Note: This article appeared in The Westfield News on March 25, written by alumnus Peter Currier.
Westfield State University and WSKB Radio will host a live radio show Thursday, March 28 at 7 p.m. at the Dower Performing Arts Center.
The show, titled, “JP’s Golden Age of Radio” will emulate the radio shows of the 1930s, before television dominated the media entertainment market. It will feature three different shows written by Michael “Buster” McMahon. McMahon has been doing these kinds of live radio shows for several years but had previously done pre-existing shows before he began to produce his own.
“We did ‘War of the Worlds’ two years ago. Last year we did an episode of ‘Johnny Dollar’, and then I wrote ‘Death, Literally’,” said McMahon.
This year, the three shows will be adapted from stage plays written by McMahon. The first is a romantic-comedy of sorts titled, ‘The Night I Drove Lydia Home’. It has a 15-minute run-time and features Aaron Fitzgerald and Silk Johnson as the two lead voices. McMahon said that it tells the story of a Minor League Baseball pitcher who helps a girl after an accident, but something prevents them from ever seeing each other again.
The second show is also 15 minutes long and is called, ‘A Girl in a Place Like This’. McMahon described the short as something reminiscent of ‘Casablanca’. It will feature Rich Roberge and Sue Fappiano as the voices of the show.
The final show has a longer run-time of 30 minutes. It is called, ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off’, based off of the screwball comedies of the 1930’s. It will star Brian Fowler, Melinda Cruthers and George Delisle.
McMahon said that he was contacted about this event because he has written 32 stage plays in his career, including the three that have been adapted for Thursday’s live show.
“I don’t know why I write them, said McMahon, “I just do.”
Admission to the three shows is $10 for the general public and $5 for students and senior citizens. All proceeds will benefit the WSU Jazz Band, who will also be performing between each of the shows. While the show is being done on the stage, it will be recorded for later broadcast over the radio.