(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- Before streaming and podcasts, even before TV, there was radio, which delighted families across the country with shows such as “The Shadow,” “The Lone Ranger” and Orson Welles’ “The Mercury Theatre on the Air.” Actors would read their parts live in a studio, while sound effects would paint a picture of the scene and mood for the listeners, helping to immerse them into a world they could see using just their imaginations.

As a nod to The Golden Age of Radio, East Lynne Theater Company will present a radio-style production of “The Death of Sherlock Holmes?” with performances Fridays and Saturdays (November 3-4 and November 10-11, 2023). Fiction’s most famous detective, Sherlock Holmes, comes to life – and death? -- in what may be his final case. As told by his trusty companion Dr. Watson, this performance shows Holmes locked in a fierce battle with his archenemy, Professor Moriarty, as they come face to face at Reichenbach Falls.

“The Death of Sherlock Holmes” is a brand-new adaptation of two of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s classic stories, “The Final Problem” and “The Adventure of the Empty House.” Mark Edward Lang, who also performs in the show as Watson, adapted the two stories for this production.

“The back story is that Conan Doyle had grown tired of the Sherlock Holmes character and wrote ‘The Final Problem’ to finish him off. But, for the many Holmes fans around the world, that was unacceptable. Without giving too much away, these short stories work together perfectly,” Lang said. “And whether you’re a die-hard fan of Holmes or not, this is a fun, exciting and suspenseful evening for mystery lovers of all kinds.”

Other actors include Ezra Barnes as Sherlock Holmes (seen in this season’s “A Tale of Two Cities Cobbled Together by the Brothers Lovejoy”), Ken Hornbeck as the Announcer, Susan Tischler as Mrs. Hudson, Stage Manager Jeff Sharkey and Damon Bonetti as Moriarty (recently seen in “Driving Miss Daisy”).

Part of Cape May’s Sherlock Holmes Weekends, performances are 8:00pm Fridays and Saturdays, November 3, 4, 10, and 11. The show runs 80 minutes. Tickets are $25; students and military are $20.  Free admission for children age 12 and under. ELTC is in residence at Cape May Presbyterian Church, 500 Hughes St., Cape May. More information and ticket reservations can be found at EastLynneTheater.org.

Founded in 1980, East Lynne Theater Company (ELTC) was the first theater in the country with the unique mission of presenting and preserving America's theatrical heritage. The New York Times listed ELTC as one of the 75 top summer theaters in North America. In 2018, the New Jersey Senate and General Assembly passed a joint legislative resolution recognizing ELTC as “one of the state’s most important cultural treasures.”