Moonlight Audio Theatre

No Soap Radio - The Shadow: The Long Arm of Death Our 9th NO SOAP RADIO production created in September, 2024. This is a recreation of "The Shadow radio episode..."The Long Arm of Death". The original broadcast took place on November 7, 1954. There is no surviving recording of the original broadcast so this your chance to hear what it might have sounded like back in the day. This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. CAST: Zach Dillinger as Lamont Cranston / The Shadow Victoria Gordon as Margo Lane Zach Eastman as The Announcer Annette Bochenek as Grace Randolph Tony Semczuk as George Randolph Paul Patterson as Doctor Low Laura Mirsky as Jennie

No Soap Radio - Jack Benny Visits the Apollo 11 Launch Our 7th No Soap Radio production is based on an original script written by Craig Shemin.  This Jack Benny Radio Show takes place in 1969.  Jack is invited to attend the launch of Apollo 11 which resulted in the first men walking on the moon.  All of the usual cast of characters make appearances including Mary Livingston, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Rochester, Don Wilson, Frank Nelson, and Sheldon Leonard.   This production had its premiere at the 4th annual Jack Benny Convention in February, 2024. It was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit.  CAST:  Jack West as Jack Benny  Annette Bochenek as Mary Livingston  Paul Patterson as Rochester  Tony Semczuk as Frank Nelson and Sheldon Leonard  Zach Eastman as Dennis Day (talking) and Michael Collins  Robert Creighton as Dennis Day (singing)  Zach Dillinger as Phil Harris  Victoria Gordon as The Airline Clerk  John Henderson as Don Wilson and Buzz Aldrin  Paul Kovit as NASA Gate Officer, Airport Announcer

No Soap Radio - Fibber McGee & Molly: The 6th Anniversary Show (1941) Our 8th NO SOAP RADIO production created in July, 2024.  As always we're presenting this show exactly as written in 1941 for historical accuracy.  We don't condone every attitude expressed in the show.  You might recognize the voice of the actor playing Fibber.  It’s none other than Larry Groebe of Project Audion fame.   This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit.  Paul also managed to decipher the four part hamonies of The Kings Men.  He then was able to recreate their song, “Let’s Get Away From It All” using singers who were scattered throughout the U.S. We hope you like the results. CAST:  Annette Bochenek as Mrs. Uppington  Zach Dillinger as Harlow Wilcox  Zach Eastman as The Old Timer  Victoria Gordon as The Little Girl  Larry Groebe as Fibber McGee  Anne O’Sullivan as Molly  Paul Patterson as The Oculist  Tony Semczuk as Throckmorton Gildersleeve & Wallace Wimple  Paul Kovit, Tony Semczuk, Mark Saunders, Alexan

Project Audion 69 - Suspense: Deadline Project Audion kicks off its sixth season by once again returning to that all-time classic audio drama, Suspense.  We've again accessed a script from one of the very few lost episodes of the show, and are bringing back many of the actors from Audion's very first show in 2020 to recreate it.  This episode, titled "Deadline," was originally broadcast in June 1950 with Broderick Crawford. It is a powerhouse story of a newspaper editor whose fast-breaking stories on the Chicago underworld increase his paper's circulation beyond his wildest dreams... but which may also prove to be the stuff of his nightmares. It is indeed a classic tale "well-calculated to keep you in..." SUSPENSE!   Pete Lutz in Texas Doug Fain in Kentucky Richard Huitema in Florida Scott McKinley in New Jersey Patte Rosebank in Toronto Canada Craig Wichman in New York Production, direction, music and sound patterns by Larry Groebe

Project Audion 68 - Wayfaring Men Larry Groebe wanted to do a "very special episode" for the finale of the fifth season. Starting with recreating what is not only a lost episode, but an entirely lost show from some of the earliest days of network radio.  "Wayfaring Men" is pretty much an unknown, undocumented show... a dramatic 1933 summer serial from CBS about the lives of the hoboes, tramps, and bums who were so numerous during the Great Depression. Not a single recording of the show exists, and there's almost no background information either, but Project Audion came upon a handful of the original mimeographed scripts, and has selected an episode dated June 26 1933 to bring back to life.

