OGDENSBURG – St. John’s Conservatory Theater (SJCT), now in their fifth season, has cast their latest musical comedy, “The New Variety Radio Show” based on the popular variety radio shows of the 1940s.

Their 2018 season opens with “The New Variety Radio Show,” running April 5-8, at the OFA George Hall Auditorium.

A tribute to the golden age of radio, this musical is hosted by a comedian à la Jimmy Durante named Waldo Fern played by R. O’Donnell, and his sidekick Mr. Wilson played by Brandon Bogart. They’re joined onstage by the St. Lawrence Darlings (think Mouseketeers), which perform sketches, song and dance accompanied by The Oswegatchie .

The St. Lawrence Darlings are played by Peyton Brown of Massena; Maddison Cameron and Hailee Jackson, both of Heuvelton; and Evelyn Davis, Jillian LeBel, Macy Murdock, Myah Myers, Gabriella Ott, Cadence Payne, Delia Payne, Gerard Powers, Logan Carr, Christopher Rodriguez and Hailey Weber, all of Ogdensburg.

The New Variety Radio Show also features Angela Conzone Dwyer (Ogdensburg) as Peggy Page, Stephen Chambers (Ogdensburg) as Ernie Rooster, Shelly Murdock (Ogdensburg) as Ella Starr, and Ryan C. McNally (Syracuse) as Max Windell and his wandering sax.

Boasting lavish production numbers of all the popular hits of the 20's, 30's, and 40s, The New Variety Radio Show is a toe-tapping, gut-busting, and tap-dancing extravaganza reminiscent of the famous radio variety shows of the 1940s.

An original North Country theater company, St. John’s Conservatory

Theater offers the Ogdensburg community four seasonal (Spring, Summer,

Fall, and Winter) all-original musicals.

St. John’s Conservatory Theater principal creative staff includes Producing Artistic Director Mr. O’Donnell, Musical Director and Choreographer Angela Conzone Dwyer, Digital tor and Vocal Arranger Ryan C. McNally (Syracuse), Scenic and Prop Designer Stephen Chambers, Costume and Makeup Designer Karen Fischbeck (Heuvelton), Senior Costumer Heron Hetzler (Potsdam), Technical Director and Production Coordinator Christopher Dwyer, Sound Designer Richard Patton, Lighting Designer Barry Pratt (Watertown), Production Stage Manager Ashley Toppin (Gouverneur), and Props Master Tonya Ott. Collectively they have over five decades of professional theatrical and academic experience including regional, stock, bus and truck, off-off-Broadway, off-Broadway, and Broadway stages.

The New Variety Radio Show show times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7 p.m., with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.

Tickets cost $15 at the door (suggested donation), or $10 at brownpapertickets.com.

For more information, please visit St. John’s Conservatory Theater’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/stjohnsconservatorytheater or www.newvarietyradioshow.brownpapertickets.com.