Icebox Radio Theater returns to the stage with a live comedy/variety show. The radio theater is a form of theater in which you tell stories with just sound, voices, music, and sound effects. Icebox Radio has been operating for 20 years now.

Their new show, “Nearly Summer,” is a part of a new setup called the Coffee Landing Radio Hour. This is being hosted by a local institution in International Falls, the Coffee Landing Cafe, which is downtown there on Fourth and Third Street.

The event will feature a half-hour to hour-long Radio theater performance. As they will also have music by a local singer-songwriter, Darcy Sullivan. They also plan to have some local poetry from a poet who was published a number of years ago and actually has a book in their public library.

With most towns being an hour’s drive away from International Falls, Icebox Radio is trying something new by doing a live show alongside their radio theater. Jeffery Adams, Artistic Director for Icebox Radio, explained the new approach they are trying this time.

“We are experimenting with an e-ticket this time,” Jeffery said. “If you go to that website, iceboxradio.org/Live, you can make a donation of any amount and we’ll give you access to the video live stream of the show that will go out live and also be available just to ticket holders for the next month or so, at which point we’ll make it available to everybody.”

The Coffee Landing Cafe will have its kitchen closed during the event, but still welcomes anyone to come in and enjoy some coffee and desserts. Otherwise, Icebox Radio invites people to join online to watch the show live at iceboxradio.org/Live. Admission is by free will donation.

Following in the footsteps of Salty Jester

The team at Icebox Radio was inspired by a now-closed club in International Falls called the Salty Jester. The woman who ran it helped bring people together and host a wide variety of events, mostly live musical performances. Jeffery recalls the boom it had on the arts for the city and how it always brought people together.

Jeffery talked about the Salty Jester and the impact it had on the artistic community for their hometown. “I think that’s part of the reason that Isaac and I said, let’s, let’s try a coffee landing radio hour,” he said. “Let’s try a show here. It would not be the same vibe, the same feeling as the salty gesture was. I hope kickstart live performance again downtown. cause I think that was a really, really valuable thing, to, for international falls.”

Icebox Radio would like to hear from people who join and watch the show by hearing feedback at iceboxradio51@gmail.com. Adams added, “Start off your Memorial Day weekend today, early, with the Thursday evening show and hope to see you there!”