Park theater is opening Joe Landry’s “Vintage Hitchcock,” a 1940 style radio broadcast
The theater department is expanding its horizons, opening “Vintage HItchcock” this weekend, a performance that includes intrigue, espionage and murder.
Since November, 49 Park students have been working on “Vintage HItchcock.” This 1940s radio broadcast performance contains three of Hitchcock’s early thrillers: The Lodger, Sabotage and The 39 Steps.
Jodi Hatzenbeller, artistic and technical director for the radio broadcast performance, said this production is unlike anything the theater department has done before.
“It’s different in that rather than being staged as a standard play, it is actors putting on a radio show,” Hatzenbeller said. “The acting is done around retro microphones with an announcer narrating and sound artists creating sound effects live on stage.”
Junior Claire Tollefsrud acts in the radio broadcast and said she thinks “Vintage Hitchcock” is much more unique than other plays.
“All actors are on stage 100 percent of the time,” Tollefsrud said. “That means many of us have multiple different characters we have to perform believably.”
Sophomore Alex Sundvall is also in the play and said the radio broadcast is different than anything he has done as an actor.
“We are acting with our voices, not with our bodies,” Sundvall said. “It’s been slightly less stressful as an actor because we don’t have to memorize (lines), just familiarize ourselves with them.”
The Park theater department worked with the Pavek Museum of Broadcasting in St. Louis Park for inspiration, and will be using some of their vintage Hitchcock pieces to display in the lobby.
Hatzenbeller said other elements in the radio broadcast are going to add to the authenticity of the 1940s era as well.
“We have period costumes, including the ushers and candy girls, so you’ll get the vibe of the era from the moment you walk in the door,” Hatzenbeller said.
