Award-Winning Holiday Favorite IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY Presented at MTC MainStage

By: A.A. Cristi Nov. 28, 2016

Music Theatre of Connecticut MainStage, Fairfield County's professional award-winning theatre company, continues its 30th Anniversary Season with a production of the holiday favorite It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. The play will run December 9-18. Staged in a state-of-the-art 110-seat theatre, MTC's production of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play presents Broadway actors in Connecticut's most intimate theatregoing experience.

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, adapted for the stage by Joe Landry, brings the holiday classic to life as a live 1940s radio broadcast. A perfect holiday treat for the entire family, the play has been 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. Five actors perform the voices of dozens of characters while creating foley sound effects. 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 surefire reminder of what this season is all about" (Edge Magazine).

The cast features five professional Equity actors who play over fifty characters and perform live sound effects. Elissa DeMaria plays Violet Bick and others, and credits include her CT Critics Circle Best Actress nominated performance of Audrey in MTC's Little Shop of Horrors, with other credits including Next to Normal, Shout!, The Marvelous Wonderettes and Seussical. Elizabeth Donnelly plays Mary Hatch and others, with regional credits including Papermill Playhouse, Hartford Stage, Vineyard Playhouse, Ivoryton Playhouse and Seven Angels Theatre. Jon-Michael Miller plays George Bailey, with New York and regional credits including Asolo Repertory Theatre, Hangar Theatre and Phoenix Theatre Ensemble. TV/film credits include MTV's One Bad Choice, and The Real Stephen Blatt with Justin Long. Jim Schilling plays Clarence and others, with credits including Hamlet with Tony Roberts, South Pacific with Jamie Farr and MTC's Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. Film credits include Bullets Over Broadway and as Sean Penn's double in Dead Man Walking. Allan Zeller plays Henry F. Potter and others, with recent credits including Delightful Differences at Lyric Hall Beau Jest at The Schoolhouse Theatre and the West Coast premiere of Dearly Departed at CitiArts Theatre.

Kevin Connors, MTC's co-founder and Executive Artistic Director, directs It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. The creative team includes set design by Jordan Janota, lighting by Michael Blagys and costumes by Diane Vanderkroef. PJ Letersky stage manages the production.

The MTC MainStage 30th Anniversary Season will continue with I'll Eat You Last: A Chat with Sue Mengers (February 24-March 5, 2017) and The End of the Rainbow (April 7-23, 2017).

The MTC MainStage 30th Anniversary Season is generously sponsored in part by The State of Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development and The Hour/Hearst Connecticut Media Group.

"IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY" TICKET/PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

Ticket prices range from $30-$55, and are available now online at www.musictheatreofct.com or by phone at (203) 454-3883.
Performances are December 9-18, Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 4pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2pm.
MTC MainStage is located at 509 Westport Avenue (behind the Nine West Outlet) in Norwalk, CT.

2026 Theater Fans' Choice Awards - Live Stats

Best Lead Performer in a Play - Top 3

1. Daniel Radcliffe - Every Brilliant Thing

27.8% of votes

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3. Ayo Edebiri - Proof

6.3% of votes

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