With New York City being the mecca of all things theater, it’s hard to discern what shows to spend your time and money on. Between Broadway, Off-Broadway, dance, music, improv…it’s almost too much to sort through. That, my friends, is why we’re here. To lead you in the direction of the not-to-be-missed shows and companies that consistently deliver high-quality entertainment and laughs by passionate performers, each and every performance. Today we’re leading you to the fine folks of Gotham Radio Theatre.
Gotham Radio Theatre was founded in 2010 by Laura Leopard and Victor Barbella, and presents a unique theater-going experience in that the actors and sound artists are performing live on stage in vintage radio style. They are masters at taking classic plays and screenplays, adapting them for stage, and delivering the show to the audience like we’ve never “heard” before!
I was delighted to experience Gotham Radio’s take on Jules Verne’s “Around the World in 80 Days”. Truly one of those literary classics from my adolescence, I was curious to see how they would take an entire novel (256 pages, if I’m not mistaken), have the performers span the entire globe, and do this in exactly an hour! A challenging feat for most, Gotham Radio managed to pull it off without a hitch. In fact, the fast pace of the performance only added boat-loads of humor to the already comical show, leaving the audience in absolute stitches.
Adapted for radio and directed by the talented Sydnie Grosberg Ronga, I applaud Gotham Radio for their fabulous casting. Tricker than ordinary shows, the performers in Gotham Radio performances play multiple roles within the 60 minutes, having only their voices to stage the character differences for the audience…no costume or set change in the world of radio theatre! Along with the show, actors also re-created vintage commercials. The “sponsor” for the broadcast of Around the World in 80 Days was none other than TWA…fly the finest! Quite a perfect pick for this particular performance!
Gotham Radio Theatre will be launching into their third season in September 2012, with upcoming shows such as: Wooster & Jeeves In America, Twentieth Century, and Rudolph’s Tale: A 1964 Christmas! (Truly one of UsedYorkCity’s favorite holiday performances…not to be missed!)
To stay up to date on upcoming performance dates, please visit Gotham Radio Theatre’s website.
By: Jessica Tiare Bowen