The War of The Worlds

“Go on, tell your friends there’s nothing to worry about…”

Red Tree Theatre proudly presents an immersive re-enactment of the 1938 radio sensation, “The War of The Worlds”. Join us as we step back in time to experience the gripping drama that once held an entire nation spellbound. Directed by the visionary Orson Welles, this adaptation of H.G. Wells’ groundbreaking science fiction novel became a landmark in broadcasting history.

This isn’t just a play; it’s a journey into the past, a chance to relive the moment when fiction blurred into reality, sending shockwaves through the airwaves. Witness the power of storytelling, the magic of radio, and the timeless genius of Welles and Wells, as we recreate the chilling atmosphere that captivated and alarmed listeners across America.

Don’t miss this extraordinary event where history, drama, and the golden age of radio converge. Book your tickets now and be part of the legend at Red Tree Theatre. Prepare for an evening where imagination knows no bounds and the line between fact and fiction disappears!

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Welcome to the War of the Worlds information page.

Here you will find information about the vision for the production, audition information and some details about rehearsal and the production schedule. Any dates or timings leading up to the production are based on our aim at the moment, but can be slightly flexible depending on cast and/or theatre rehearsal space requirements.

The production.

The overarching aim of this production is to recreate the working environment of a late 1930’s radio studio. The audience will feel like they are sitting outside the observation window of a radio station recording studio in 1938, watching voice actors at work producing the radio play “War of the Worlds”. There will be four actors standing/sitting at their microphones and a Foley artist at their desk ready to produce a range of sound effects. Each actor will portray 5-7 characters in the piece. Some characters have only 1 or 2 lines, but others have big patches of dialogue.

A critical aspect for the actors in this production will be the ability to create different characters with just their voice and a little physicality, as the audience will be able to see the actor, but we have to remember this is radio, so the voice is the most important tool in making each character different. This doesn’t mean silly voices, rather accent, intonation and timing.

Critical to the performance from an actor’s perspective, is the ability to recreate an appropriate accent. This play is performed in a New York recording studio by local actors and set primarily in New York City and rural New Jersey, so the accent is a New York/New Jersey accent.

The cast.

There is a cast of four people. One male (who will read the Orson Welles role as well as other characters), three females (who will read various characters) and a Foley artist. The voice actors will all be 30 yrs plus, but the Foley artist can be any age. The Foley artist will also be responsible for assembling the majority of tools required for creating their sound effects. There are some standard sound effects that will be required (background music, gunshots, people running on gravel roads, police sirens etc.), but we are also open to other effects that the Foley artist may think will fit in with the script. Bring your sound suggestions!

The audition process. 

Auditions will be held on 6 December at Red Tree Theatre, will be held privately and can be booked via the link on the information slides. Auditionees will be required to read three (3) pieces of dialogue from three (3) different characters to demonstrate their ability to create differing characters with just their voice.

Whilst the production must have solid, consistent accents, please do not worry if you think your New York accent is a bit shakey, as there is time to work on it prior to the performance, but we do need to see that the seed of a good, solid accent is there. There are lots of accent guides available on YouTube, and you can easily find the recording of the original production online to listen to. We do want to make the production our own and so won’t be trying to do an exact imitation of the original, however it is a great guide to the accent tones of the era and the tension and panic that can be portrayed purely with the voice.

Once you register for your audition, you will be sent the dialogue pieces to practice within 24-36 hours, so don’t leave it til the last minute to register!

We aim to announce the cast soon after auditions as there is unlikely to be a call-back requirement.

The rehearsal process.

This is unlike many plays that you may have performed in, as there is no physical blocking or movement. If you are successful in being cast, you will be given a script and first rehearsals will be held in early February 2024. At this stage, the expectation is that there will be about four (4) rehearsals and then a technical and two rehearsals in production week prior to opening. The season runs from 1 – 9 March 2024 at Red Tree Theatre, Tuggerah.

You don’t need to learn the lines so that you can recite them without a script, like a normal play, as you will have the script in front of you during the performance, but you must be so familiar with it, that even if you drop your script, you don’t miss a beat and your character is consistent.

The question process.

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to waroftheworlds.rtt@gmail.com

APPLY HERE