Project Audion 67 - Our Miss Brooks Project Audion presents the delightful mid-century classic sitcom "Our Miss Brooks." Back in the 1950s, the character of Connie Brooks was everyone’s favorite high school English teacher - sassy and smart, but starry-eyed in her unrequited desire for biology teacher Mr. Boynton. Actress Eve Arden’s portrayal was so iconic she made the jump to television four years after the radio version launched in 1948 - and even filmed a movie adaptation in 1956. Robert L. Mills, comedy writer for Bob Hope, has crafted a fresh episode of the show just for Project Audion that matches the original radio episodes, laugh for laugh. We had a great time recording this one, and you'll have a great time listening to it!

Project Audion 66 - The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes Project Audion brings you "The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes," recreating an episode which has remained unheard for eighty years. There's no more famous detective, real or imagined, than Holmes. His creator, Arthur Conan Doyle, pretty much defined the mystery-detective story, and 138 years later Holmes and Watson are still part of popular culture. In 1945, Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce portrayed them weekly on the Mutual Radio network. Our selected script (which aired only once, on January 15, 1945) "The Curse of Doctor Anselmo," carries its own mystery - the secret identity of the man who co-wrote it pseudonymously. Will you discover whodunnit? Will Holmes fall under Anselmo's curse? Will the Petri family take the time to bring you good wine? All will be revealed in this delightful half hour audio drama, faithful to the original series' sound and spirit.

abVoices presents: Bat-Supe! Old Time Radio’s “Adventures of Superman” featuring Superman and the Dynamic Duo! Having uncharacteristically taken a long nap, Clark Kent was awakened to a phone call from Bruce Wayne informing him of another bank robbery 50 minutes away in Groveton. Wasting no more time, Superman and Batman flew to the scene to learn what happened. A pair of eyewitnesses tell their story, but what they have to say isn’t exactly helpful. Will Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne be able to unravel it all before the next robbery? Plus, in today’s Important Message, Billy shows us just how challenging the Shell Game is! Part 3 of “Is There Another Superman” was originally broadcast on January 31, 1946!  

abVoices presents: Bat-Supe! Old Time Radio’s “Adventures of Superman” featuring Superman and the Dynamic Duo!  Not only is someone posing as Superman to commit bank robberies and then giving the money to charity, but Batman and Clark Kent have discovered that the imposter’s handwriting matches that of Superman himself! Furthermore, Batman suspects that Kal-El wasn’t the only survivor of the destruction of Krypton! Could he be right? Did someone else survive the Kryptonian cataclysm? And why is Clark Kent suddenly having debilitating headaches? Will there be answers? Find out in today’s episode of Bat-Supe! Plus, in today’s Important Message, it’s the first clue in The Shell Game! Part 2 of “Is There Another Superman” was originally broadcast on January 30, 1946!

The air is thick with the scent of damp stone and the echoes of laughter from the fading carnival. But beneath the revelry lies a sinister plot. Step into the chilling darkness of Edgar Allan Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado." Betrayal, revenge, and a descent into the catacombs await. Join us in this Moonlight Audio Theatre exclusive as abVoices uncorks this classic tale of calculated horror, narrated by Andy Hartson-Bowyer.  

abVoices presents: Bat-Supe! Old Time Radio’s “Adventures of Superman” featuring Superman and the Dynamic Duo!  There have been a string of bank robberies and according to eyewitnesses the bank robber rips bank vaults open with his bare hands and wears a costume just like Superman! What’s more, the stolen money is always given to charity! Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent are investigating, but they soon learn that it isn’t just the costume that’s like Superman’s. It’s the beginning of a new adventure and the stakes are as high as they can get! Plus, in today’s Important Message, we begin the countdown to our next Swell Prize, and you’ll need to put on your thinking caps for this one!  Part 1 of “Is There Another Superman” was originally broadcast on January 29, 1946!

