A Note From the Director
I came across this play for the first time while actively scouring the Playscripts, Inc. website in search of something to submit to direct this season. I had a few ideas for shows - farces, musicals, and more - but nothing that truly told a story that needed to be heard in the present climate of our world. I knew I wanted something more, something that could give us a lesson or a reminder of how we should interact with all that is around us, especially with the hold social media has over us.
It was several hours into my search that I found the title War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast. It immediately piqued my interest. I knew about the famous broadcast, but I knew nothing of the story behind it. So as I began to read the tale of Orson Welles and John Houseman and the absolute panic their production aspired, I was hooked. I ate up every part of it, from the conversations the pair had behind the scenes to the many slices of the public reaction to the faithful recreation of the broadcast itself. By the time I finished reading, I had already staged the entire thing in my head.
At this point, knowing I had to direct this piece, there was only one place I wanted it to be. I had first come to Studio at the beginning of the 2022-2023 season when I auditioned for and was cast in Clue (directed by none other than Alicia, this production’s amazing stage manager). From the moment I began associating with the theater all the way through to now, I have felt nothing but love and acceptance from this place. Even with my Tourette Syndrome, which to outsiders may seem like an obstacle to being in theater, the people in this community have only ever shown support and genuine belief that I can succeed here. While yes, I did want to direct because it is my passion, I also wanted to give back to Studio in a way that felt like my own. This show was exactly that.
Thank you to everyone at Studio Playhouse for giving me an opportunity to do what I love most on my home turf. Thank you especially to Alicia Hayes, not only for being the director who brought me to this place and for being the best stage manager, but for being a wonderful friend as well.
-Alec J. Wolf
