No matter how many times we have encountered “It’s a Wonderful Life”, the story somehow deeply touches us. When we’re young, it feels like a fairy tale; when we’re adults, it can feel like a mirror.
The story of George Bailey, the small-town kid who longed to escape his humble beginnings only to remain in Bedford Falls and face the near-loss of everything, including his life—until a desperate prayer is dramatically answered by a modest angel—speaks to universal fears, contains a deeply cathartic emotional arc, and offers reassurance without cynicism.
And the story is so ingrained in us because for years, Frank Capra’s classic 1946 film fell into public domain, and TV stations aired it constantly during December. The repetition turned it into a shared cultural ritual.
That shared ritual has stuck at Hope Repertory Theatre, where they offer new magic in Joe Landry’s 2006 adaptation of the film as a radio play, produced at The Knickerbocker Theatre in Holland—and made all the more festive with special appearance of the Lakeshore Community Choir for a pre-show sing-a-long.
The story that is pleasing to the religious and non-religious alike, and tugs at the heartstrings in a most universal way, works beautifully as a radio play. It unfolds scene by scene, with actors standing behind microphones and performing from scripts on a stage dressed as a 1940s radio studio, complete with “On Air” and “Applause” signs to cue the audience to participate in the broadcast. And the “broadcast” is delightfully interrupted at high-valence moments with what sounds like silly, original radio ads from the period—for hair tonic and toilet cake.
It’s a joy to be fully drawn into the performance and to watch how the talented cast of five interpret the story and characters—and how it translates without visual scenes to accompany their voices. The actors move from playing characters (sometimes several at once) into the microphones while also heightening drama with sound. The smack of a hand into a baseball glove, various types of shoes clicking, marbles dropping, garbage cans crashing are but a handful of the noises that augment the storytelling.
Adam Chamness is marvelous as the narrator who also plays Uncle Billy, Mr. Potter, and many other characters with aplomb. He is convincing and distinct in each role while also bringing flair with his period broadcaster delivery. Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood plays the angel Clarence in addition to Harry Bailey and Sam Wainwright, among many other roles, doing acrobatics with his voice as well as working on stage as the foley designer; and Sofia Wake is sweet as Violet, Mrs. Bailey, Zuzu, and others.
Jon Sprik is a commanding George Bailey, making his emotional transformations palpable and allowing us to hear iconic lines from the film anew; and Renae Geerlings is a warm and loving Mary who seems like a different character altogether when the script calls for it.
No doubt thanks to Curt L. Toftland’s capable direction, the stage is always balanced, and as wonderful as it is to hear this radio play, it’s also engaging to watch. And the seemingly infinite characters are always clear and they never upstage one another. It’s easy to get completely drawn into the story no matter how familiar—or not—you may be with the original film.
Of course it’s not only the film that’s evoked here, but also the era from which it emerged. Michelle Bombe’s costumes and Erik Alberg’s lights and sound help place us solidly in the 1940s.
Which is a big part of this production’s charm, set back in time and shared in the all-powerful oral tradition. Without the hassles and enhancements of modern technology, it’s a joy to slip into a different time and place the week before Christmas, if only for a couple of hours to focus on how every life touches many others, that all is not ever lost, and that "no man is a failure who has friends”. It’s the heartfelt reminder, when we’re perhaps most receptive to the message, that our lives matter more than we may realize.
It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Hope Repertory Theatre
Dec. 17-20
hope.edu
