Silver Bells in the City returns to Lansing November 18 and LCC Radio 89.7 FM will cap-off the celebration with another annual radio play. Since 2005, Lansing Community College’s (LCC) WLNZ has offered listeners and audiences alike the opportunity to experience the Golden Age of Radio; when families would gather around the speaker to listen to stories that could only unfold through the imagination of their mind.
Previous WLNZ radio plays have included It’s a Wonderful Life, Scrooge, Miracle on 34th Street, Casablanca, The Great Christmas Caper, and A Suessified Christmas Carol. This year the station will present Santa Claus vs. the Martians, a radio play written and directed by LCC Broadcast Services Manager, Daedalian Lowry. The play is an adaptation of the 1964 movie, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians which was written by Paul L. Jacobson with the original story by Glenville Mareth. It is a light-hearted holiday tale where the children of Mars have grown sad and listless. In a desperate attempt to make the children happy, the leader of Mars kidnaps Santa Claus so that he can bring Christmas joy to Earth’s neighboring planet.
“Truthfully, Santa Claus Conquers the Martians is often considered to be one of the worst movies ever made,” said Lowry, “When I adapted it for radio, my goal was to add a little more humor for those who have never seen it while at the same time, keep the basic storyline intact for those who appreciate the awkwardness of an old B-movie like this one.”
For this year’s production, LCC Radio will be working in conjunction with Audio Air Force, a Lansing based radio theatre preservation group, and the LCC Concert Choir will perform music. The event takes place tomorrow in Dart Auditorium at 8 p.m. after the parade. The show will also be broadcast live on 89.7 FM. Admission to the radio play is free, however as a non-profit station, LCC Radio will accept donations at the door.
SOURCE: Press Release
