The origins of the radio theater plays in the city of Terrassa date back to 1935, when the then newly appointed President of the Radio Club of Terrassa, Joan Paulis, promoted a new offer airplay on the station. Paulis, man of strong catalan character, prioritized appearance spaces and Catalan-speaking information. But, leaving aside the information content, promoted a new theatrical performance space named for Radioteatre català of Radio Terrassa, and appointed director to Josep Gotsens, Radio Club Terrassa member too, who already was a director of a theater group amateur in the city. Gotsens gathers a group of actors, who included voices like Ventura Camps, Lidia Matabosch, Josep Aragay, Joaquima Gotsens and Antolina Boada, in order to conduct performances of theater pieces, both in Catalan as in Castilian, chosen by himself. But this initiative had a short duration, because Paulis left office Terrassa Radio Club and soon after, the delicate political situation in Spain and the subsequent outbreak of the Civil War end with the philosophy established by Paulis.

Quadre de Veus de Radioteatre a començaments de la dècada de 1.950The Scenic Company started as a stable group can not be considered a fact until after expiry of the period of the Civil War and World War II. The theatrical culture again to break into the waves, and so, in 1947, Joan Llenas i Bartolo, who was then a speaker of Radio Terrassa and big fan of theater, gathers a group of voices to form the first stable station Scenic Company. This allowed radio theater performances to match those made in all stations at the time. This first set was called "Compañia de Comedias de Radio Tarrassa" and debuted on July 15th of that year with the play "El ladrón"(The thief). Then followed the representations of many other titles in either Castilian or Catalan, and were put on the air, for example, "Cobardías"(Cowardice), "El zapatero y el rey"(The Shoemaker and the King), "Doña Clarines"(Mrs. Clarines), "El nido ajeno"(The nest of another), "La puntaire"(The lacemaker girl), "La corona d'espines"(The crown of thorns), "Terra baixa"(Lowland), "L'hostal de la Glòria"(Gloria's hostel) among others. All these representations acquired a remarkable reception from the audience, who, as was customary in those days, used to gather around the radio receiver only had at home to hear all transmissions. The radio theater plays, not surprisingly, was one of their most celebrated, and was one of the most heard at all stations as "Radio Sabadell", "Radio Barcelona", "Radio Nacional de España", "Radio España de Barcelona" and all them used to schedule radio theter plays one different day of the week, so that did not coincide with each other and the audience was able to switch their monitoring and to be faithful to all.
In those years, all the works were played in live, since sound recording media were still absent. This required special attention and concentration on the part of the actors, as if there was no error place for rectification. The good work of Moment de la representació de "Don Juan Tenorio" al Teatre Alegria de Terrassa, el 1951Joan Llenas direction was a total guarantee for high quality work and very well received by the public. So much so, that in 1951 there was a historical fact that even today, the components of the current Scenic Company who were there present, recall special way. It was customary in those years, about the feast of "Todos los Santos" in November 1st, to perform drama "Don Juan Tenorio" written by Zorrilla, and Scenic Company wanted to carry out the representation in the public eye as if it were conventional theater. Thus, on October 30, 1951, and to a devoted audience among which contained as honored guests Conrado Sanmartin and Paco Rabal, both them well known actors, and Isidro Sola, a main actor who used to play in Radio Barcelona Scenic Company, Radio Terrassa Scenic Company achieved great success, and established himself as one of the most active groups of radio play at the time. Two days later, they again performed the same title, then in the "Teatre Cinema Doménech" in nearby city of Rubí. After that, other performances become more frequent performances of different titles in several theater places across the province and even got to act on other radio stations like "Radio Sabadell" and "Radio Manresa". In all these representations outside radio studios, the director Joan Llenas had the support and help of Francesc Izquierdo as artistic director, and both them headed Scenic Company voices together. Among the components of the time were names like Rosa Maria Martinez, Teresa Figueras, Elsa Campoy, Maria Teresa Padrós, Concepció Casanovas, Maria Teresa Vazquez, Paquita Rovira, Amparo Martinez, Lidia Segués, Julia Morales, Micaela Pedrola, Maria Gloria Farrés Juanita Palau, Odette Pinto, Josep Alemany, Josep Burgués, Ventura Riera, Jesus Colomer, Jordi Massaguer, Ramon Bravo, Joan Garrigó, Lluís Jorda, David Mir, Josep Armengol, Jordi Campà, Anselm Marcet, Gabriel Alonso, Guillermo Salceda, Rafael Peris , Salvador Llach, Albert Puig, and Llenas himself, among others who were joining up to form a high level, not only artistic, but also united by a strong friendship that was enriched with the passage of days. The Scenic Company trajectory under the direction of Joan Llenas lasted until the late 1960's when he changed his residence to move to Barcelona. Then, the direction of Scenic Company fell into the hands of Ermenter Cima, who served for a short time, until 1971, when he left the radio station. At that time, began a period of inactivity in Scenic Company, as not only by the vacuum in his direction as by the fact that in the 1960's had appeared a serious alternative to radio: TV. The rise, increasingly growth of this new medium that amazed the world by simulcasting image and sound began to move to corner the invisible theater radio plays.
Cartell d'anunci de "Les vinyes del Priorat" representada el 1983 en motiu de l'homenatge a Lidia Segués

