OC Communication alumnus directs “1940s Radio Theater” shows in Edmond

The Edmond Historical Society and Museum seeks to preserve the city’s history while educating young and old about influential events that have shaped the community. In the last few years, a new program has helped EHS educate the public about history in a particularly entertaining way - a reenactment of radio theater from the 1940s. 

This popular program is directed by Oklahoma Christian University Communication alumnus Barrett Huddleston. He has directed three EHS “1940s Radio Theater” shows, and he is preparing for his next production around Valentine’s Day. Huddleston, who has taught theater at OC and other universities, graduated from the University of Minnesota with a doctorate in Theater, and he is a top writer for the Skit Guys, a Christian comedy duo. 

OC English alumna Amy Dee Stephens wrote about Huddleston’s work in Edmond Outlook magazine, highlighting that Huddleston “enjoys working with the community cast, which sometimes includes child actors.” He also includes additional OC Communication alumni, such as Curt Rose, in his productions. 

Huddleston told Stephens that he enjoyed seeing the reactions of the audiences.

“The audiences are so polyvalent,” Huddleston said about the variety of attendees in the room. “Some were alive when these radio dramas first came out, so their attendance is purely nostalgic, but we also have young Edmond hipsters coming because it’s a cheap date night, laughing at the irony of how families were portrayed back in the 1940s.”

The radio shows began in 2018 as a part of EHS’ living history program. Actors read scripts that correlate to exhibits that are held in the museum. The museum’s first radio show was set during WWII due to having an exhibit about Edmond’s contributions in WWII. The “1940s Radio Theater” proved so popular that other shows were created around holidays such as Halloween and a reenactment of “War of the Worlds.” The program also recently won an Oklahoma Museum Association award.

As Stephens wrote, EHS’ “1940s Radio Theater is an entertaining way to experience history and pop culture from eighty years ago—in person.”

Huddleston’s first “1940s Radio Theater” production of 2022 will be the “Valentine Variety Show,” Feb. 12 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. The show will include three old-time radio scripts that vary from comedy to romantic drama. Opera singer Alicia Vanderschaaf will be a featured special guest. Tickets go on sale from EHS.