Interview: Director Joe Discher and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY by ATG
American Theater Group will present the play at two NJ Locations, The Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge and the DMK Black Box Theater in Union
By: Marina Kennedy Nov. 26, 2025
American Theater Group (ATG) will be presenting Joe Landry’s It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play running Dec. 5-7th at the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge and from Dec. 12-21st at the DMK Black Box Theater in Union. The play features a stellar cast and is directed by Joe Discher.
Based on the classic film, the 90-minute adaptation is performed as a 1940s live radio broadcast in front of a studio audience. Five versatile actors perform the dozens of characters in the radio drama and a live foley artist produces the necessary sound effects and musical jingles.
We had the pleasure of interviewing Director Joe Discher about his career and It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by ATG.
Joseph Discher has worked off-Broadway and with regional theatres across the country. The New York Times has called his work “devastatingly effective,” “enchanting,” and “beautiful.” His Off-Broadway credits include: Butler (NYC premiere at 59E59) and world premieres of The Violin (59E59) and Vilna (St. Clement’s Theatre). He is the former Associate Artistic Director of Shakespeare Theatre of NJ. Selected credits include The Diary of Anne Frank, To Kill a Mockingbird, Our Town, Henry IV: Part One, The Tempest, Amadeus, Of Mice and Men, The Grapes of Wrath, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet and Wittenberg. He is the Artistic Director and co-founder of Knock At The Gate, which creates immersive audio experiences of Shakespeare’s work. Knock At The Gate productions: The Tempest: A Surround Sound Odyssey Sound Odyssey, Caesar: A Surround Sound Experiment and Macbeth: A Surround Sound Experiment, which was featured on Good Day New York and NPR, and in American Theatre Magazine.
Tell us a little about your directorial debut and how you felt on its opening night.
My directorial debut was in my junior year in college, with a play called Andrea's Got Two Boyfriends, by David Willinger. It's a one-act play about three developmentally challenged people in a state-run facility and the burned out social worker who cares for them. As students, we were advised to pick something close to us for our first project. Because my older sister has Down Syndrome, my advisor suggested I read the play. I felt it accurately depicted the many facets of my relationship with my sister, from the struggles to the joys, and set to work on a production. The cast spent time with my sister and some of her friends as they attended special programs and social events. When opening night of the production came. I remember being nervous as to how the actors would be received as well as my own work, but ultimately a sense of relief and pride that the ensemble honored the reality of their lives and relationships. And the audience had an experience that expanded their understanding. Though I had primarily been an actor up to that point, that night was when I realized I could say even more as a director.
What piece of advice can you share with people interested in the theatrical arts?
Say yes to as many creative opportunities as you reasonably can. Sometimes the pay may be less than you want or need, but one opportunity very often leads to another. I almost said no to a job once because I didn't think I could afford to do it. My wife reminded me that I liked the play and that it would be an opportunity to work with a company that was new to me. I ended up directing the world premiere of a terrific play that led to four more productions at reputable regional theatres and my first off-Broadway show.
We'd love to know more about your "Surround Sound" initiative.
I am the Artistic Director of an audio company called Knock at the Gate which my friend, producer Sean Hudock and I co-founded during the pandemic. We create highly immersive audio experiences of Shakespeare's plays. The combination of a 3D soundscape that plunges the listener into the center of the action and clear-story-telling truly transports listeners and creates an intimate, visceral experience. Our most recent production, The Tempest: A Surround Sound Odyssey, featuring Joel de la Fuente as Prospero, Derek Wilson as Caliban, Hale Appleman as Ariel and Emily Skeggs as Miranda, streamed to 35 states and 17 countries around the globe. Our first project, Macbeth: A Surround Sound Experiment, featured Tamara Tunie as Lady Macbeth, Laila Robins as the Weird Sisters, Derek Wilson as Macbeth and Robert Cuccioli as Mcduff raised $10,000 for The Actors Fund and was featured in American Theatre Magazine, The New York Times and on NPR and Good Day New York. Knock at the Gate projects are also being used as educational resources for students at the university level.
Your credits have spanned many genres. What is the challenge of helming such a vast variety of plays?
