Theatre of the Mind on Halloween

As parents there are some milestones in the experiences of our children that we choose to either lock-out or to lock-in: observances that you choose to ignore or embrace and that eventually become ingrained into the family tradition.

One item we chose to more or less "lock-out" was Halloween. When the kids were small, we opted out of the whole "trick or treat" thing.  It was a little more common among evangelicals at the time and we just decided that the fear and the extortion-like practice of hitting up the neighbors for candy set the wrong expectations.

Not judging; we just made that decision.

That's a decision I haven't regretted, although our kids might say something different.

We haven't let it dim the awesome magic that Autumn instills in us all; we haven't missed the annual viewing of  "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" very often; we'll even take in a "scary" movie at times... "The Ghost and Mr. Chicken", "Arsenic and Old Lace", or "Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy".

For Halloween night this year, we stepped back in time a little and enjoyed a page from the more innocent days when radio was king.

On the evening before Halloween in 1938, the most popular evening radio show was the "Chase and Sanborn Hour" with Edgar Bergen and Charlie McCarthy.  On another station, a young Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre vied for some pittance of attention during the same time block.

As the first Great Depression loomed heavy over America, the nation often sought distraction from the desperation through the radio.  On that night, they got distraction alright- and the result for many was widespread panic!

Orson Welles presented an adaptation of H.G. Wells' book, "The War of the Worlds".  He chose to bring the tale into the 20th century by presenting the story as if it were being reported on the radio.  Apparently, it wasn't his aim to trick people - the play began with a very straightforward introduction; then it faded into a program of ballroom dance music.

By some accounts, many of the people listening to the "Chase and Sanborn Hour" tuned out when one guest - an operatic tenor - began to sing a number.  That was when they tuned into the "War of the Worlds" broadcast - just in time to hear a "reporter" interrupt the program with a special news bulletin.

People listened in rapt attention as the story of a martian  invasion unfolded. As the plot developed, many reportedly fell into a panic - assuming the news reports were real.

I first learned of this event as a young teenager, our school library had a set of those Time-Life Books in which each volume gives an account of a specific decade.   My favorites were the 1930's and the 1940's.  Having an interest in radio - the story  about the "War of the Worlds" broadcast captured my attention.

Last night for dinner we all gathered around the laptop, where I had found a site streaming a recording of the broadcast. I was rather surprised that AA and Ab mounted little protest and for quite awhile it retained their attention.  Eventually, AA had to move on so he quietly grabbed his Mom's Ipad to play some games.

For a few moments, Welles was able to reach through the decades and nab that boy's attention again; screams emitted through the speakers as the martians decimated a crowd en masse with their searing heat ray.  As I said, AA's attention was arrested but only briefly, from that point on his activity level just increased.

With about ten minutes left in the program, we lost Mom and AA. . . actually, it was pretty good that they stayed as long as they did.
Ab stayed with me though. She stuck it out to the end and - I think - was glad she did.

I think she has something of her father's love for nostalgia in her.

For me, it was a good night.  In recent days, it has seemed more and more difficult for our little family to get together in one place at the same time, all focused on the same thing.  I think it is probably the nature of things; maybe partly due to the fact that the kids are getting older. . . or we are.

But this "all hallows eve" provided the best treat of all - time with the folks we love.


Resources include: http://www.radiolab.org/2008/mar/24/