improv for the Centennial School District. He is the creator of the original radio theater drama Shades Brigade.

MORE ABOUT GHOULISH DELIGHTS:
Ghoulish Delights is a Minneapolis-based theater company that specializes in bringing tales of suspense and horror to the stage. For more information visit ghoulishdelights.com.

TICKET PRICES: All tickets $15.

Tickets are on sale at the www.parksquaretheatre.org.
The ticket office is temporarily closed due to coronavirus. Please email tickets@parkquaretheatre.org with questions.

CALENDAR INFORMATION

Performances: June 15, July 20, August 17.

PARK SQUARE THEATRE, 20 W. Seventh Place, Saint Paul
Ticket office: www.parksquaretheatre.org

PHOTOS available at https://www.parksquaretheatre.org/media/photos/

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The box office is currently closed. Please email tickets@parksquaretheatre.org with any questions.

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