It's "a bit of nostalgia mixed with patriotism, wrapped up in a hilarious storyline." That's how director Ginger Wayde describes "Radio Daze." The play will be performed by students in the Elizabethtown Homeschool Drama Program, part of the Life Enrichment Center (LEC) homeschool co-op in Mount Joy. The show will be performed at 7 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 18, and at 1 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, at Hope Community Church, 1806 Harrisburg Ave., Mount Joy.

Set in the 1940s during World War II, "Radio Daze" focuses on a melodramatic soap opera at a radio station. Americans are doing all they can to support the war effort, including keeping an eye out for spies, one of whom might be lurking at the radio station. The show is full of comedy, romance, rumors and misunderstandings, and it's fun for the whole family, Wayde said.

The cast members range in age from seventh- to 12th-graders, which presented a unique challenge since most of them were not familiar with the play's time period, Wayde noted. "Early on in the process, one of my seniors found a skit on YouTube of a Foley artist - the people who did the sound effects - who totally flubbed up her job," Wayde stated. "It was hilarious, and we all passed it around and got into the groove of what a radio program could look and sound like." The group, which includes more than 30 LEC students in the cast and crew, also discussed what it was like to be a young adult female at home while soldiers were overseas. "The girls felt that the actresses in the play talked about men too much, but I shared with them the very real concern about not being able to find a spouse to settle down with and raise a family," Wayde commented. "It's a concept none of us have had to face."

LEC is a homeschool group made up of more than 50 families. "LEC is a wonderful homeschooling community," Wayde said. "Not only does it give kids a chance to gather with others in a group learning environment, it also gives moms a much-needed opportunity to connect with other moms and find support and encouragement on their homeschooling journeys." The drama program is just one of many classes available to secondary students in the co-op. Wayde has been directing shows for LEC for 10 years, and she credits both her production team and the students with helping to put on quality performances that are always free, a goal Wayde wants to maintain.

"It is a fun night of family-friendly entertainment, not only in content, but also in price," she said of "Radio Daze." "There will be fun comedy, a professionally choreographed fight scene, excellent costuming and wonderful music. ... No cost does not mean low quality."

The program relies on donations from the community to put on shows and also sells concessions and cast shout-outs at performances. "Coming to the show will be time well spent," Wayde said. "You will not regret it."

For more information on LEC, visit https://lecmtjoy.wixsite.com/coop/homeschooling-in-pa.