As the founder of a radio show recreations troupe, Ben Dooley relishes the opportunity to paint a picture for audiences.
“All it is is voice and sound, and the production actually happens in your imagination,” Dooley said.
Dooley’s troupe, Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear, will perform “In Old Chicago” at 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at the Oak Park Arms, 408 S. Oak Park Ave. The date is significant, Dooley said, because it’s exactly 145 years after the Great Chicago Fire swept through the city. “In Old Chicago” tells the fictionalized story of the O’Leary family.
“That’s one reason I’m so excited about this,” said Dooley, who founded the group and runs the company with his wife, Pam Turlow. “The audience will be riveted by the end.”
Dooley said the shows are in the style of Lux Radio Theater performances, which condensed movies and performed the stories for radio.
“It’s a pretty unique and wonderful … entertainment for the whole family,” Dooley said.
The radio re-enactment shows differ from theatrical productions in that there are no costumes, no sets and no lights, Dooley said. Some actors voice more than one character, and sound effects play an important role in conveying the story, as actors depict what it would look like to perform the show as if it were being broadcast by radio.
While the shows draw all ages, “seniors love it because this is their day,” Dooley said.
Desi Vasquez, social programming director at The Arms, said they try to offer residents a variety of arts programming like theatrical and musical performances and dance classes.
Not only is the radio re-enactment show stimulating for seniors because it’s a reminder of their youth, Vasquez said, but it’s an opportunity for residents to invite their family and friends into The Arms.
“In Old Chicago,” which premiered in the 1930s, depicts the different paths two brothers take and the drama that ensues; the film ended with the infamous O’Leary family cow knocking over the lantern, igniting the massive fire that engulfed the city in 1871.
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Dooley said they’ve done everything from westerns to sci-fi, fairy tales to superhero stories. Those Thrilling Days of Yesteryear has done several shows at the Arms since 2002, when Turlow’s father became a resident.
A reception featuring coffee and cookies will follow the free performance. For more information, call 708-386-4040 or visit www.oakparkarms.com.
Caitlin Mullen is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.