Premieres March 28 on 88.3 WLIW-FM and wliw.org/radio

Infinite Variety Productions (IVP) and The WNET Group, parent company of Long Island’s only NPR Station WLIW-FM, have announced the radio premiere of In Their Footsteps, the audio version of Ashley Adelman’s play detailing the experiences of five American women who went to Vietnam to serve their country during the war. In Their Footsteps premieres on Sunday, March 28, at 2 p.m. on 88.3 WLIW-FM and wliw.org/radio to spotlight women veterans during Women’s History Month and to honor their service ahead of National Vietnam War Veterans Day (Monday, March 29). The audio play will also be available to stream on-demand at wliw.org/radio. Check the schedule for encore broadcasts.

Over 50 years ago, thousands of young American women went to Vietnam to serve their country during the war. Infinite Variety Productions interviewed five of these women for In Their Footsteps; two military officers, three civilian employees, setting out to tell the little-known stories of the human side of the Vietnam War. The play had a successful run at regional and other arts institutions before it stopped showing due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The audio format of the play was produced for radio during the pandemic allowing for an enhanced story-telling experience.

Ahead of the premiere and to shed additional light on the production, playwright Ashley Adelman and some of the featured veterans will join WLIW-FM’s Gianna Volpe on the Heart of the East End on WLIW-FM on Friday, March 26 from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.

The audio version of In Their Footsteps is directed by playwright Ashley Adelman and Andrew Dunn (based on the stage play directed by Adelman). Sound editor is Andrew Dunn. The cast features Chrystal Bethell as Lucki; Kate Szekely as Ann Kelsey; Caroline Peters as Judy Jenkins Gaudino; Criena House as Lily Adams; and Niki Hatzidis as Jeanne ‘Sam” Christie. The play is published by Paul Smith of Smith Scripts in the United Kingdom.

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About Infinite Variety Productions

Infinite Variety’s Mission mission – to share the stories of women throughout history, always creating a space so the voices of the marginalized, oppressed and unheard can be expressed fostering productive conversations and meaningful change – has been exemplified through their production of In Their Footsteps.

• The play became a sought-after piece at regional theatres and other arts institutions. 
• In New York City in 2017 at Under St. Marks Theatre, then IVP offered up a special workshop presentation for The Artist Co-op in 2018 for International Women’s Day, prior to bringing the production Off-Broadway to 59 E 59 for a sold-out run.  
• After that, the play traveled to the Edinburgh Fringe before returning to NYC for a special veteran’s Day showing and then began a special event at Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner and Smith, Inc.’s Empowering Women Event in 2019. 
• The production’s final showing (before lockdown) was the Borderlight Fringe Festival in Cleveland, Ohio at the historic Old Stone Church.  
• During the pandemic IVP produced a “radio version” of the play, which only enhanced the story-telling element and allowed the audience to envision the horrors of war more strongly.  
• This version – the radio play – will now be presented on the PBS station, WNET on March 29, 2021. The audio version is directed by playwright Ashley Adelman and sound editor Andrew Dunn and features Chrystal Bethell as Lucki; Kate Szekely as Ann Kelsey; Caroline Peters as Judy Jenkins Gaudino; Criena House as Lily Adams; and Niki Hatzidis as Jeanne ‘Sam” Christie. The event is produced by Kelly Teaford and IVP.  
• Currently, No Intermission: TheatreTravels Festival in Australia is producing the play. It was one of four plays chosen out of more than 500 for this festival. The event is already sold out. Towards the end of 2021 (November), the play will be part of the OnStage Festival in Rome, Milan, and Florence. The festival works with the university to translate the play with subtitles. The play is now translated in Italian and IVP hopes to be able to perform. 
• There is also a Zoom version of the play that has been streamed at a variety of high schools around the world. On March 24, it will be streamed at the NJ Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial and in April, at the East Meadow Library.  
• The play is published by Paul Smith of Smith Scripts in the United Kingdom.  

About WNET

• WNET is America’s flagship PBS station: parent company of New York’s THIRTEEN, WLIW21, WLIW-FM and operator of NJ PBS, the statewide public media network in New Jersey and its news division, NJ SPOTLIGHT NEWS. 
• Through its new ALL ARTS multi-platform initiative, its broadcast channels, three cable services (THIRTEEN PBSKids, Create and World) and online streaming sites, WNET brings quality arts, education and public affairs programming to more than five million viewers each month.
• WNET produces and presents a wide range of acclaimed PBS series, including Nature, Great Performances, American Masters, PBS NewsHour Weekend, and the nightly interview program Amanpour and Company.
• In addition, WNET produces numerous documentaries, children’s programs, and local news and cultural offerings, as well as multiplatform initiatives addressing poverty and climate.
• Through THIRTEEN Passport and WLIW Passport, station members can stream new and archival THIRTEEN, WLIW and PBS programming anytime, anywhere.