Summer!

Summer appears to have arrived. Watch for the KWPA microphones at various events this summer. Meanwhile – Tune in via the web or if you’re in town at 96.9 fm. See you on the air!

LAST CHANCE to see “A Day on the Radio in 1946″ tonight, May 28 at 7:00pm at the Oak Harbor High School. Tickets are $20 and are available at the door.

A Day on the Radio in 1946 – Live On Stage! Read about it here!

The sounds of 1946 will come gloriously back to life on May 21 in Langley and May 28 in Oak Harbor, as KWPA – Whidbey Public Radio presents the second annual installment of its popular fundraising event, “Old Time Radio – Live On Stage!”
Tickets are now available on line at www.kwparadio.org and go on sale this week at South Whidbey Commons and Coffeehouse and Moonraker Books in Langley, Book Bay in Freeland, Local Grown and bayleaf in Coupeville, and Wind and Tide Books and bayleaf in Oak Harbor, and Lavender Wind Farm on West Beach.
The show, directed by Elizabeth Herbert, will have two performances only: at 7 p.m. May 21 at South Whidbey High School and at 7 p.m. May 28 at Oak Harbor High School.
“This year’s show will give people a wonderful feeling for what it was like to gather around the family radio on a typical day in 1946,” said Harry Anderson, president of KWPA’s board of directors.
“A Day on the Radio in 1946” will feature actors and musicians from all over Whidbey Island recreating original scripts of classic radio programs of the 1940s.
The show is the principal fundraiser for KWPA so we can continue broadcasting around the Penn Cove area at 96.9 FM as well as streaming and podcasting worldwide at www.kwparadio.org.

This year’s edition will include:

  • A 1946 newscast. The war’s over. Truman’s president. The United Nations holds its first session. Republicans win control of Congress. The first Tupperware is sold. Damon Runyon dies. The bikini is introduced.
  • “Jack Armstrong – The All American Boy.” An episode of the popular daytime serial for teenagers begins a new adventure about atomic power and a possible Russian spy.
  • “Fibber McGee and Molly.” In one of radio’s most popular comedies, Fibber and Molly decided to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary 25 years early, with a cast of hilarious regular characters.
  • “Boston Blackie.” A sophisticated and humorous “film noir” detective show, featuring a murder witnessed by Blackie and his gal pal Mary on an exotic new medium called television.
  • “The Romance of Helen Trent.” In an episode of one of radio’s most popular afternoon soap operas, Helen walks into a trap and may be framed for the murder of a Hollywood producer.
  • “The Top Hits of 1946,” a live recreation of a radio big-band show performed by Whidbey Island’s own Loco-Motion band.

Online Tickets – click here

Poster for Old Time Radio Show this month!

Old Time Radio Flyer

Sneak Preview of the Old Time Radio Show

Joyce Napoletano and Annie Horton

Joyce Napoletano and Annie Horton in “The Romance of Helen Trent,”

REHEARSING FOR “A DAY ON THE RADIO IN 1946”:  Joyce Napoletano of

Oak Harbor (left) as the ever-suffering Helen Trent and Annie Horton of Greenbank as the evil gossip columnist Daisy Parker rehearse for an episode of

“The Romance of Helen Trent,” a classic radio soap opera, which will be

presented as part of KWPA –Whidbey Public Radio’s upcoming “Old Time Radio – Live on Stage…a Day on the Radio in 1946.”  Whidbey actors and musicians

will recreate a day from radio’s golden era live, with original scripts, on stage at South Whidbey High School on May 21 at 7 p.m. and Oak Harbor High School on May 28 at 7 p.m.  Get your tickets online and also at local stores throughout Whidbey.

Old Time Radio Tickets on Sale

Old Time Radio FlyerGet your Tickets for the Old Time Radio Show coming to a town near you!!

The last performance will be in Oak Harbor on May 28 at 7:00 pm.
LISTEN:

$20 each

You can buy your Oak Harbor, May 28 performance tickets at the door only. Oak Harbor High School, Oak Harbor, May 28

Old Time Radio Auditions March 31

Come audition for the next Old Time Radio Show at the Coupeville Methodist Church on March 31, 2011 from 6 to 9pm. You can get more information by clicking on the link below and downloading the info sheet.

Old Time Radio 2 Auditions March 31 2011

Get ready for Old Time Radio II

Old Time Radio benefit for KWPA is coming! Save May 21 in Langley, and May 28 in Oak Harbor to come to the show!

Old Time Radio II

Click here for a PRINTABLE flyer (big file)

Sketches of Old Time Radio

Whidbey Island has a group called Whidbey Island Sketchers. One of them came to the performance of KWPA’s Live Radio Show at South Whidbey High School Aug. 28, 2010. Here are some of the results and you can see them all at their website.

Sound Effects Crew from KWPA Live Radio Show

Sue Van Etten's sketch of the Sound Effects Crew from KWPA Live Radio Show

There was plenty of action at the show to capture. She went on to get some of the performers and the band.

Performers from The Shadow

Sue Van Etten captures Performers from The Shadow

What a night! And thank you Sue, for these fabulous sketches!

South Whidbey dance band "Locomotion" sets the mood.

Sue Van Etten sketches South Whidbey dance band "Locomotion" as they set the mood.

New Studio!

KWPA is in the process of moving to a new studio space. Marty Behr donated furniture, several board members donated time and muscles – with more to come. The move won’t be complete for another two weeks, but here is a sneak peak…..

Installing sign on the building

Harry Anderson and Marty Behr install sign on the building

View from New Studio space

View of the Coupeville Wharf from the new KWPA studio space

The studio is on the northeast corner of the Windjammer Gallery building. It’s a perfect space for a radio station, close enough and accessible to the heart of the community while being fairly quiet so we can record programs right there.

We are looking forward to seeing you there – after we REALLY move in a couple of weeks. Check back here for updates.