“The War of the Worlds: 1938 Radio Broadcast,” according to the NPR show Radiolab, was “one of the most famous broadcasts in broadcast history because it freaked people out.” The play based on its script continues to be popular for another reason: it relies on hand-rendered sound effects, created live onstage using ordinary objects, handcrafted items and musical instruments. While community theater rarely has the budget to do “period” work, Cheryl Smithson’s costuming—along with the wigs—were impressive, with a cohesive color and pattern palette centered on black and white for the women, and suspenders and argyle vests for the men. It’s the tactile quality, evident throughout the show, of work done by hand: a new Act I written by a curious playwright rather than ChatGPT; a live pianist backstage playing the keyboard with her hands; actors as Foley artists shaking sheets of metal, bowing cymbals, crinkling cellophane and aluminum; a trio singing three-part harmony on product jingles; and the act of creating a set and props, designing lighting and sound, and marking a stage with tape for actors to move about.
Author: Linda Lowen | Contributing Writer
Published at: 2026-02-14 19:54:07
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