Arts Alive! podcast: Radio Theatre Project

Members of the Radio Theatre Project audience tell Bonnie Agan they like to close their eyes during a performance, and imagine what’s being said, and described, coming to life.

Rather than staring at the five or six people standing at microphones, reading from scripts.

Old radio dramas, in the days before television, were often referred to as “theater of the mind.” And that’s as good an explanation as any for Agan, a veteran bay area actor and director who operates – her title is “artistic coordinator” – the monthly Radio Theatre Project live events at thestudio@620.

Agan and frequent RTP participant Jim Sorensen are the guests on this edition of our Arts Alive! podcast, talking about St. Pete’s long-running audio-only theatrical tradition, where it’s been and where it’s going, and what goes into putting each show together (hint: There are generally three short scripts, almost always comedies, and a lot of rehearsal is involved).

RTP regulars also tell Agan that they enjoy watching foley artist Matt Cowley, who creates each and every sound effect – and the scriptwriters makes sure there are lots of them – live and in-the-moment.

Cowley and the cast return Monday, March 27 for another round of laughter.

Because he had only a small part in one of the February plays, Sorensen said, “I closed my eyes the entire time, and just listening to someone tell me a story I felt like I was tucked in bed, being able to take this visual journey in my own mind.

“With nothing happening onstage.”

Radio Theatre Project on thestudio@620 website.

Click on the arrow to listen to the podcast.