NO SOAP RADIO - Our Miss Brooks: Student Government Day Our 5th NO SOAP RADIO production created in April, 2023. This is a recreation of the 1949 Our Miss Brooks program, “Student Government Day”, starring Eve Arden. This was a dream come true for No Soap member Zach Eastman. He had been working on a Walter Denton imitation for years and finally had a chance to show it off. This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. If you’d like to see a video version of this show check out our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/ While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on YouTube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production. CAST: Adrienne Jones as Martha Conklin John Henderson as The Show Announcer Victoria Gordon as Harriet Conklin Paul Kovit as Osgood Conklin Zach Dillinger as Phillip Boynton and Luster Creme Spokesman Laura Mirksy as Margaret Davis and Palmolive Soap Spokesw

NO SOAP RADIO -- Suspense: The Whole Town's Sleeping Our 6th NO SOAP RADIO production, created in September, 2023. This is a recreation of the 1955 Suspense program - "The Whole Town's Sleeping". In this show our production values took a leap forward. This was our first time incorporating a green screen into the video production, allowing us to place our performers into our own graphic backgrounds, and simultaneously remove all microphones from the shot.  Listeners may be interested to know that No Soap’s Annette Bochenek (who plays Lavinia Nebbs) has her own website, Hometowns To Hollywood, where she takes deep dives into Hollywood characters, both famous and obscure. Check it out: https://hometownstohollywood.com/ This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. Paul also recreated many of the original music cues in GarageBand using instrument samples from the app. These cues were surreptitiously blended with some of the original cues. In addition, Larry Groebe of Project Audion provided a bunch

NO SOAP RADIO presents: The Shadow, "The Silent Avenger" Our 3rd NO SOAP RADIO production created in September, 2022. This is a recreation of the 1938 episode of The Shadow entitled "The Silent Avenger” and was our first attempt at something besides comedy. The show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. Paul also recreated the original music cues using the organ samples in GarageBand, and arranged the Shadow theme music under the end credits. If you’d like to see a video version of this show checkout our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/ While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on YouTube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production. CAST: Ian Oberg as The Announcer, a policeman, and Mr. O’Hara Victoria Gordon as Margo Lane and the little girl Paul Kovit as Danny Brecker Zach Dillinger as Lamont Cranston and The Shadow Annette Bochenek as Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Brecker

NO SOAP RADIO: The Jack Benny Program, "No One Remembers Jack's Birthday" Our 4th NO SOAP RADIO production was created in February, 2023 and premiered at the 3rd annual Jack Benny Convention. This is a recreation of the 1955 Lucky Strike Program starring Jack Benny - "No One Remembers Jack's Birthday". We chose this particular program to spotlight one of our actors, Victoria Gordon. Victoria’s grandfather, Al Gordon, was one of the writers on this show. Al was part of Jack Benny’s writing staff for many years and also had a very successful career writing for many TV sitcoms and variety shows throughout the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s. This show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. If you’d like to see a video version of this show checkout our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/ While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on YouTube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another producti

Our 10th NO SOAP RADIO production is based on an original script written by Craig Shemin. This Jack Benny Program takes place in 1955. Jack wonders what it would be like if he was the subject on the TV show This Is Your Life. All of the usual cast of characters make appearances, including Mary Livingstone, Dennis Day, Phil Harris, Rochester, Don Wilson, Frank Nelson, and Professor LeBlanc. Also a number of guest stars appear including Jack Benny's sister Florence, George Burns and Gracie Allen, Groucho Marx, and Fred Allen! The show was produced, directed and edited by Paul Kovit. If you’d like to see a video version of this show checkout our website: https://nosoapradioplayers.com/ While there you can access our other productions as well as info about our group. And if you like our videos feel free to hit the subscribe button on Youtube so you can be alerted as soon as we release another production. CAST: John Bell as Jack Benny Eric Jacobson as George Burns Stephanie D’Abruzzo as Gracie Allen Noah Diamond