But the disappearance of Scenic Company only becomes a temporary fact. The recovery of radio drama has a point following a key event. In 1983, Lidia Segués, the station announcer and radio theater actress of the 50s, which had begun in Scenic Company in 1951 but was not part of the broadcasters team until 1957, celebrating her 25 years of practice in the radio. So, a group of former colleagues of Scenic Company of the previous stage, pays homage to the performance of "Les vinyes del Priorat" by Josep Maria de Sagarra, work of art she had played in the previous stage and which further intervention. Beside her participated Maria Gloria Farrés, Juanita Palau, Albert Puig, Anselmo Marcet, Manuel Arisó, Rosa Torrens, Ramon Bravo, Joan Garrigó and Luis Montull.
This celebration reawakens radio theater concern to all of them, so that, according to the direction of the station, start a new project to revive the Scenic Company. The new radio theater play sessions, which initially offered on a bimonthly basis, feature the voi
Els components del Quadre de Veus de Radioteatre, el 1.986ces still active from the previous stage, but also added new younger voices. Joan Garrigó assumed the direction of this group, and Rafael Peris assumes the task of adapter and writer of works that are put on the air. This will form a stable and fully amateur group with a discipline and seriousness that can meet the objectives set and deliver a quality product to the audience. Thus, with the collaboration of all components, the Scenic Company becomes a unique offering in the radio scene of the time, as other stations initiatives to revive radio drama shows, have run dependence professional actors and have not moved on.
Since 1986, with the Scenic Company Voices consolidated, expanding supply of retransmissions and output works on a monthly basis on the last Saturday of each month. Since then, the Scenic Company began a prolific stage creation and interpretation of various works such as "La fortuna de Sílvia" (The fortune of Silvia) and "La ferida lluminosa" (The bright wound) both them by Josep Maria de Sagarra, "Ball robat" (Stolen dance) by Joan Oliver, "Crim i silenci" (Crime and silence) by Josép Comas i Tàpies, "The Lacemaker girl" by Salvador Bonavia, "La puebla de las mujeres" (The populated by women" by the brothers Alvarez Quintero, "La madre guapa" (The beautiful mother) by Adolfo Torrado, "Anillos para una dama" (Rings for a Lady) by Antonio Gala, "Los tres etcéteras de don Simón" (The three etceteras of Mr. Simon" by José María Peman, "Proceso a cuatro monjas" (Four nuns Process) by Vladimiro Cajoli, "La sombra de Caín" (The Shadow of Cain), written by adapter and screenwriter Rafael Peris group himself, up to the success of hearing which is "Yerma" by Federico Garcia Lorca, in 1988, when the radio station received numerous letters and phone calls in approval and congratulations for the work of the Scenic Company.
 
n the middle stage of the Radio Theater Scenic Company, in 1989, on February 21st, suddenly dies Rafael Peris, screenwriter and adapter in the group. A year later, in February 1990, in the Centre Social Catòlic theater, Rafael Peris posthumously receives a touching tribute by his peers with the interpretation of "Yerma" by Federico Garcia Lorca before a crowded amphitheater. This time also represents the resumption of radio drama sessions with public had already been made in the previous stage. A few days after the death of Rafael Peris, Radio Terrassa started to broadcast in 1989, on March 13rd,  the novel by chapters had been recorded at early 1988 "El pan y la Tierra" (The bread and land) written by Andalusian origin author  Angel Cazorla who lived in Terrassa.


