Hunter Foster is at the helm of Bucks County Playhouse’s moving and delightful production of the popular holiday classic, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by Joe Landry, featuring musical staging by Jen Cody, which has performances at Bucks County Playhouse (70 S. Main Street, New Hope, PA) through December 27, 2015.
Maggie Lakis, Brandon Ellis, Garth Kravits, Wayne Wilcox, Whitney Bashor and Kevin Pariseau in ‘It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play’ at Buck’s County Playhouse through December 27, 2015. Photo by Mandee Kuenzle
It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is inspired by the classic Frank Capra classic film of the same name. Performed as a 1940s live radio broadcast in front of a “studio audience,” It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play tells the story of idealistic George Bailey as he considers his demise one fateful Christmas Eve. The story comes to captivating life with the help of an ensemble that brings over two dozen characters to the stage. Landry’s adaptation premiered in 1996 in Stanford, CT and has since been produced countless times around the country to critical acclaim – including at Bucks County Playhouse in December 2012 under the direction of Gordon Greenberg with musical staging by Lorin Latarro.
Garth Kravits, Whitney Bashor, Wayne Wilcox and Maggie Lakis. Photo by Mandee Kuenzle
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play features Wayne Wilcox as Jake Laurents (Broadway: The Normal Heart, CW’s Gilmore Girls), Brandon Ellis (Broadway: Company, Once, and Off-Broadway: Balls…The Musical?) as Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood, Maggie Lakis as Lana Sherwood (National Tour: Avenue Q, Off-Broadway: Allegro), Whitney Bashor as Sally Applewhite (Broadway: The Bridges of Madison County), Kevin Pariseau as Freddie Filmore (Broadway: Legally Blonde the Musical) and Garth Kravits (Broadway: The Drowsy Chaperone) as Butch Popkins/ Foley Artist.
Wayne Wilcox, Garth Kravits, Whitney Bashor, Maggie Lakis and Brandon Ellis. Photo by Mandee Kuenzle
Kevin Pariseau is the production’s musical director. The production team includes set design by Rob Bissinger, lighting design by Robert Denton, costume design by Nicole V. Moody and sound design by Matthew Given. It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is produced by special arrangement with Playscripts, Inc.
Brandon Ellis, Garth Kravits, Whitney Bashor, Wayne Wilcox, Maggie Lakis and Kevin Pariseau. Photo by Mandee Kuenzle
The production will play the following schedule: Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays and Thursdays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. (note: there is no 7:30 performance on December 16th), Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. The Playhouse is also offering a special matinee performance discount for Christmas Week performances. All tickets in the mid-orchestra (blue section) are $40 for 2 p.m. performances on December 22-24. Santa Claus will be in the lobby before the show to greet those attending the performance. There is no evening performance on Christmas Eve and no performances on Christmas Day. For full details, and to purchase tickets, please visit buckscountyplayhouse.org or call 215-862-2121.
Brandon Ellis, Garth Kravits, Whitney Bashor, Wayne Wilcox, Maggie Lakis and Kevin Pariseau. Photo by Mandee Kuenzle
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Lia Chang is an award-winning filmmaker, a Best Actress nominee, a photographer, and an award-winning multi-platform journalist. Lia has appeared in the films Wolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Examiner.com, Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
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