Palestine Area Radio Theater to return this weekend

Jul. 7—John Lamb and the Palestine Area Radio Theater, PART for short, will be making their grand return to the Palestine airwaves after a two-year hiatus. At 7 p.m. Saturday, July 9 at Nickel Manor, PART plans to power up the flux capacitor and return to the golden days of radio with a production of 'Tascosa Slim: Oldest Deputy West of the Mississippi.'

"Back in March of 2020 we were ready to go with the production," Lamb said. "We had put in a lot of time effort and money and were set to perform on March 21, 2020. On March 20, 2020 the governor shut the state down and that was it."

"Tascosa Slim: Oldest Deputy West of the Mississippi" by Newell Alexander is a western themed radio show set in a 1914 Texas town. Tascosa Slim Wooten was a cowboy, Arizona Ranger, Rough Rider, and a deputy in the old style. Now he is an old deputy whose 'old deputy ways' would normally get him into trouble, but usually end up helping him save the day. It's a mystery, a spy story, and a love story with suspense and laughs for everyone. Rated PG, it's appropriate for the whole family.

Radio theater is a throwback to another era. Radio theater, or radio drama, is a dramatized, purely acoustic performance. With no visual component, radio drama depends on dialogue, music and sound effects to help the listener imagine the characters and story. Radio drama achieved widespread popularity within a decade of its initial development in the 1920s. By the 1940s, it was a leading popular entertainment.

PART will perform the show live in front of a studio audience at Nickel Manor. The doors will open at 6 p.m. and guests are invited to bring their own food and beverages. The Hall will be thoroughly disinfected prior to doors opening. Guests may remain after the performance if they wish to visit with the cast or each other.

"We plan to perform the show here at Nickel Manor with a live audience, which we will encourage to react, laugh and applaud," Lamb said.

The program will be aired live on KYYK — 98.3FM and KNET — 95.7 FM / 1450 AM. It will also be simulcast on the Nickel Manor YouTube channel. All links will be on Facebook at john.lamb, Nickel Manor, and PART Palestine Area Radio Theater.

Approximately 30 minutes after the live cast, the show will be available on YouTube for continued viewing at the public's leisure.

P.A.R.T. is a repertory company produced and directed by John Lamb. The company includes Doug Smith, Gerry Goodwin, Brandi Derr, Nick McCallister, Tanna Adams, Thommas Fitzgerald, Krissy Clark, Amy McCallister and Kevin Harris. Olivia Goodwin and Jon Vandegriff are also members but not participating in this performance.

Nickel Manor is located at 501 Avenue A in Palestine. Tickets will be available at the door. Cash, checks, cards and electronic transfers are all accepted.

For more information on the Palestine Area Radio Theater, Nickel Manor or Nickel Players' auditions, call John Lamb at 903-391-4367, visit their website at nickel-manor.com or follow Nickel Manor on Facebook.