Radio Waves

The heyday of the shock jock is long gone, what with the denomination’s reigning king “exiled” to satellite radio. But that doesn’t mean the Tony and Pulitzer Prize nominated play Talk Radio has suddenly become irrelevant. On the contrary, there are a frightening number of parallels between writer Eric Bogosian’s scary, mid-´80s world teetering on the edge of a drug-fueled, government sanctioned Armageddon and today’s America. In both scenarios we’re screwed. The major difference in Bogosian’s anti-epic is nighttime radio host Barry Champlain and his sardonic wit, hell-bent on saving all from the brink of destruction. Champlain, an antagonistic liberal DJ (a character based on the late Denver radio host Alan Berg) is on the brink of national syndication, when his life takes a turn for the crazier. What follows is a story that delves into a cauldron of censorship, futility – and, ultimately, tragedy.

Since premiering at New York’s Public Theater in 1987, Talk Radio has been translated to film by Oliver Stone, and it made its Broadway premiere in March. Now, Richard Jay Simon and the folks over at the Mosaic Theatre (12200 W. Broward Blvd., Bldg. 3000, Plantation) will be producing the show’s South Florida debut. Tune into Talk Radio Thursday through Saturday at 8 p.m., with additional showings Saturday at 3 p.m. and Sunday at 2. Tickets cost $15 to 32. Call 954-57-STAGE, or visit www.mosaictheatre.com.
Sept. 21-23, 2007