OLD-TIME RADIO ESSENTIALS Episode 47: The Whistler (our 2025 New Year's Special!) Old-Time Radio Essentials returns with episode 47, the 10th installment of Season 4! Pete, Paul and Patte present Pete's pick , an episode of The Whistler, entitled "The First Year"!  Come for the old-time radio, stay for the scintillating (that's one way of putting it) discussion afterwards! As you listen, perhaps you'll learn if we feel this entry meets the following criteria: 1. Is it truly representative of that series? (Can anyone point to it and say, "Yes, that is what [NAME OF SERIES] was all about.") 2. Is it an episode worthy of inclusion in any and every OTR aficionado's private collection? So with this in mind, we three bring you, as our forty-seventh number (but 10th official episode of S4), this episode of The Whistler, from 12-31-47. We'll introduce the show, play it in its entirety, then discuss it at length. Thanks for joining us, and we hope you enjoy it!  Please show your support of the podcast by doing any o

Long, long before George Burns became the senior citizen movie star of films like "The Sunshine Boys" and "Oh God!" he was familiar to radio and television audiences across the country as the grounded half of the comedy couple Burns and Allen, with real-life wife (and vaudeville partner) Gracie Allen playing the ditzy dame of the duo. Theirs was a 25-year run on the airwaves, and now for Project Audion, Pete Lutz has penned a fresh new Burns and Allen script that recalls the best of their radio work during World War II, right down to their sponsor of the time, Swan Soap. Much like Bob Hope and Jack Benny did, we find the two of them at a naval base entertaining the troops, along with guest stars Henry Fonda and Chico Marx. You'll be entertained by Audion's transcribed-live transcontinental cast of delicious, delirious vocal talents: John Bell (as George) in Alabama Mel Rose (as Gracie) in Pennsylvania Dana Gonsalves (as Bill Goodwin) in Texas Les Marsden (as Chico Marx) in California Scott R. McKinley (as He

MINDSTREAM PLAYERS Present: 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA Prepare to plunge into a reimagined, atmospheric adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic tale, crafted in the brooding style with cinematic flair. This is not just a journey beneath the waves—it’s a descent into the human soul. Join Professor Aronnax, his loyal servant Conseil, and the brash harpooner Ned Land as they get swept aboard the enigmatic Nautilus, a submarine unlike any other, captained by the brilliant yet tormented Captain Nemo. Trapped within its iron confines, they are drawn into Nemo’s obsessive quest for freedom from a corrupt world above—a quest that spirals into vengeance, tragedy, and a confrontation with the unfathomable power of the sea. From breathtaking wonders of the deep to the haunting isolation of the abyss, this adaptation explores themes of freedom, captivity, and the price of defiance. With relentless action, vivid characters, and a chilling climax in the heart of a raging maelstrom, this is a journey that will leave you ques

PROJECT AUDION 64: Philip Marlowe, "The Three Wise Guys" Project Audion’s Christmas gift this year is a lost episode of the classic detective drama The Adventures of Philip Marlowe with a holiday theme! Because Audion's previous Philip Marlowe restoration became its most popular episode ever, we returned to our archives to unearth a Marlowe script which hasn't been performed or heard since December 19, 1948 -- "The Three Wise Guys." The Adventures of Philip Marlowe ran for three years on network radio, with new noir-ish tales from author Raymond Chandler's detective. In this episode, it was the night before Christmas and (as Marlowe says) "a sweet girl was in trouble.  But that didn't mean a thing to the second-story man, the four-flusher in spats, and the ex-Chicago cabbie -- until, one way or the other, they all got into the spirit of the thing..." Our cast, which recorded this episode live in the classic radio drama style, included:   Andy Hartson-Bowyer in Virginia Tom Konkle in California Hunter Adkins