Medicine Hat Musical Theatre elated to welcome audiences back to the playhouse

Amber Stark of Medicine Hat Musical Theatre says they are elated.

“We really can’t wait to get out audiences back into the playhouse and really entertain everyone because I think everybody is really craving some form of entertainment at this point,” the director says.

The War of the Worlds was written in 1898 by H.G. Wells and adapted 40 years later by Orson Welles for a radio broadcast.

It caused quite a stir among people who didn’t tune in early enough and didn’t know what was going on.

“The story is about a Martian invasion, and (people) had some concerns because the show itself the broadcast was so incredibly well-acted and so well written that it was incredibly convincing,” says Stark. “And if you actually listen to the broadcast you can see where people would be a little bit concerned if they didn’t know it was just a story.”

Stark says the Medicine Hat Musical Theatre production of War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast is a radio play within a play, showing the production of the infamous 1938 radio broadcast show and what was happening off stage.

“We’re putting on the story of the Mercury Theatre and Orson Welles putting on this show. Also we will, word for word pretty much, the original broadcast of Orson Welles’ version of the War of the Worlds is in it,” she explains. “And then we kind of see what’s going on in the background and behind the scenes. Some of the phone calls that are coming into the broadcast studio and some of the concerns and panic that was happening at the time.”

This will be the first show the group will produce since February of 2020.

The group was rehearsing for Monty Python’s Spamalot last spring before the first wave of COVID-19 forced them to shut it down. Last November they were days away from bringing It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play to the stage before the second wave ended those plans.

The rest of the group’s lineup includes It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play in November and December, The Ding Dong in February and March and Monty Python’s Spamalot in April and May.

Stark says the group is changing the way they sell tickets this year, due to the fluid situation COVID presents.

They are not selling season tickets this year but instead will sell tickets on a show-by-show basis. Stark says they want to alleviate stress on their volunteers and avoid the need for last-minute refunds if there are cancellations.

Stark says they will be implementing the provincial restrictions exemption program, meaning you will need to show proof of vaccination for entry. They’ll also be keeping an eye on any further guidance from the province and the local situation as well.

Tickets will go on sale Sept. 30 at 10 a.m. For more information visit mhmtheatre.com.

by Chris Brown

Medicine Hat Musical Theatre elated to welcome audiences back to the playhouse

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