Green Canyon High School stages behind-the-scenes look at ‘War of the Worlds’

A recreation of the notorious 1938 broadcast of 'War of the Worlds' will be staged by GreenWolf Productions on Nov. 3 to 7 at 7 p.m. at Green Canyon High School in North Logan.

NORTH LOGAN — A local theater company will debut a dramatization of War of the Worlds this week here in Cache Valley.

GreenWolf Productions will present that show, with a twist, at Green Canyon High School on Nov. 3 to Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.

Director David Sidwell said that War of the Worlds will actually be a recreation of the notorious 1938 broadcast by legendary actor/director Orson Welles’ Mercury Theater of the Air on the CBS radio network.

“An adaptation of H.G. Wells’ novel of the same name,” Sidwell explains, “the seminal 1938 radio show depicted the story of Martians destroying the Earth as a news broadcast. Many people listening in thought the broadcast was real.

This staged version is similar to the 1938 broadcast, but audiences will also be able to see behind the scenes of the radio play, where ingenious ‘foley artists’ create sound effects from found objects.”

Foley art was one of the hallmarks of the golden age of radio in the 1930s. The sound technicians were famous for using everyday devices to create the sounds used in the show.

For example, a playing card applied to a moving fan creates the sound of the propellers of an airplane as it dive-bombs a Martian war machine. A balloon attached to a straw as it deflates creates the sound of a Martian machine spewing toxic gas. The sound of fingers dipping into a cup of macaroni become footsteps.

“It was entertaining to come up with these sounds,” remarked Dylan Nickerson, one of the stage technicians responsible for foley effects. “We had to do a lot of experimenting.”

“We made a mess every day,” laughs Aiden Preslar, another sound technician. “But we figured out how to make the sounds of all kinds of things, from bombs blowing up to ray guns.”

Additionally, Sidwell said, musical interludes from the original 1938 broadcast have been transformed into variety show numbers featuring talent singers and dancers from throughout the northern Utah area. Those tunes include “Everybody Loves Somebody,” “In the Mood” and others.

“These are songs that stood the test of time and are still popular today,” according to War of the Worlds’ musical director Kenzie Bowman. “It’s fun to work with these talented performers in recreating the look and feel of the 1930s in music.”

This is a very complex and advanced show,” Sidwell says. “But I’m really thrilled at the high quality of performances that we’re getting from our actors.”

The show’s cast includes Green Canyon senior Ted Muir playing Orson Welles and other talented performers.

Despite it’s grim subject matter, Sidwell insists that War of the Worlds is a fun show.

“It’s fun to decimate the world before the audience’s very ears and eyes through a radio show that they can watch on stage,” the show’s director says. “With singing and dancing, no less.”

GreenWolf Productions is based at Green Canyon High School, where they stage family-friendly shows of all kinds, from musical comedies to straight plays.

Tickets for War of the Worlds are available at www.greenwolfproductions.org for $10 online or $12 at the door.

Green Canyon High School is located at 2960 North Wolf Pack Way in North Logan.

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