A Visit to the Golden Age of Radio
(2006)

WRITTEN BY: Jerry Holleran (Rendevous With Destiny) and others
PERFORMED AT: Samuel Clemens Center- Elmira, NY
PERFORMED ON: March 31 (7:30pm) & April 1 (2pm & 7:30pm)
DIRECTED BY: Gary Yoggy (also host) & Jerry Holleran (Rendevous)
SPONSORED BY: Elmira Little Theater, Elmira
CAST:
"The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet: The Other Woman":
* OZZIE NELSON- Will Hutchins
* HARRIET NELSON- Rosemary Rice
* GAL (BARB)- Judy Born
* DAVID NELSON- Alex Gill
* RICKY NELSON- Joshua Holleran
* EMMY LOU- Carolyn Evert
* MOTHER-IN-LAW- Tina Eyer
* POSTMAN/MAN- Doug Born
* THORNEY- Jim Hare
* ANNOUNCER- Joe Edkin
"Rendezvous With Destiny: The Eddie O' Hare Story":
* NARRATOR- Jody Davis
* "ARTFUL" EDDIE O'HARE- Phil Kruk
* EDDIE "BUTCH" O'HARE- Burt Beebe
* AL CAPONE- Cy Leveen
* FRANK NITTI/FRANKLIN DELEANOR ROOSEVELT- Dave Hall
* AGENT FRANK WILSON- Richard Gerard
* YOUNG "BUTCH" O'HARE- Joshua Holleran
* JOEY- Alex Gill
* THUG/RACETRACK ANNOUNCER- Gary Yoggy
* STANLEY/BALLPLAYER- Bill Young
* JUDGE JARECKI/VOICE- Jim Barrett
* MAYOR WILLIAM DEVER- Jim Hare
* POLICEMAN/WINGMAN- Doug Born
* LIEUTENANT/UMPIRE/BAILIFF- Roy Reed
* BALLPARK ANNOUNCER/CDR THACH- Greg Fusare
* JUDGE WILKERSON- Stu Luther
* SUE O'HARE- Carolyn Kruk
* RITA O'HARE- Tammy Seymour
* AIRPORT ANNOUNCER- Joyce Winton
"Ellery Queen: The Adventure of the Murdered Moths":
* ELLERY QUEEN- David A. Scott
* NIKKI PORTER- Karin Wieland
* INSPECTOR QUEEN- Bob Boell
* SERGEANT VELIE- Norm Stull
* SETH BROWN- Bill Young
* JESS PENDLETON- Andy Parker
* VIRGINIA WENDER- Crystal Ennis
* MR. WENDER- Richard Gerard
* MORTON PINGLE/ANNOUNCER- Joe Edkin
* GUEST JUROR- Roger Stern (2nd show only)
"Have Gun, Will Travel: Sam Crow":
* SCOOTER- Will Hutchins
* PALADIN- Jerry Holleran
* SAM CROW/CROW- Will Wickham
* SADIE PENNYBROOK- Judy Mordue
* HEY BOY/ANNOUNCER- Jim Barrett
* WINIFRED- Beverly Kennedy
* MISS WONG- Sara Elston-Moore
* JODY DAVIS- Sherlock
* PHIL- Bill Young
* LESTER- Joe Edkin
"I Remember Mama: Song of Love":
* KATRIN- Rosemary Rice
* MAMA- Julia Lavarnway
* PAPA/ANNOUNCER- Denis Kingsley
* MR. BULL- Mike Lavarnway
* NELS- Rob Lavarnway
* DAGMAR- Katie O'Herron
* ARLAN PRINCE- Will Wickham

PLOT: Various plots, all from comedy and drama programs originally broadcast over radio and television in the 1940's/early 1950's.

HISTORY: For ELT's nineteenth annual edition of Gary Yoggy's "Golden Age of Radio" productions, I landed the part of the title character in the "Ellery Queen" segment. Though I'd also landed a brief appearance as WWII-era president Franklin D. Roosevelt (and a possible additional role) in Jerry Holleran's "Rendevous With Destiny", a rehearsal schedule conflict with "Audition for Murder" led Jerry to recast the role(s).
Each of the stories and sketches in this show were performed like a radio show, with the actors reading their lines into a microphone, while additional persons add sound and music.
Guest starring in the show was Will Hutchins, who I acted with in the "Sugarfoot" segment of 1998's "Golden Age of Radio" production. This time, he played Ozzie in "Ozzie & Harriet", and another role in "Have Gun, Will Travel". Another TV and radio veteran, Rosemary Rice, also appeared, reprising her role in "I Remember Momma".
The segment order for this three-hour show was: "The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet", "Rendevous With Destiny", "Ellery Queen" (followed by intermission), "Have Gun, Will Travel", and "I Remember Momma". Appearing in each of these segements were numerous people that I'd co-starred with in previous plays dating back to 1996, including Bob Boell (from "X Minus One" in the 2005 show) and Bill Young (my recent "Run For Your Wife" co-star).
In the audience for the second of three performances was Roger Stern, novel and comic writer for many stories involving Superman, the Fantastic Four, and others. Co-starring in "Ellery Queen" and other segments was Joe Edkin, whose comic writing credits include Spider-Man, Scooby Doo, and Animaniacs.
An added bonus to being "Ellery Queen" was discovering its creator/author's connections to Elmira, NY ("Ellery" being the first name of an Elmiran childhood friend, and "Queen" being a reference to Elmira, which was known as "the queen city").
Recordings of the show were later broadcast on WENY 1230AM in Elmira, and WENI1450 in Corning. On May 21st, all the segments were aired except for Rendevous With Destiny, which aired the following Sunday.

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