WEIRTON, W.Va. – Cloak & Dagger On the Air continues its eighth season this Saturday, June 14, at 4 p.m. with Children of the Zero Hour, the show’s annual homage to 1950s science fiction.
Admission is free, although donations are always appreciated. Doors open at 3:30 p.m., with R.J. Gaudio, Troubadour, performing a set of classic pop, folk, and rock favorites. Light refreshments will be available.
Performed in the style of live radio drama, Cloak & Dagger On the Air: Children of the Zero Hour will also be livestreamed via The Ohio Valley Cloak & Dagger Company Facebook page.
“For the last several seasons of Cloak & Dagger On the Air, we’ve reserved one episode as a celebration of classic science-fiction stories, the kind of stories that used to appear in such magazines as Galaxy Science Fiction and Astounding Science Fiction,” Pete Fernbaugh, artistic director and head writer for Cloak & Dagger On the Air, said. “This time around, we’ve chosen three tales that showcase our younger actors and highlight children being caught at a zero-hour inflection point.”
This month’s three stories are:
“Time and Time Again” by H. Beam Piper, adapted for radio by Ernest Kinoy, in which a military captain is fatally wounded on the battlefield only to awaken 30 years in the past on his 13th birthday;
“Perigi’s Wonderful Dolls” by George Lefferts, in which a kindly dollmaker bestows his prized creation, Toto, on a little girl named Cindy, but the arrival of the doll in her home creates fighting and unhappiness;
“Zero Hour” by Ray Bradbury, adapted for radio by Ernest Kinoy, in which youngsters Mink and Andy are obsessed with a seemingly imaginary game called Invasion, much to the growing distress of Mink’s mom, Mary.
“These stories were originally dramatized on the groundbreaking science-fiction radio series Dimension X and X Minus One,” Fernbaugh said. “Both series are beloved to this day and widely admired among audio drama professionals for their quality and production values. We aspire to emulate these series this weekend as we reimagine these classic scripts, all of which bring the fears of their time — and to a degree, our time — to the doorstep of suburban America.”
Starring in the show are Cloak & Dagger On the Air’s acting troupe, The Wayward Saints: Sheila Cavalette, Bethany Fernbaugh, Pete Fernbaugh, Kami Martin, Karissa Martin, Malachi McClendon, Nathaniel McClendon, John E. Reilly, and Dave Zanieski. Sound effects for the production will be performed by Cloak & Dagger On the Air’s sound effects team, the Holy Foley Molies, and an original score will be performed live by respected musician and educator Lakin Weaver.
Top of WV CVB is located at 243 Three Springs Drive, Suite 17, in Weirton, W.Va., behind Crazy Mexican, next to Weirton Pet Spa, and across the parking lot from Bistro 303 Prime Cuisine.
“We encourage folks to set aside some extra time to check out the local businesses around us,” Fernbaugh said. “Three Springs Drive is filled with many dining and shopping opportunities. We hope our show can bring some traffic their way.”
Cloak & Dagger On the Air is a monthly theatrical series from The Ohio Valley Cloak & Dagger Company that celebrates audio drama from all eras, particularly the fabled Golden Age of Radio. By reimagining classic radio dramas and literary works, along with premiering original stories written and produced by independent writer and actor Pete Fernbaugh, Cloak & Dagger On the Air strives to give audiences an immersive experience that engages the theatre of their imagination in creating a fully realized storytelling adventure.
For more information and for updates on the troupe’s live and recorded productions, please visit The Ohio Valley Cloak & Dagger Company’s Facebook page.
