Welcome to the Hear Again Radio Project’s Spring-in-Bloom program, “Baseball and Taxes”! We’re coming out of the winter doldrums and beginning to look forward to better weather, longer days, even vacations, the perfect opportunity to dust off a little nostalgia and take a few steps back to a simpler time.
This time out we’re doing three episodes, two of which – “Ellery Queen: World Series Crime” and “Nine Striking Beauties” – have large casts with a lot of male roles. But the HARP cast is more than up to the challenge, everyone creating such distinct and clearly-drawn characters that, if you close your eyes, you’ll swear you’re hearing a different actor in each part. We’re also presenting an episode of “The Bickersons”, likely to prompt some of you to wonder who’s been bugging your homes!
We typically provide a musical interlude between acts, and for “Baseball and Taxes” it’s no different. You’ll be hearing “It’s Deductible” from the 1950 movie “My Blue Heaven”, starring Betty Grable and Dan Dailey, and performed by our very own Betty and Dan: Kristen Norine and Jared Delaney.
It’s always a pleasure to perform with the Hear Again cast –but it’s been a particular pleasure to handle director duties for “Baseball and Taxes”. Thanks to Old Smoothie and Artistic Director Darin Dunston for trusting me with the job. Our team of pros – including lovely musical director Linda Henderson – made it easy for me.
We always say we enjoy performing these shows as much as the audience does hearing them. If that’s the case we’re all going to have a ball with “Baseball and Taxes”! So sit back and relax: we’re on the air!
--Fred Andersen
