So long since I’ve written, so much to catch up with. Things continue to chug along at the IBRT. Another Halloween has come and gone and the un-official holiday of audio drama was very kind to us. We got a new home, a new show for our repertoire, and a very nice payday.
The home is Rainy River Community College. The IBRT board had been suggesting the college as a venue for some time. But things never aligned just right for us to make the move until now. And now, I can’t wait to do a show there again. The house is much smaller (199 to be exact) which makes our standard audience of 70-95 feel much more impressive. I think the audience liked it as well. Secondly, RRCC is available to non-profit groups free of charge, which made this a very nice payday for the theater.
The main production was a classic radio play titled ‘3 Skeleton Key’ about three men trapped in a lighthouse besieged by millions of starving rats. The original story aired on a radio show called ‘Escape’ in the 1940’s, and was responsible for bringing an actor named Vincent Price to national attention. Our version featured my son Stephen in the Price role, our new IBRT Board president Harely Droba as the insane hunchback, and RRCC English teacher (and our lighting and college liaison) Doug Blumhardt as the tough ‘Head Man’ in this lighthouse.
3 Skeleton Key shared the stage with the usual collection of skits and songs, most written by me but one penned by our own Kenna Clayton. It was a good show, and for the first time, we have a video record of the event. My daughter Rachel did the camera work, and we’ve put together a pretty slick DVD of her efforts. Two videos are also posted on YouTube as well.
In Board news, Gene Gee, the first person to really take an active, and participatory interest in the IBRT, has decided to step down as President of the Board of the Directors. I know this will give Gene more time to do other things, but it still feels like a milepost for the theater. I want to thank Gene for all he’s done, and wish him the best of luck in the future.
I’ll wrap up for now. Visit the website, there’s lots cooking and more on the way, including a change in our local broadcast situation. Keep Listening!

-Jeff