Guthrie’s Pollard Theatre presents "It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play"
The Pollard Theatre Company continues its 2018 - 2019 Season with a family-friendly production of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Pollard Theatre Producing Artistic Director W. Jerome Stevenson directs this inspiring live radio play adaptation of Frank Capra's film which runs during the holiday season from November 23 to December 23.
Hailed as "magical" by the Boston Globe and "fresh and inventive" by the Chicago Sun-Times, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play transposes the cinematic classic (and holiday television tradition) to the theater by staging the story as if it was a live radio broadcast in front of a studio audience.
A small ensemble of actors perform the voices of dozens of characters while Foley sound effects are created live on stage. As in the movie, everyman George Bailey must learn that "no man is a failure who has friends" (and a little divine intervention) when he must face off against local robber baron (and all-around curmudgeon) Henry F. Potter.
It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play marks a temporary departure from the Pollard's long-standing tradition of producing Stephen P. Scott's adaptation of Dicken's A Christmas Carol. While the show is shelved, for now, Stevenson and the Pollard company assures audiences that the Pollard tradition will return shortly but that It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play is the perfect holiday treat in Carol's absence.
"This story is relevant, and thus, it has endured. We recognize our own doubts and dreams in George Bailey's story. We can aspire to more but should take time to remember how truly blessed we are in the lives we lived.
“I look forward to sharing this beautiful reminder with our audiences," Stevenson explains.
It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play will feature Pollard veterans Joshua McGowen (A Few Good Men) and Kara Chapman (Always. Patsy Cline) in the roles made famous by Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, George Bailey and Mary Hatch.
The show also features Kris Schinske-Wolfe (Laughter on the 23rd Floor) in several roles including Violet Bick, Timothy Stewart (Sylvia, Laughter on the 23rd Floor) in several roles including Uncle Billy Bailey.
Other cast members include David Fletcher-Hall (To Kill a Mockingbird) in the role of Angel second-class Clarence Oddbody and James A. Hughes (A Few Good Men, An Act of God) in several roles including Henry F. Potter.
The production team for It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play include Scenic designer James Hughes, Costume designer Michael James, Sound designer Jared Blount and Lighting design W. Jerome Stevenson.
It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play will run November 23rd through December 23rd at the Pollard Theatre. Tickets are $30 with senior, military, teacher, student, and group discounts available.
Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m., Thursdays November 29 and December 6, 13 and 20 at 8:00 p.m. Saturday and Sunday matinee performances, December 2, 8, 9, 15,16, and 23 will begin at 2:00 p.m.
Tickets are available online at www.thepollard.org, by phone, 405-282-2800 or at the Pollard Box Office, located at 120 W. Harrison Ave., Guthrie, Oklahoma.
The Pollard Theatre Company is produced with additional support from the Oklahoma Arts Council, National Endowment for the Arts, the Kirkpatrick Foundation, the Inasmuch Foundation, Shubert Foundation, Guthrie Tourism and Guthrie NewsLeader.
Copyright The Gayly – November 29, 2018 @ 12:20 p.m. CST.