By: Sarah Wright | Troy Times | Published August 6, 2025
TROY — Community members can look forward to the return of Troy Historic Village’s Old-Time Radio Show Aug. 16-17, this year with a science fiction theme.
The performance will take place at Troy Historic Village, located at 60 W. Wattles Road. The Village is operated by the Troy Historical Society and features a collection of buildings and programs that provide insight into the development of the Troy area during the 1800s and 1900s.
Previously, the Village staged a fall murder mystery for a few years before deciding to try a show in the style of an old-fashioned radio show. Here, guests use their imagination to travel back in time as they listen to a story told through a mock broadcast.
“We felt like the radio show fit the Village better in terms of adding a bit more history to the program, and for the last few years we’ve even been using original scripts from the shows,” said Jen Peters, the Village’s executive director, in an email. “It makes for a really fun program, and sometimes I think it’s even more fun to close your eyes for a bit just to listen to the show and (in-house) sound effects!”
This year’s broadcast is themed around science fiction. Actors will perform scripts from popular shows like “Buck Rogers,” “Flash Gordon” and “The Planet Man.” Live piano music and sound effects will also be incorporated into the show.
The cast includes the program’s director Tom Arwady and fellow history interpreter Laura Boeberitz alongside other talent such as Sean Boeberitz, Michelle Cohl, Deb Dworkin, Eric Kent Franz and Tom Pagano.
Sound effects are arranged by Alex Konieczny — the Village’s youth program director — while pianist Ron Pietrantoni will score the soundtrack.
“This is our fifth Old-Time Radio Show,” said Tom Arwady, the program’s director, in a press release. “I feel they are important because they give an entertaining glimpse into mid-20th century pop culture. This connects it to the history preserved at the Village, as radio broadcasting became popular in the United States … in the early 1920s, around the same time as our Township Hall was built.”
The Saturday show starts at 7 p.m. while the Sunday show starts at 2 p.m. Both shows will feature desserts and refreshments served at intermission. Admission is $15 per person for members of the Troy Historical Society, and $17 for nonmembers. The show is recommended for ages 12 and older. Space is limited, so it’s recommended to purchase tickets in advance by calling (248) 524-3570 or visiting the front office of the Village during regular business hours.
For more information, visit troyhistoricvillage.org.