OBU Theatre to present Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play 

Nathan Goforth 

Assistant Features Editor 

In a previous edition of The Bison, OBU’s Theatre production of “Vintage Hitchcock” was featured. Now, as promised, it returns for a follow-up check in as the show prepares to open for show. “Vintage Hitchcock” will open for showings November 5, 6, 11, 12 at 7:30 p.m and November 7, 13 at 2:30 p.m in the Sarkeys Black Box Theater. “Vintage” is, in recap, a play where Alfred Hitchcock’s hallmarks of suspense, including murder, love, spies and other elements are reimagined as a radio broadcast of his earlier films. “Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” recreates three Hitchcock classics, including “The Lodger”, “Sabotage” and “The 39 Steps”, complete with vintage commercials through live sound effects and musical underscoring. This is not only a reminder that “Vintage Hitchcock” opens for show soon – a lot of things have changed or progressed since the last article. 

In fact, the complex multi-character show has had a professional dialect and accent coach visit to help the actors refine both personality, physicality, vocal quirks, rhythm, rhyme and pronunciation.  

“Bringing in a dialect coach meant that I could trust that the cast had the foundations of each dialect as we moved forward. I now expect that each actor will have distinct characters and knows how to prepare for those dialects.” show director Jennifer Ezell said 

Some performers, like Anna Smolen, have a multitude of characters, and found the direction very insightful. The show has benefited from having the outside artist help out with dialects and characters. 

Similarly, the live in-show sound effects have been created and culminated on stage. Juliana Storer, a sophomore nursing major, acts as Foley, or on-stage sound effect performer. She is in charge of not only acting in occasional roles, but using the equipment and items to make real and convincing sounds on stage. 

She described the sound effect process as an enjoyable experience, and emphasizes how much it adds to the show. 

 “Boom! It is lots of fun, because I get to make a lot of the sound effects and stay on stage. One of my favorite things was when I first got my sound-making props, and got to make the actors jump,” Juliana Storer said. 

 She described the sound effect process as an enjoyable experience, and emphasizes how much it adds to the show. 

In fact, even props came to near or full completion just this week. Kennedy Largent, a junior creative writing major with a theatre minor acts as Prop Master for the show.  

“The best thing with doing props is the feeling of productivity. Being able to see everything come together, and work in the shop to create it and see it being produced is great,” Largent said. 

Largent is also an actor in the show, sporting an impressively lengthy two major roles and multiple ensemble roles. “I’ve had a lot of fun distinguishing physical mannerisms and vocal techniques for each character. Each character is like a cloak to slip on, a complete transformation,” Largent said. 

The actors are ready with their characters and are excited for the performance. 

Cast members have expressed that aspects of the show fascinate or fill them with wonder. Largent mentioned the music of the show. She said “The music is incredibly satisfying. It gives a completeness – like a movie. Some soundtracks are so dramatic, I feel like we’re in a movie. It’s extremely classic murder mystery thriller.” 

 Storer described the show as “a great little snippet of late 1930s murder mystery. It’s comedic, serious, wonderful and scary, at times. It is absolutely amazing to be a part of.” 

“Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play” seeks to interact with the audience and provide for them a return to Alfred Hitchcock’s fantastical mystery murder spy extravagant stories, and the OBU’s performance only adds to the storytelling with their performance and set.  

“’Vintage Hitchcock’ will create an experience that feels interactive – the audience enters into the live radio show, by pulling back the curtain and seeing the radio show [as it would be] performed instead of simply hearing through the radio,” director Jennifer Ezell said.