Every time you hear a bell ring, do you think about how another angel just got his wings? You must be a fan of the 1946 classic movie It's a Wonderful Life that told the story of an angel, Clarence, who prevents a passionate but despairing George Bailey from committing suicide by showing him what a horrible scenario would exist in his home town of Bedford Falls if George had not been born. The favourite story of despair turned to joy has been bringing smiles and tears to holiday season viewers ever since.
A Knights of Columbus production of the story is brought live to the stage at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre and St. Mary's Church hall in Gibsons for five performances starting Dec. 3.
In this case, it's a radio play adaptation by Tony Palermo performed live on stage using costumes but with the actors reading their parts into the microphones as they would have done in the golden days of radio broadcasting.
David Short is directing the play. He has worked in past years to produce local plays as fundraisers during this season. Radio plays are a unique way of creating theatre with a nostalgic twist, he said, but the challenge is to make a radio play that captivates the viewing audience.
"Hence the 1940s' costumes, the studio ambience, the interaction between the cast, and the fun of the sound effects," he points out.
The adult George is performed by Robert Jackson, who sounds amazingly close to the voice of Jimmy Stewart, the star of the 1946 version. Robert MacDonald plays Clarence, the angel who is striving to earn his second class wings, while Melina Cassidy, whose presence gives class to the production, plays Mary, George's long-suffering wife who saves the day by the final scene.
The youngest cast member is Makenna Gregorchuk who plays the young George Bailey. George and the family, Uncle Billy (Ed Johnson) and his brother Harry (Mark Brezer) are at odds with the mean rich guy Mr. Potter (Dave Hurtubise) over a missing $8,000. Cathrine Fuller, Monica Davis, David Wheater, Dennis Brown and Derek Browning round out the cast, who all play several roles.
The stage manager, Pam Gregorchuk, and the sound effects team can be seen by the audience creating interesting visuals: we can watch a door knocking and hear the swoosh of the running river. The team of Ken Huffman, Rhona McInnes and Tom Gregorchuk is led by sound technician Hurtubise, and is augmented by the keyboard of Leanne Frewin resplendent in her flowered gown.
CKAY-FM will be recording the show and broadcasting it on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day.
"It's a first for the Coast and for CKAY to have a locally recorded radio play broadcast," Short said.
But don't pass on seeing the play in order to hear it later. It's worth attending, and the spirit of George shines more brightly in person.
The show opens at the Sechelt Seniors Activity Centre on Saturday, Dec. 3, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets for $12 are available at the centre and the Sechelt Visitors Centre. The show moves to St. Mary's in Gibsons on Friday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 10, at 2 and 7 p.m. Tickets for $12 for the Gibsons' performances are at Gaia's Fair Trade and Laedeli.
