Time and technology progressing are two guarantees of modern life. Together, they influence the way in which we consume entertainment — emptying cinemas and turning book lovers into e-readers. But some things are too good to leave buried in the dust of the past.
Before the rise of television, radio dramas captured the imaginations of people around the world through the power of voice. The Tesla City Stories aims to revive that magic with live, on-stage performances in Portland that mimic the dramatized recording process of bygone days.
From the ‘archives’
Now in its 10th year, The Tesla City Stories is a passion project by longtime friends Brendan Jones and Jerry Chrisman. As the story goes, Jones discovered a box of scripts from “the ultra-obscure Tesla Broadcasting Comopany” dating to the 1940s. These stories — ranging from screwball comedy and mystery to horror and sci-fi — are performed for a live audience, complete with costumed Foley artists and actors.
A special transmission
Some shows are serialized, while others are one-offs like the upcoming production about a band of fictional heroes: the Harpy Squadron.
“It’s an international crew of female pilots in World War II who have come together from different nations and are doing contraband missions,” explained associate producer and cast member Lauren McCune. “They’re just out using their might and their brawn and their intellect and their know-how to do good in the world when the world around them won’t let them.”
The Harpy Squadron concept was a hit with fans last year, possibly because there’s some truth to it. Female fighter squadrons existed in the Allied ranks, both in the U.S. Army and the Soviet Armed Forces.
“We try to unearth and talk about unknown aspects of history in World War II,” said executive producer Chrisman, who is also a cast member. “Our stories tend to be more progressive for the time compared to other stories.”
Vintage radio in the future
The Tesla City Stories recognizes the importance of evolving with the times — even if the material is “vintage.” Getting a podcast off the ground is the group’s next big goal. And potentially franchising. But since the early days of performing for friends to now packing The Old Church with fans of all ages, Chrisman and McCune stressed their commitment to providing a truly unique experience.
If you can’t make it to the Harpy Squadron show, you aren’t out of luck. The Tesla City Stories has additional shows planned for the upcoming season.
