Welcome to another blog post of the Icebox Radio Theater. This is a significant post in that it is the first time I have tried to keep a regular schedule of blogging, which will hopefully lead to more interest in the this blog and the theater in general. You’ll notice today is Monday. Since we already podcast every other Monday, I figured it made sense to do a blog update on the Monday’s we’re not podcasting. This means that you guys can always count on something from the IBRT every single Monday of the year.

SHOW NEWS: We are only two weeks and two days away from our next live show. As is tradition, we will be performing at the Bandshell at Smokey Bear Park as part of the Wednesday Concert in the Park series. The show is free, and for those not able to make it, we’ll be broadcasting on the streaming station Icebox Radio starting at 7pm on showdate, which is July 29^th. Many thanks to Jim Bujold and Dynamic Technologies for making the Internet stream possible.

After the last live show in May, the IBRT brain trust got together and talked about how the spring show, and what direction the theater should head. Though we felt the show itself was fine – one of our best, as a matter of fact – audience response seemed to be a little tepid. I felt that perhaps the variety show concept is getting old hat and we needed a change of pace. So the live show at the bandshell this month will be not be a variety show, but a play; a mystery play as a matter of fact.

We’ll be doing ‘Scoop Sisters: New School Blues’ an hour-long play staring those three ladies of mystery our podcast listeners will remember from last November. In this show, teen Mary is butting heads with a particularly difficult teacher at school, and Mel and Jasmine look into it to discover the teacher is not all that she appears to be. When federal agents appear to warn the Scoop Sisters off the case, even more crazy investigations ensue.

We are not abandoning the variety show format, only taking a break. The idea why is twofold. First, variety shows take a lot more work and coordination, and I felt everyone deserved a break from that. Plus, it can difficult to get cast and crew to open up two solid weeks of rehearsal time during vacation season. In preparation for last year’s CONvergence show, we never had the whole cast together until the final few days of rehearsal. Second, as I said, the audience at our last variety show was a little quiet. And we did get several comments to the effect that though the show had good bits too it, it wasn’t really a whole show. Again, I don’t feel that’s the fault of the production since that particular show was one of the most consistent, tight and funny shows we’ve ever done.

The problem with being in show business is that you’ve always got to stay one step ahead of the audience. And my best guess right now is that the summer time, the out of doors, and the relaxed atmosphere of the bandshell show will be conducive to live performance based on ‘Story’. Rather than razzel-dazzeling them with lots of skits and songs, we’re going to invite the audience to pull up a chair and listen to a mystery. There will be suspense, there will be humor, and (if I do my job as director) there will be a couple of great performances from our talented cast.

Today is my 43^rd Birthday, and as I look back, I begin to think the move to International Falls and founding the IBRT was one of the best things that’s ever happened to me. It’s been a very fun ride so far, and I feel blessed to be on it. Thanks to everyone who’s come alongside the theater and helped us lo these past five years.

Thanks for the download, and Keep Listening!