Unlike its original broadcast in 1938, the martian invasion Thursday night at Pruis Hall did not cause a panic.
Instead Ball State University students, faculty and members of the Muncie community welcomed the recreation of H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds."
Indiana Public Radio did a live broadcast of Orson Welles' radio adaptation before a studio audience of more than 400. The original broadcast on Oct. 30, 1938, was listened to by six million people, and one million of those listeners reacted as if the broadcast were real.
The original idea for the program was pitched by Nancy Carlson, associate professor of telecommunications and Brian Boswell, digital storytelling graduate student, IPR's general manager said.
"I knew I wanted to say yes," Marcus Jackman said.
Doing radio the way it used to be done is appreciated he said.
"It's a chance to slow down and take in an experience as a group, as a community. That's something we are interested in and building an audience because that builds community," Jackman said.
He said the program was not difficult to bring together.
"It was nothing we hadn't done before. It was just bringing it all together," Jackman said.
Telecommunications Professor Jim Needham said he was always a fan of Orson Welles and welcomed the opportunity to be involved.
"It's an opportunity for the departments to collaborate [with] students," Needham said."[So students know] what it was like 70 years ago and what it's like today. We have come a long way and had fun along the way."
He said the radio business was changed after "The War of the Worlds" show because any program that seemed like it could be factual had to include a disclaimer saying the show was not. The broadcast led to a change in the rules and regulations of the industry.
"We live in a culture to fix things when they are broken but freedom when they are not," Needham said. "Orson Welles wanted the freedom to change the world."
Telecommunications sophomore Mike Hodson said Carlson approached him about the project as well. She told him to try out and put him in contact with the right people.
"I was surprised to be recommended for this because I'm only 19 and everyone else is a lot older," Hodson said. "I am glad to be a part of this."
Hodson was also the voice in the IPR commercials promoting the "War of the Worlds" program.
Sophomore Sarah Pine attended the show to get extra credit for theater class and found the show interesting.
"I've never been to anything like this before," Pine said.
Assistant professor of telecommunications Suzy Smith attended IPR's "War of the Worlds" because she had never seen a radio drama in person.
"I thought it was fabulous," Smith said. "I just didn't know what to expect."
Smith said she thought there would be fewer actors playing multiple characters.
"I tried to sit with my eyes closed and tried to envision the picture your mind gives, but it's hard because we know it's fake," Smith said. "To imagine what people thought when they heard it."
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