The Lux Radio Theatre:
The Thin Man 1936
Based on the novel by Dashiell Hammett
Pandemic Process
Photo Credit: All Parents & Guardians of the Cast
Radio Scripts - Something old becomes brand new.
Doing radio scripts was a source of content many schools and theatres were doing during the COVID lockdown. I decided this would be a fun project and culled through dozens before deciding The Thin Man 1936 had just the right cast size. Plus, living inside the 1930s was something I thought the actors would revel in.
“Spending time with Nick & Nora was a perfect distraction for my actors. ”
I wanted to bring the script to life visually,
so I purchased vintage-looking mics and mic stands, gathered costumes, props, and makeup kits, and sent them to each cast member’s home. We had remote hair and makeup tutorials. Then I gave each cast member a list of production stills to complete.
At first, the parents were a little trepidatious but, once they started getting into the fun of it, it actually took their minds off of the incredibly difficult time everyone was having.
As the production stills started coming in from the parents (by the hundreds), well, it was like Christmas! I knew we would have a show on our hands very soon, even if it was really outside the box.
I collaborated with one of our editors to create a really compelling performance hybrid of a show. It needed sound effects and subtle music underscoring. All of the photos needed to be black & white and feel like they were moving from scene to scene. In the end, it was extremely filmic.
One never knows how these experiments are going to turn out or if the response will be positive, but, during the screenings, you could feel the energy just jumping through the Google Performance Meets. This is an example of when you get handed lemons, just add sugar and stir up that lemonade. Everyone was over the moon. Including yours truly.
