By: Emily Vidas
Influence of Mass Media

“To begin at the beginning: It is spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black…”, the famous opening lines of Welsh poet, Dylan Thomas’ 1954 radio play, Under Milkwood.
Last weekend, the Reader’s Theatre Program at Camden County College in Blackwood performed an adaption of Thomas’, Under Milkwood, “A Play for Voices.”
Under Milkwood draws the audience to journey through the small Welsh, seaside town of Llareggub. We meet over 30 characters throughout the story and travel into their windows at night to see what they dream of and what they most desire.
Unlike most of the other plays performed on the stage of Flyer Theater, this adaption of Under Milkwood, directed by Allison Green, included live Foley artists, live music, a cast of readers and a feature length film displayed behind the readers to convey the wild dreams of the Milkwood characters.
Film Production Coordinator, Samantha Hitman says, “Our adaption of Under Milkwood is something that most Graduate schools and programs have never even done. We are taking a radio play, putting it on stage with live actors, live sound effects and music, and a feature length film to show the play visually.”
The show was performed Friday April 18th, Saturday April 19th, and Sunday April 20th.