Portada del programa de mà de la representació de "Pigmalió" al Centre CulturalIn the 1990's, the Radio Theater Scenic Company continued to offer the works of radio drama on a monthly basis, now with adaptation and screenplay by Joan Carles Peris, a journalist by profession, who takes over radio adaptations after the death of his father. It occurs also incorporating new voiPortada del programa de mà de la representació de "La sentencia se cumplirá a las doce" en motiu del 75è aniversari de Ràdio Terrassaces to the group, up to a group of artists have nearly forty active voices in middle decade. During this time he also promoted some radio plays with public performances. The welcome given session Rafael Peris moving tribute to a new representation of the same "Yerma" on a broader stage, in Centre Cultural Caixa Terrassa, in 1990, on November 10th. In 1995, on January 28th, Scenic Company returned to acting on stage at the Centre Cultural performing "Agnès de Déu" (Agnus Dei) by John Pielmeier, achieving success at the same level as the previous performances. Later, in 2000, on March 31th, they performed again a new play by Federico Garcia Lorca in Centre Cultural stage, "Bodas de sangre" (Blood Wedding). Then followed other live performances and public, as is the case with "Pigmalió" by Georges Bernard Shaw at the Centre Cultural Caixa Terrassa, or "La mà de mico" (The monkey hand) by Salvador Vilaregut in the Gran Casino of Terrassa. Indeed, the latter scenario is again interpreted in 2004 on January 16th, as part of the events celebrating the 75th anniversary of Radio Terrassa, together with other specially designed radio script for radio drama, "La sentencia se cumplirá a las doce" (The judgment will be fulfilled at twelve o'clock) written by the legendary writer Juan Manuel Soriano and Ramon Vaccaro of radio drama and Invisible Theatre in National Radio of Spain at middel 1960's, a story that chills between the audience and that achieves a high level of performance. Apart, however, from these  sporadic performances, Radio Theater Scenic Company had intervened regularly in public events such as Poetry Festival held annually each spring in Terrassa, or anually staged readings of works novel winners Ferran  Canyameres that are delivered on "Nit del Misteri" (Night of Mystery) organized by the Òmnium Cultural Terrassa delegation, among others.


El Quadre de Veus de Radioteatre en una actuació en la "Nit del Misteri" als primers anys del segle XXI

During early years of this century, the Radio Theater Scenic Company continued to incorporate new actors and actresses in its cast, and performed workplays like "Bajando al moro"(Get off the Moor) by José Luis Alonso de Santos, "El banyut imaginari" by Molière, "El proceso de Oscar Wilde"(The Process of Oscar Wilde) by Maurice Ronstad, "El zoológico de cristal"(The glass Menagerie) by Tennessee Williams, "Escuadra hacia la muerte"(Squad to death) by Alfonso Sastre, "Fulgor y muerte de Joaquín Murieta"(Flash and death of Joaquin Murieta) by Pablo Neruda, "L'assassinat de la senyora Abril"(The murder of Mrs April) by Josep Maria de Sagarra, "L'habitació"(The room) by Harold Pinter, "La casa de Bernarda Alba"(The House of Bernarda Alba) by Federico Garcia Lorca, among others.

In 2010, on January 28th, announcing the imminent closure of Radio Terrassa broadcasting. Two days later, on January 30th, is issued last work in this station, "Candida" by George Bernard Shaw, that also becomes the latest local production space which airs on Radio Terrassa. It starts, then a brief period of absence of radio play in the waves, but not the activity of Radio Theater Scenic Company, which still maintains its commitments to the various organizers of the events that are already scheduled. The aspiration of all members of the group by the continuity of the radio drama show performances and the interest shown by several organizations to keep it alive, result in total agreement to 95.Primer logo del "Teatre Radiofònic" a la 95.2 Ràdio.2 Ràdio.colaboración Scenic Company and Radio Municipal de Terrassa what develops during the month of July 2010. Thus, the September 25th, with the start of the new season radio theater shows, the Radio Theater Scenic Company, begins its activity in this station with the interpretation of the play "L'hostalera"(The hostel woman) by Carlo Goldoni. Since then, the artistic cast takes the name of this station and renamed "Quadre de Veus de Radioteatre de la 95.2 Radio"(Radio Theater Scenic Company at 95.2 Radio).

 

Curiosities

  • Did you know ...?

    Orson Welles founded "The Mercury Theatre on the Air" in July 1938, together with John Houseman, as a company to play radio drama scripts which adapted by himself.
  • Did you know ...?

    In 1961, Spanish Radio and TV Gemeral Management Office thought that seven Lorca's scripts were 'not allowed for broadcasting' because its content and were forbiden until 1977. Some of those scripts were rhe three gold Lorca pieces: 'Yerma', 'Bodas de sangre' and 'La casa de Bernarda Alba'.

  • Did you know ...?

    To simulate the sound effect ticking of a clock, we can achieve if we roll a pencil between our hands with a ring on one finger.

  • Did you know ...?

    Earlier Radio Theater plays, issued at the early 1920's, were theater scripts played on a conventional stage in which superimposed the voice of a narrator explaining on radio all that was not appreciated only with the ears .

  • Did you know ...?

    To simulate the sound effect of a shower can be achieved by slowly pouring a bag of rice in a plastic container.

  • Did you know ...?

    "Taxi Key", the popular radio drama series which starred Ricardo Palmerola and Isidre Sola in Radio Barcelona, began airing in 1948 and was on the air until middle 70's.
  • Did you know ...?

    "The mousetrap", theater drama script by'Agatha Christie, was originally written as a radio theater script called 'Three blind mice' by herself in 1947, as a birthday gift fon Queen Mary Victory.

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