With the two-year anniversary show around the corner, "40 Story Radio Tower" creator and host, J Ferron Hiatt, warns it's not your grandpa's Prairie Home Companion.

"We consciously try to make '40 Story' follow the radio-style format. The show isn't one long story, it's made up of shorter, independent segments like drama, comedy, suspense, whatever the writers want to do. The special thing is the live performance aspect," said Hiatt.The format may be similar: a live radio show featuring bands, humorous or dramatic spoken word skits, and original poetry and prose performed all while recorded for podcast on iTunes."We have to keep in mind eventually someone is listening to this so we can't have sight gags," said Hiatt.The content is where "40 Story" carves its own path."We don't censor the writers or performers. It's not generally a family show," said Hiatt, who wears many hats in the production of the show from producer, to writer, director and narrator.He says the show "is a chance to showcase talent in the radio show/variety show format. It's really working for us. We now have bands that reach out to us to be included."Recorded on stage at the Mauch Chunk Opera House, the episode is then remastered for podcast/broadcast. Hiatt gives credit to the opera house for hosting the show."It involves a real risk for them because this is outside their normal programming."The concept began with a Christmas show titled "Coal Country Christmas Carol," now in its third year. The idea was transformed into a monthly program with a handful of local artists, writers and actors, who help bring Hiatt's vision to the airwaves. Produced by Hiatt and Bill Lance with Keith Barrett Schron as music composer and Mary Malmquist working as sound woman, the group formed the show in alliance with Jim Thorpe Artists and Music and Purple Audio to keep the entertainment rolling on Sunday afternoons.The main cast consists of Natalie Layne Kidd, Helen Van Pelt, Lynn Highland, Christopher Wolfe, Marissa Miller and Christian Gould, along with writers Hiatt, Michael Newton and Jackson Grooms, who practice for an entire week leading up to the event."It's way original. What excites me about the show is the people who come out of the woodwork and want to be a part of it."The show features original music by Schron of Brodheadsville, who writes it completely from scratch, even creating the main introduction theme with his instrument of choice, the keyboard."Joe said, 'Hey, I've got an idea.' I really didn't know how to do a lot of stuff when I started, but I eventually found my footing," said Schron. "I love this show. I can't believe we're in our second year."Malmquist, of Summit Hill, captures all the actual sounds used to flesh out the show's skits."She'll go out into a field to get effects if she has to," said Hiatt."It's a great fit to be locally produced for an area that doesn't have a lot for art exposure," she said. "We work to incorporate as many people in the area as we can. With podcasting it is easier to gain an audience versus small theater. It's fantastic."The online audience doubles every time, according to Hiatt, having gown up to over 10,000 listeners."This is something the audience is involved in making a success," said Hiatt. "We are trying to keep an open dialogue with the audience, the feedback from performing musicians and bands has been very positive."According to Hiatt, Sunday's anniversary show will have a lot more writers and showcase a lot of local talent, but the content of the show can change up until just five minutes before the action starts."Sometimes stuff will be off the wall," he said. "The audience is along for the experience."Tickets for the 4 p.m. show are available for purchase at the door or online by visiting the opera house website at mcohjt.com.The podcasts can be found on iTunes under "40 Story Radio Tower" or at stitcherpodhost.com.