WAR OF THE WORLDS: THE PANIC BROADCAST Comes To The New Vic Theatre

Ensemble Theatre Company of Santa Barbara will open its 47th season "Truth and Illusion" with the theatrical experience WAR OF THE WORLDS: THE PANIC BROADCAST, written by Joe Landry and directed by Jamie Torcellini. This masterful reenactment of Orson Welles' legendary 1938 radio drama will perform Wednesday, October 8, 2025 (with a press opening on Saturday, October 11 at 8:00pm) and runs through Sunday October 26, 2025 at The New Vic Theatre, 33 W. Victoria Street.

Step back in time to October 30, 1938, and relive the legendary broadcast that sent the nation into panic! This immersive 90-minute production (with no intermission) recreates the infamous radio drama that blurred the line between fiction and reality, perfectly launching ETC's season theme of "Truth and Illusion." Audiences will witness the behind-the-scenes drama as a talented radio troupe performs H.G. Wells' science fiction masterpiece live, complete with vintage sound effects, period music, and the raw energy that made Orson Welles' broadcast a cultural phenomenon.

"This production captures the magic and immediacy of live radio theatre while exploring themes that feel remarkably relevant today," said Scott DeVine, ETC's executive artistic director. "In an era when the line between truth and fiction is constantly questioned, Joe Landry's brilliant adaptation reminds us of the power of storytelling and media to shape public perception. Jamie Torcellini brings his exceptional directorial vision and deep understanding of theatrical craft to create an experience that is both historically fascinating and thoroughly entertaining."
ETC is committed to ensuring that transformative theatrical experiences remain accessible to all Santa Barbara community members through its Community Pay What You Can Nights program. The Pay What You Can performance for War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast will be Wednesday, October 8th. This initiative continues throughout ETC's season, with Community Pay What You Can performances on Wednesday, December 3rd for The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged; Wednesday, February 4th for The Shark is Broken; Wednesday, April 1st for A Night With Janis Joplin; and Wednesday, June 3rd for Every Brilliant Thing.

ABOUT THE CREATIVE TEAM AND CAST

Joe Landry (Playwright) has been fortunate to have his plays produced across the country and internationally. His works include It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (named one of the       top-ten most produced plays by American Theatre Magazine). His other A Live Radio Play adaptations include Vintage Hitchcock, Meet Me in St. Louis, War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast, and A Christmas Carol, published through Playscripts/Broadway Licensing and Concord. Other plays include The Wicked Stage, Reefer Madness,Numb, and Hitchcocked!. He attended Playwrights Horizons/NYU and has taught playwriting at Sacred Heart University. www.joelandry.com

Jamie Torcellini (Director) has directed ETC productions of Dracula: A Comedy of Terror, A Christmas Carol, The 39 Steps, and Tell Me on a Sunday, and starred in The Mystery of Irma Vep, and School for Lies. He has performed in many Broadway shows since 1980, including CATS (Mr. Mistoffelees), Little Johnny Jones(Standby to Donny Osmond), Me and My Girl (Standby for Jim Dale), Jerome Robbins Broadway, Man of La Mancha (Barber), Beauty and the Beast (LeFou), and the original company of Billy Elliot. As a Director, Jamie has mounted several productions of The 39 Steps, The Mystery of Irma Vep, My Fair Lady, The Producers, Me and My Girl, How to Succeed…, West Side Story, and many others. He also assisted on both of the "Stuart Little" films starring Geena Davis and Hugh Laurie.

The production features four exceptional performers bringing multiple characters to life: Richard Baird as Freddy Filmore/Orson Welles, an award-winning actor who was last seen as Angelo in ETC's Measure for Measure and has appeared in 51 Shakespeare productions; Matthew Floyd Miller as Harry Haywood, whose Broadway credits include The Cottage (directed by Jason Alexander), Not About Nightingales (directed by Trevor Nunn), and The Invention of Love (directed by Jack O'Brien); Ashley Margaret Morton as Lana Sherwood, making her ETC debut with touring credits including Legally Blonde (Paulette) and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (Mama Who); and Bryan Daniel Porter as Jake Laurents, who was recently called the "MVP of Performers" by Variety Magazine for leading the L.A. Revival of Reefer Madness.

A distinguished design team brings technical excellence to this complex production: Stephen Gifford (Scenic Design), recipient of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle's Bob Z Award for Career Achievement in Set Design; Jared A. Sayeg (Lighting Design), nine-time Ovation Award nominee whose Broadway portfolio includes The Illusionists; Kate Bergh (Costume Design), whose work has earned LADCC Awards and Ovation nominations; James Ard (Sound Design), a specialist in immersive productions whose work spans national & international venues; Kevin Williams (Properties Design), whose two decades of experience includes work with Walt Disney Imagineering; and Jeff Gardner (Foley Artist), an Ovation Award-winning audio craftsman. Kristal Georgopoulos serves as Production Stage Manager.