Thanks for noticing! I've been very fortunate to work on a variety of great plays in different styles. I approach all plays I direct from a textual standpoint first, and pinpoint the universal themes and what is at the heart of the story. Honoring what is in the text usually illuminates what you need to know and how to proceed, but I guess I would say there is a challenge in making sure you have switched gears to embrace the style of the piece. I also think you have to be on your guard when doing farce or broad comedy, so it does not become a silly piece of "fluff," but has high stakes and is imbued with heart. Audiences need to care about the characters in order for the play to move them. A personal challenge is that because I have been able to direct successful productions in different styles, I'm not known for one thing, one specialty. I don't do 'concept' with a capital 'C.' I take my job to be honoring the playwright's intention. So people don't necessarily think, "oh we need a director for a Chekov play or an absurdist piece; Joe's the guy." But I know I can tackle just about any genre of style. Directing is directing, no matter what kind of play.
How do you like working with ATG?
I love it. The Producing Artistic Director Jim Vagias, has been very supportive and welcoming. As is often the case with small to midsize professional theatres, everyone wears more than one hat, including Jim, and the above-and-beyond work of the Production Manager, Cat Murphy is crucial to the success of the show. I'm also enjoying working with Stage Manager Griffin O'Connor on a daily basis, who provides not only great organizational work, but some helpful dramaturgy and creative input as well.
Why do you think that It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is just right for the season?
It's A Wonderful Life is a clear holiday favorite of so many, and Joe Landry's ingenious adaptation captures the heart of the story and all the important details while making it crackle with fresh new life as a live radio play being presented in front of an audience. Audiences delight in the theatricality of five actors playing all the parts and a foley artist creating all the sounds right in front of their eyes. The humor, poignant moments and nostalgia are intensified by Landry's interpretation. Most important of all, perhaps, is the message that we humans are all connected; our actions affect every person we come in contact with, and even the smallest act of kindness has great importance and power, sometimes even life-saving power.
Can you tell us a little about the cast and creative team?
I mentioned some of the creative team earlier, and I'm currently collaborating with Isabella Rossi, who recently did the costumes for ATG's beautiful production of Our Town, and the talented Travis Wright, who, in addition to design sound for the show both in terms of music and period microphones, has built, rigged or found key items for our live Foley Artist to use. I'm thrilled to have several cast members back from the production I directed in 2018; Michael Daly, Hannah Mount, Tim Nicolai and Joelle Zazz, as well as two newcomers who I've also worked with before, Erica Knight and Aaron McDaniel as Mary Hatch and George Bailey. The entire cast is a highly skilled and inventive group and we are having a blast in rehearsal re-creating this story and discovering things anew.
We like that ATG is presenting it in two different venues. What would you like NJ audiences to know about the show.
I'm excited that we are able to perform in different venues and bring this show to different audiences! Having directed the play before, I have seen first-hand how it pulls audiences in and delights them. Anyone who is a fan of the movie loves this radio show version, and very often has not seen it done this way. Come prepared to laugh and be moved by a group of top-notch actors creating theatrical magic. Bring the whole family. It's great for audiences and old. The show is only 90 minutes and it's very uplifting.
Can you share with us any of your future plans?
I took some time to be a stay-at-home dad for a few years and now I'm looking forward to getting back to directing on the regional circuit again. One of the things I love most is collaboration, working with actors, and telling compelling stories on stage, so I'm pitching some production ideas to theatres. I'm also writing a script and looking forward to completing the first phase of development, as well as brain-storming ideas for Knock at the Gate's next immersive audio project.
You can follow Joe Discher on Facebook and visit his website at Joseph Discher.
Performance dates for It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play by American Theater Group are Fri. Dec. 5th at 7:30pm, Sat. Dec. 6th at 2:30pm and 7:30pm and Sun. Dec. 7th at 2:30pm at the Sieminski Theater in Basking Ridge, NJ. The production then moves to the DMK Black Box Theater at the new Union Arts Center in Union, NJ. Performance dates are: Fri. Dec. 12th at 7pm, Sat. Dec. 13th at 7pm, Sun. Dec. 14th at 2pm, Fri. Dec. 19th at 7pm, Sat. Dec. 20th at 7pm and Sun. Dec. 21st at 2pm. Tickets range from $50 to $55, with student and group rates available, and can be purchased by visiting American Theater Group.
Photo Credit: Philip Guerette
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