KNPR, Las Vegas Philharmonic team up for live radio drama
With the Smith Center for the Performing Arts closed indefinitely, leaders of the Las Vegas Philharmonic have been looking for new ways to get their music to the masses.
One of those new ways is a surprisingly old one.
A group of its musicians will provide the score to “Theater on the Air: Live from Area 51,” a one-night-only radio broadcast, much like Orson Welles’ 1938 version of “The War of the Worlds” that convinced some listeners that the end of humanity was nigh.
The old-school radio drama was written by Nevada Public Radio’s Joe Schoenmann.
He and a cast of four actors — Marcus Weiss, Destiny Faith, RJ Owens and Sabrina Cofield — will bring to life more than 15 characters caught up in the tale of the first visitor granted access to the secretive military base. The drama is directed by Kate St-Pierre.
The original score, composed and arranged by Jennifer Bellor, will be performed by Las Vegas Philharmonic musicians De Ann Letourneau (violin), Andrew Smith (cello), Paul Firak (bass), Alexandria Le (guest piano) and Patrick Bowen (percussion).
“Theater on the Air: Live from Area 51” will be broadcast live at 6 p.m. Wednesday on KNPR.
Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.
