arts encore
Calling All Ears
Classic radio theater program launches 13th season by
Kit almy
B
y day, Don Ramlow is a mild-mannered political science instructor. By night, on certain Saturdays, he is an intrepid radio theater producer. Ramlow has had a longtime passion for the preservation of classic radio theater. An offhand comment about his hobby led to the formation of All Ears Theatre, now in its 13th season of presenting radio plays before a live audience. In conversation with Richard Hughey, who was then the program officer of the Irving S. Gilmore Foundation and is now CEO, Ramlow mentioned that he frequently traveled to conventions where he took part in recreating radio plays. He says that Hughey responded, “I think it would be kind of fun if we did something like that in Kalamazoo.” What resulted from that conversation is a collaboration between Ramlow, as producer, and several area organizations. All Ears Theatre is a program of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo, with funding
34 | Encore FEBRUARY 2014
Green Lantern’s Director Jeff Mais, center, goes over notes with cast members, from left, Mickey Sykes, Mark Bass and Mike Coon.
from the Gilmore Foundation. Free live performances are held at First Baptist Church in downtown Kalamazoo and are later broadcast over public radio station WMUK, 102.1 FM. Attending an All Ears Theatre performance is a unique entertainment experience. “I couldn’t quite visualize it until I actually saw the first show,” says Beth McCann, deputy director of the Arts Council. She says that once you attend a performance and listen to it later on the radio, “you’re really hooked.” All Ears Theatre has developed a solid local following, appealing to adults with nostalgic memories of the golden age of radio as well as to young families. “It’s really good for us to see younger people there because that means the love of the art form and everything else will continue in a younger generation,” Ramlow says.