Back in the Golden Age of Radio, even before KBOO, in fact, even before Ira Glass, there was a short-lived, though influential network, called the Tesla Broadcasting Company. They did things differently than the big networks at the time – the Columbia Broadcasting Systems and the NBCs of the world. They hired the talent no one else would. They told stories the others wouldn’t dare. And in ways that were more complex and unique than the norm.
Founded in New York in 1943, and acquired by CBS just two years later, the Tesla Broadcasting Company became a mere footnote in the history of American Radio. That is until March 10th 2013, when a Portland resident by the name of Brendan Jones, no relation, received a mysterious package in the mail. The package contained a rare treasure – transcripts of the long-lost scripts from TBC’s archive. Brendan felt he had an obligation to bring these scripts back to life, to honor not only the Tesla Broadcasting Company, but the Golden Age of Radio itself. So, along with his partner Jerry Chrisman, he founded Tesla City Stories.
Tesla City Stories is a troupe of radio actors who perform these scripts live on-stage, just as it was done 70 years ago during radio’s heyday, complete with music and sound effects. And they’ll be opening their fifth season on Friday, June 28th at The Old Church Concert Hall in Downtown Portland.
We’re fortunate to have Jerry Chrisman with us now, along with Tesla City cast members John Campbell and Karyn O'Bryant, to tell us more.
- KBOO