Tenth Anniversary!
Popular
Program Celebrates First Decade
By Mark Trade
| Odyssey Times
 Adventures in Odyssey,
a successful radio drama based on our town, is celebrating ten years of
production. Local citizens and guests will be treated to a wide-ranging
plethora of events and retrospective festivals in honor of this milestone.
The city council has also issued a proclamation for "Adventures in Odyssey"
month, to be honored at City Hall and all other public facilities. Outgoing
Mayor Tom Riley said at the press conference, "We have reason to be proud of
this tenth anniversary. The program has done us--and people everywhere--lots
of good."
Begun in 1987 as a bold
experiment in radio, Adventures in Odyssey has integrated drama,
comedy, fantasy and mystery into a tightly woven pattern of lesson-based
entertainment. Not only does it comprise the radio program, which has become
a mainstay for listeners throughout the world, but it has also launched a
popular animated video and book series, a study Bible, figurines, T-shirts,
games and puzzles. Plans are also underway to expand the "franchise" into
interactive realms like CD-ROM and the Internet.
John Avery Whittaker, upon
whom the main character of the show is based, applauded the spiritual values
and high production standards of Adventures in Odyssey. "I was a
little uneasy when the producers first approached me with the idea. I mean,
I was flattered that they wanted to base a program around my shop [Whit's
End], but there was no telling what they really had in mind. Since then, I
have been thrilled with their handling of the Bible stories, our real-life
situations and the comedy. I just don't understand why they made me look so
heavy in the videos."
Other local citizens offered
testimonies of the program's impact both locally, throughout the country,
and abroad. Jason Whittaker, who recently returned from travel overseas,
noted that, "Adventures in Odyssey is affecting people as far away as
South Africa, the Philippines and even Texas. It's on their radios. It's on
their videos. It's on their TVs. It's in their cassette and CD players. It's
in their libraries. It's . . . [We got the idea. -- Ed.]"
Jason Whittaker said that, at
one point, Adventures in Odyssey even saved his life. "I was
vacationing in Bosnia and someone tried to . . . [deleted for national
security reasons]. Fortunately, I had an Adventures in Odyssey
cassette in my shirt pocket and it protected me. I was fine. The cassette
was ruined, though. I wonder if I can get it replaced? It was one of my
favorites called A Name Not a Number."
Jack Allen, the new proprietor
of J&J Antiques, praised the work of the program. "I don't know how they
come up with such good stories again and again. I wish my life was half as
interesting as they make it out to be."
The only criticism of the
program came from Bart Rathbone, who complained that the producers have
completely exaggerated some of his personality traits. "If I were as bad as
all that, would I be standing here talking to youse now? I'd be in jail!"
When he pointed out that he was, in fact, on court probation, he said, "No
comment."
A complete listing of events
celebrating the anniversary will be printed in this newspaper in days to
come. A special schedule can be found in today's edition.
This
article originally appeared in "The Odyssey Times," a
special fictional newspaper produced by Focus on the Family to promote
Adventures in Odyssey.
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