Owensboro native Forest Clark is a 21-year old junior at Murray State University who is no stranger to the stage. He has been involved with theatre for many years, and after graduation hopes to find work in theatre, film or television. This past weekend, Clark had the opportunity to speak Orson Welles role for a nationwide airing of the radio play “War of the Worlds” on National Public Radio.
On Oct. 30, 1938, Orson Welles and his troupe of radio actors “interrupted” Columbia Broadcasting System’s scheduled programming with a report that Earth had been invaded by martians. The play was based on the novel by H.G. Wells. The program scared many listeners, who did not realize it was a hoax.
Through a collaborative effort between several departments at Murray State University, including the NPR affiliate, WKMS, Clark said that the theatre department worked to have the program broadcast on Halloween on WKMS.
“The first rehearsal was a read-through of the script, and our incredible director, Lissa Graham-Schneider, told us upfront that it would be broadcast on WKMS, an NPR affiliate,” Clark said. “It’s actually the basis for the setting of the play. We all play specific, fleshed-out characters who are employees of WKMS in 1938 right here in Murray.”
Clark said he had done radio interviews for promotional purposes in the past, but he had not performed radio theatre until “War of the Worlds.” As part of the audition process, Clark said he worked for several months on an audition piece prior to the auditions. When he was called back several days later for “War of the Worlds,” he was asked to bring items he would use to create sound effects for the live radio play.
“I brought a bag of several to be as prepared as possible, and my bag contained things such as a couple of cornhole bags to simulate footsteps on gravel, and an empty Lays Chip bag to sound like a crackling campfire,” Clark said. “The callback consisted of demonstrating these Foley techniques, as well as readings of various parts in the script.”
A few days later, Clark found his name in the role of Orson Wells’ original role. To prepare, Chark recorded himself several times a week to try and improve.
“I also watched a lot of Orson Welles to better understand the show as well as try to emulate just a bit of the magnetism he had as a performer and an orator,” Clark said.
Since it is a radio play, the actors can have their scripts in hand to use when needed, but Clark said that after many rehearsals, he rarely uses his binder unless he wants to skim the next line “just to be safe.”
Clark said this role has allowed him to grow and develop as an actor by the unique nature of the show.
“I’m used to getting on stage and being able to move around and make these seemingly spontaneous physical and emotional decisions within the space; but a radio play is much more confined,” he said. “It’s essentially voice acting, so much of my emotion I would physicalize before I had to channel into my voice.”
Clark said he has enjoyed working on “War of the Worlds” and has experienced one of his favorite moments on stage during this play.
“The second act of War of the Worlds concludes with Dr. Richard Pierson reflecting on the seemingly aloof nature of humanity as it quickly returns to business-as-usual following an alien invasion, and it’s literally two to four pages of speech just me, a microphone, and around two hundred people in a large auditorium,” Clark said. “After I finish my last line of the show, I always take about five seconds to just stand on stage and take it all in. Being on stage in front of all those people would make a lot of people anxious, and it does me, too, a bit, but to just stand back and stare at hundreds of pairs of eyes looking back at you, all in silence; it’s like nothing else in the world.”
Clark said he has been told he has a good voice, and he is now considering voice acting work. He is finishing a podcast and audiobook narration and is exploring careers in voice acting.
The message of “War of the Worlds” is not lost on Clark, who said he finds the message about being grateful for the big things, like freedom and family, as important as the mundane.
“While the chances of a Martian invasion to interrupt these things are slim to none, it’s also good to be able to stand back and appreciate what you have, and to acknowledge that life is a delicate thing, but also a wonderful thing,” he said.
The staged radio drama will be aired on NPR radio 11 a.m. Thursday on WNIN fm channel 88.3 in Owensboro. Listeners can also tune in to WKMS online.
