This fall, the college theater is bringing to you Joe Landry’s “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” based on the well-known movie by Frank Capra. The story, which takes place at Christmas time in the late 1940s, stars a man named George who has decided to commit suicide on Christmas Eve. When his guardian angel, Clarence, appears he shows George all the wonderful ways he’s touched people’s lives. The story takes place in New York.
The unique thing about this show is that Dr. Thomas Stretton, the theater director and associate professor of education for 12 years, has brought this version of the classic story. This version includes actors interacting with the cast of the show at the beginning. In the 1940s television was still new and not many people could afford one at the time. The cast is to act as if they are on a live radio show, and the audience is at home listening.
The play is approximately 90 minutes in length with no intermission, because when you were on the air there in the 1940s, there were no breaks between shows on the radio. Commercials in the play include actual commercials of Pepsi-Cola and Rice Crispy Treats.
Set designer Joseph Burbank is a genius when it comes to the interior of the theater room. The theater is located in Grace Hall across from the Admissions Office. The black box where the show takes place seats about 100 people at a time.
The show is free. You may get your tickets from the activities office in Jazzmans Café or directly from Stretton, whose office is located in Grace Hall, room 279. You can have as many tickets as there are seats, and you can bring guests.
Students rehearse three nights a week, all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon. Some students will play multiple characters. There are just 12 students and two children in the cast One child is the daughter of a faculty member.
Tech Director: Bob Iodice
Set Designer: Joseph Urbanik
Director: Dr. Michelle Filling-Brown
The original article contained a number of errors. They have been corrected in this version on Oct. 15, 2013. Loquitur regrets the errors. Dr. Thomas Stretton, the theater director and associate professor of education for 12 years, is directing this version of the classic story. Dr. Adeline Bethany is named as the musical director in the story, but there is no musical director. The Tech Director’s name is spelled Bob Iodice. The Set Designer’s name is spelled Joseph Urbanik. The play is called “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” and was written by Joe Landry. It tells the story of Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The commercials in the production are actual commercials from the 1940s. This version includes actors interacting with the cast of the show at the beginning. There are not eight performances. The dates have been set. The cast rehearses three nights a week and all day Saturday and Sunday afternoon. One member of the cast is the daughter of a faculty member.
