Mike Craver and Mark Hardwick’s Radio Gals tells the story of an enterprising woman, Hazel Hunt, of Cedar Ridge, Arkansas who, upon her retirement as the town music teacher, receives a Western Electric 500-watt radio transmitter and begins broadcasting as radio station “WGAL”. What comes out over the local airwaves is a small-town diary, calendar, and stream of consciousness –with generous dollops of singing and playing by Hazel’s “all-girl” orchestra, “the Hazelnuts”, and that lovesick flapper Gladys Fritts. However, due to Hazel’s habit of “channel wandering”, her broadcasts are not always so local as listeners from as far away as Montreal and Manhattan can testify. Enter O. B. Abbott, Federal Radio Inspector, intent on rescuing the airwaves from gypsies like Hazel Hunt. However, Mr. Abbott soon falls prey to the blandishments of the Hazelnuts and during the course of things falls in love with the flapper…
Eric Jansen directs this beautiful musical comedy with Megan Kelley and Kaylee Millerd directing music and choreography by Pam Bryan. The group are long time performers and actors but this the first collaboration between this TANYS award winning production team.
Playing the role of Hazel Hunt, the shrewd, enthusiastic, and perhaps a bit dotty retired music teacher is Seneca Community Players’ newcomer Darlene Cieri of Waterloo.
The part of Gladys Fritts, the high strung, sophisticated, and artistic flapper is played by Maria Coleman of Auburn. An SCP veteran, Coleman had parts in Things My Mother Taught Me, Merry Christmas George Bailey! and many other roles.
O.B. Abott the bureaucratic, self-important inspector and closet musician is played by SCP veteran Jason Hurdle of Waterloo. Hurdle was most recently seen in the 2023 production of Oliver! and The Foreigner.
Completing the cast are SCP veterans and newcomers including Rachel Pugh of Rushville as America, Katie Hockey of Seneca Falls as Rennabelle, Megan Kelley of Seneca Falls as Mabel Swindle, Kaylee Millerd of Seneca Falls as Azilee Swindle, and Ashley Taylor of Waterloo as Enid.
Tickets in advance for this production are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors, tickets at the door will be $2 more. Tickets are available at WomanMade Products in Seneca Falls, Tucci’s Family Diner in Waterloo and online at www.senecacommunityplayers.org. Showtimes are April 12-14 and 19-21, 8pm on Friday and Saturday and 2pm on Sunday. All performances will be held at Lafayette Theater, 202 Main Street, Waterloo. For more information, contact Eric Jansen at 315-220-0893 or go to www.senecacommunityplayers.org.