East Lynne Goes Old-School Radio With ‘War of the Worlds’

Issue #821

September 26, 2026

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In This Cape May Local Scoop Issue…

 📆 Cape May Events

☀️ Cape May Local Weather 

🎙️East Lynne Goes Old-School Radio With ‘War of the Worlds’

 💨High Wind Warning Issued as Powerful Coastal Storm Pounds Jersey Shore

👮🏻‍♂️ Fatal Police Shooting Shuts Down Busy Route 9 Intersection in Rio Grande

Cape May Local Scoop’s Events Are Sponsored By: Shop Local

👇 Here’s what’s going on in the Cape May Local Area👇

 September 26

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East Lynne Goes Old-School Radio With ‘War of the Worlds’

Before television became the centerpiece of the American living room, there was radio.

For generations of Americans, radio was much more than background noise. It was a primary source of news and entertainment and, for many families, listening together became a nightly ritual. Parents and children would gather around the radio, tune the dial and settle in for an evening with their favorite programs.

Shows such as The Jack Benny Program, The Shadow and Fibber McGee and Molly became household favorites, bringing comedy, mystery and drama into homes across the country.

Few broadcasts, however, became as legendary—or as controversial—as Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds.

Presented on the evening of Oct. 30, 1938, the program used the conventions of live news reporting to tell the fictional story of a Martian invasion. Its unusual format helped turn an ordinary Sunday-night radio drama into one of the most enduring stories in broadcasting history.

Decades later, The War of the Worlds remains a fascinating reminder of an era when radio held an extraordinary place in American life—and when a voice coming through a speaker could capture the imagination of an entire nation.

That same legendary radio drama that put New Jersey at the center of a fictional Martian invasion will return to the stage this fall when East Lynne Theater Company presents “War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast.”

The production runs Oct. 8 through Nov. 1 in Cape May and recreates the atmosphere of an old-time radio studio, complete with actors performing multiple characters and sound effects produced live in front of the audience.

Adapted by Joe Landry from H.G. Wells’ classic novel, the play revisits the famous “Mercury Theatre on the Air” broadcast directed by Orson Welles and aired Oct. 30, 1938.

The original program presented the science-fiction story through a series of realistic-sounding news reports describing a Martian invasion, with New Jersey playing a prominent role in the fictional attack. Reports that some listeners believed the bulletins were genuine helped make the broadcast a cultural phenomenon and fueled decades of discussion about the influence and credibility of mass media.

East Lynne’s production will recreate that radio-era experience with just four actors portraying a total of 75 roles. The performers will also produce sound effects in view of the audience, giving theatergoers a behind-the-scenes look at how radio dramas created convincing scenes using voices, props and imagination.

The production will also incorporate prerecorded voices and effects featuring local talent. Radio personalities, politicians, former East Lynne performers and other community members are expected to contribute to the production.

The theater will mark the 88th anniversary of the original broadcast with a special event Oct. 30. Audience members that evening are invited to embrace the Martian theme by arriving dressed as extraterrestrials for a costume “CONtest,” with prizes awarded for the best costumes.

“War of the Worlds: The Panic Broadcast” continues through Nov. 1, offering Cape May audiences a theatrical trip back to the golden age of radio — with a distinctly New Jersey connection.

High Wind Warning Issued as Powerful Coastal Storm Pounds Jersey Shore

A dangerous coastal storm is expected to continue affecting Cape May County and much of the Jersey Shore through Sunday, bringing a combination of damaging winds, coastal flooding, extremely rough surf and hazardous marine conditions. Governor Sherrill declared a state of emergency that began 5pm yesterday.

The National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning through 6 a.m. Sunday for Atlantic Coastal Cape May and several other coastal counties. North winds are expected to reach 30 to 40 mph, with gusts as high as 60 mph. Winds of that strength could knock down trees and power lines, leading to widespread power outages. Travel could also become difficult, particularly for high-profile vehicles. Residents are being urged to secure outdoor furniture, decorations and other loose objects.

Coastal flooding is another major concern. A Coastal Flood Warning remains in effect for Atlantic Coastal Cape May and Coastal Atlantic until 2 p.m. Sunday. Forecasters expect two to three feet of water above ground level in low-lying locations near shorelines and tidal waterways. The National Weather Service warns that flooding could become severe enough to cause structural damage, inundate numerous roads and temporarily isolate some coastal or bayside locations.

Beach conditions will remain extremely dangerous. Breaking waves could reach nine feet in the surf zone, prompting a High Surf Advisory through 8 p.m. Sunday. Significant beach erosion is expected, and forecasters say breaches of protective sand dunes are possible. A High Rip Current Risk also remains in effect through Sunday evening.

Conditions offshore will be particularly severe. A Storm Warning is in effect for New Jersey coastal waters through 6 a.m. Sunday, with north winds of 35 to 45 knots, gusts reaching 60 knots and seas building to between 12 and 17 feet. The National Weather Service warns that the combination of storm-force winds and hazardous seas could capsize or damage vessels. Mariners are being advised to remain in port or take other precautions to secure their vessels.

Residents should prepare for possible power outages, avoid flooded roadways and continue monitoring local emergency information as conditions develop through the weekend.

Fatal Police Shooting Shuts Down Busy Route 9 Intersection in Rio Grande

Andre Moore, 37, was fatally shot during an encounter with Middle Township police near the Rio Grande Walmart on Friday morning. The New Jersey Attorney General’s Office is investigating, and officials have not yet disclosed what led to the shooting. Moore’s family said the father of six had been struggling with his mental health and that relatives had tried to get him help. His girlfriend was also reportedly injured during the incident. Authorities said the scene was secured and there was no continuing threat to the public.

What modern convenience, uncommon for its time, was featured in every guest room of Cape May's Mount Vernon Hotel during its brief operation in the 1850s?

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 Answer to the September 25th Trivia Question 

Cape May is located on a man-made island separated from the mainland by which body of water?

A) Cape May Creek
B) Cape May Canal
C) Delaware Bay
D) Atlantic Inlet

Answer: B) Cape May Canal

The Cape May Canal is a 2.9-nautical-mile (3.3 mi; 5.4 km)  waterway connecting Cape May Harbor to the Delaware bay, at the southern tip of Cape May County, New Jersey.

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