Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center Live Radio Play Series

Entertaining During the Pandemic

Though the curtain of its MainStage Theater was lowered by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center proudly and dramatically raised it virtually through the power of the Internet by utilizing a near century-old art form; broadcast radio plays. Commercial radio was born in Pennsylvania 100 years ago this November. To pay homage, re-engage its loyal patrons, and welcome scores of new fans, Lincoln Park produced four live radio plays so that it could deliver theater into the homes of not only its patrons, but to possibly thousands more in Pennsylvania and anywhere on the planet via connected device. The series debuted with the September 18 and 19, 2020 performances of War Of The Worlds - The Panic Broadcast. Over two nights each in October, November, and December, the Center staged Vintage Hitchcock, A Christmas Carol, and It's A Wonderful Life. Lincoln Park employed professional actors from Pennsylvania who performed in protective plexiglass booths on a safe sound stage and transmitted the plays via the Internet. Patrons who have been thirsting for live theatrical performances since the beginning of the pandemic will be able to purchase tickets to the live streams and listen to each play from the safety and comfort of their homes on their computers, tablets, phones, or any connected device. Even though Lincoln Park can typically host only up to 750 attendees per performance in its theater, the radio play series was made  available to any number of listeners during a given on-line performance. 

As with all of its productions, Lincoln Park promoted this series through the use of an aggressive marketing campaign utilizing TV, billboards, newspaper, direct mail, social media, and (of course) radio. Word of the series has already generated a great amount of positive attention and it is being hailed for its ability to safely bring back live theater while introducing it and Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center to an entirely new and broader audience. 

The mission of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center is to make education, culture, and the arts available, accessible, and affordable to all.  In an effort to share its creativity with arts organizations across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Center has developed a template displaying how it created the concept for, then executed and aired, its series of radio plays to an on-line audience.  As the Center progressed through the series of plays, it cataloged each step and compiled the information in a “how to” guide that includes: Rights Procurement; Auditions; Construction of a COVID-19-Safe Set; Health Screenings; Rehearsals; Promotion and Advertising; On-Line Ticket Sales; Production; Presentation; Analysis and Results.

To access promotion materials, radio commercials and interviews, and the original project narrative, click the button below:

You may also contact Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center - Chris Shovlin, Chief Executive Officer - chris.shovlin@lppacenter.org for more information.