Theatre MSU and 91.1 The Junction launch children’s ‘radio theatre’ collaboration

Contact: Sarah Nicholas

STARKVILLE, Miss.—Theatre MSU debuts its holiday-themed children’s radio play, “Snowing in Mississippi” on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 8 p.m., marking the final installment in a new storytelling collaboration with Mississippi State’s campus radio station, 91.1 FM The Junction.

This fall, students in MSU’s Theatre for Young Audiences, or TYA, class developed community service projects centered on engaging young audiences. Senior communication major Rachel-Kate Thaggard of Meridian wrote and directed a series of children’s radio plays and partnered with Becca Thorn, radio station manager for The Junction.

Thorn said she hopes the project helps The Junction reach a broader audience.

“We wanted to invite families and young listeners to experience theater in a new format,” she said, adding that working with Thaggard and the TYA class has been a “fantastic” experience.

“Her writing paints a beautiful picture that we were able to bring to life in the production process, while giving me the opportunity to teach students at the radio station new skills related to sound design,” Thorn said.

Thaggard, who has a background in playwriting and plans to pursue a career in theater for young audiences, said the partnership has been a rewarding creative experience.

“Becca had such a wonderful idea for this project, and she has been great to collaborate with,” she said. “It’s exciting to work through this project with someone so efficient.”

The idea for the collaboration originated with Tonya Hays, associate professor in MSU’s Department of Communication, Media and Theatre, who saw an opportunity to connect the TYA class with the campus station. From there, Thorn and Thaggard combined their talents to produce an original radio theater series designed for young listeners.

The series features three 15-minute plays airing October through December. The first, a Halloween-themed story, premiered last month, followed by a retelling of “The Emperor’s New Clothes” on Nov. 1.

For more information about MSU’s campus radio station, 91.1 FM The Junction, visit https://www.wmsv.msstate.edu/about.

For more information about MSU's College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Communication, Media and Theatre, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.comm.msstate.edu.

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