Superman
Season 03, Episode 02
June 18, 2015
No recording of this program is available. Apologies.
Comic hero. Contemporary civic leaders.
Re-Imagined Radio presents "The Golden Age of Superman," an homage to a comic book character and a satirical commentary on Vancouver, Washington community issues. Written and directed by Dan Wyatt, Jr. Stars Vancouver Mayor Timothy Levitt, other civic leaders, and students. From our Live Performance and Guest Producer series.
Access the episode script
Background
Superman Radio History
Superman, the Man of Tomorrow first appeared in Action Comics #1 in 1938. But much of the mythology associated with Superman and many of the members of his supporting cast originated in his radio adventures, which began February 12, 1940.
The characters of Daily Planet editor Perry White, copyboy Jimmy Olsen and police inspector Bill Henderson were created for the radio series. The Man of Steel encountered kryptonite in his radio adventures years before it appeared in the Superman comic books, and regularly teamed up with Batman and Robin on the airwaves before the trio joined forces in the pages of Superman and World's Finest.
The influence of the Superman radio series extended to the big screen as well. Paramount's 1940s Academy Award-nominated Superman theatrical cartoons featured voices from the radio cast, while the screenplays of Columbia's 1948 and 1950 Superman movie serials were adapted from the Superman radio program rather than from the original comic-book stories.
Superman left the radio airwaves on March 1, 1951. But, the art form remains relevant today.
(The Superman Site at www.supermansite.com)
Production
Contents
An original radio drama by Dan Wyatt, Jr. connecting the golden age of Superman with contemporary issues facing the Vancouver, Washington, community.
Cast
Tim Leavitt as Superman
Dene Grigar as Lois Lane
Jim Mains as Jimmy Olsen
Lou Brancaccio as Perry White
Albert Angelo III as Lex Luthor
Pat Jalotta as Ma Kent
With John F. Barber, Joey LeBard, Alan McGinnis, Rachel Reed, and Tucker Wyatt
Credits
Written by Dan Wyatt, Jr.
Produced and Hosted by John F. Barber
Promotional Graphics by Dan Wyatt, Jr.
Live Foley by Erin Cross and Ryan Skordahl
Sound Effects by Trae Herndon
Live Sound by Brad Wager
Projections by Kate Palermini
Special thanks to the Oregon Sports Union rugby players!
Significance
This episode celebrates Superman, as a comic book hero, as an art form, and as a savior for contemporary civilization.
A collaboration between Kiggins Theatre and the Creative Media & Digital Culture Program at Washington State University.
All acting and production parts are filled by community volunteers and students. Community storytelling at a fundamental level.
Producer's Notes
It's the third year of collaboration between Re-Imagined Radio and Kiggins Theatre, in downtown Vancouver, Washington. Dan Wyatt, Jr. and I talk often about live performances of radio drama we'd like to offer. But neither of has the money, or experience, to mount the sort of productions we imagine.
Dan Wyatt is a big fan of Superman. Especially within the Golden Age of Comics. Dan is also a big promoter of Vancouver. He sees a lot of potential and problems and wonders why no one else seems to notice. When he pitched his idea about combining his love of the Superman comic hero and commentary on contemporary issue facing Vancouver—exploding crude oil trains, community disfunction over building a new bridge across the Columbia River, and sly references to other community associations—I was intrigued.
I took his idea to students in a sound class I was teaching for the Creative Media & Digital Culture Program at Washington State University. Several were interested to be involved.
Dan cast community leaders in the various roles of his radio story, starting with Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt as Superman. Dene Grigar (Lois Lane) is the Director of the Creative Media & Digital Culture Program. Jim Mains is a Vancouver philanthropist. Lou Brancaccio is Editor and favorite columnist of our local newspaper, The Columbian. Albert Angelo III is a commerical real estate developer. Pat Jalotta is our much-loved community historian and a much-loved storyteller.
Promotion
Press
Graphics
