Radio on the Lake Theatre, Northeast Ohio's only professional theater company exclusively dedicated to the audio arts, announces a new live radio play series. The Audio Gallery Series at Negative Space will spotlight classic and contemporary audio drama with actors and sound effects artists bringing some of the most beloved scripts to life.
September 11 – Destination Freedom: An Evening of African American Radio Plays
Between 1948 and 1950, a radio series called Destination Freedom aired on WMAQ, a local Chicago NBC station. Richard Durham created Destination Freedom in an attempt to profile significant African American historical figures and their contributions to American democracy and freedom. Durham was an African American journalist, poet, dramatist, labor organizer, and one-time Communist Party member, who began his career as part of the Writer’s Project of the WPA and later worked as a writer for The Chicago Defender. In an era when African Americans were increasingly visible in the arts, though not always in positive roles, Durham’s scripts attempted to reclaim a triumphant narrative of African American history. A discussion of the history of the series and the themes explored in the plays will follow the performance.
October 30 – War of the Worlds
87 years ago, Orson Welles and the Mercury Theatre on the Air shocked the nation with their broadcast of H.G. Welles’ classic story of aliens from Mars invading Earth. With its “live as it happens” breaking news narrative style, Americans were convinced that the story was real and fled from their homes in terror. ROTLT will bring this thrilling play to life, followed by a discussion with local journalists on the impact of the initial broadcast (perhaps the first instance of a “fake news” story in our history) and the state of journalism in 2025.
December 4 – A Tale of Two Cities
One of Charles Dickens’ most revered stories. As the French Revolution unfolds in 1789, both the French and the English are affected by the consequences. Justice, class, sacrifice, love, and duty are put to the test as leaders are beheaded and a people rebel. The performance will be followed by a discussion with writers and sociologists about the legacy of the story and the continuing class struggle Americans face in modern society.
The plays will be performed at the Negative Space Art Studio and Gallery, located at 3820 Superior Avenue, 2nd Floor, in Cleveland's Asia Town district. All performances start at 7:30 pm and will be followed by a discussion with special guests.
Free and secure parking is available in the parking lots on 38th Street. Persons with disabilities can access the elevator at the entrance closest to Lot C.
Everyone who becomes a member of Radio on the Lake Theatre’s Stakeholders Club receives a $5 discount on all tickets for the Audio Gallery series! Click on the Donate button at the top of the page, make a donation of at least $60 per year and we’ll send you a code to use at checkout for your tickets. There are many benefits to becoming a member of Radio on the Lake Theatre. Thanks for your support!