LIVE PERFORMANCE TICKETS HERE
Tune into Blugold Radio 99.9 beginning Friday, March 23 at 7PM to hear the first episode of Bend in the River—an 8-episode podcast series written, performed and produced by local residents. Subsequent episodes will be aired each Friday at 7PM and re-aired on Sundays at noon and Wednesdays at 7PM.
Bend in the River tells the story of 25-year-old David Sundby, who, while en route to his grandfather’s funeral in River Bend, Wisconsin, is forced to take the old ferry following a bridge closure. Upon doing so, he finds himself transported to the summer of 1958, where he disrupts the time-space continuum (including meddling with his grandparents’ futures, as well as his own) in an effort to return home. Along the way he meets a wide-ranging cast of characters from River Bend—only some of whom believe he’s a Communist spy. “I like to describe it as The Twilight Zone meets Fargo,” says B.J. Hollars, one of the four writers who collaborated on the scripts. “It’s a little spooky and a lot of fun.”
Producer and Blugold Radio Station Manager Scott Morfitt says, “For us this truly is a labor of love. Our producers have been spending hours and hours hand selecting sound effects, music cues, and learning new effects to make the audience feel at home in River Bend.” Blugold Radio’s previous radio drama, Wisconsin History Theater, recently won a Wisconsin Broadcasters Association award for “Best General Entertainment Program.”
Bend in the River was written by Charlotte Kupsh, Ken Szymanski, Jim Rybicki and B.J. Hollars and features the voice talents of Jake Pritchard, Katie Hennen, Karen Drydek, Jason Splichal, Jake Lindgren, Brett Jensen, Tom Giffey, Jeff DeGrave, Rob Reid, Paul, Thomas, Ken Szymanski, Matt Kiskunus, Neil Dunbar, Mike Paulus, Shannon Paulus, Eva Paulus, Sully Paulus, and Brian Moen.
“From start to finish, this has been a complete collaboration between some of the best and most generous writers, actors, and producers in the region,” said Hollars. “It’s a perfect mix of students, teachers, professors, alumni and community members. I couldn’t be prouder of what we’ve made together.”
Bernd in the River will conclude with a live, dramatic performance of the final two episodes to be held at The Metro at 7PM on Saturday, May 5. Tickets will be available for purchase at: http://www.convergeradio.org/
For more info visit: http://www.cvwritersguild.org/podcast/
This program was created with generous support from the Eau Claire Community Foundation.