It's a Wonderful Life
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The Cast
Photo by Randy Rovang
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By January Riddle
Most modern audiences know It's a Wonderful Life as a perennial Christmas television classic. What would this season be without its proclamations of hope and its sappy testimony to the ultimate goodness of ordinary people?
What is not so much common knowledge is the wander-full journey through the media this story made before its most recent, sweetly fortunate, incarnation as a live radio play at Cygnet Theatre Company.
Adapted by Joe Landry, the Cygnet’s Life on a small theatre stage makes a wonderfully entertaining all-ages event of a trite, but (wish it were) true premise. Goodness will have its reward, and helping others is the best way to receive life’s bounty.
Although many of us could recite the lines along with the players, Scott Paulson’s foley sound design adds a delightfully visible dimension. The various rattling gismos, stomping boots on dowels, and clattering hubcaps manifest radio’s ingenuity and offer amusing surprises.
Director Sean Murray, who also designed the campy set, chose a quick and lively cast, with many of its members playing multiple roles. Local theatre veteran Jonathan Dunn-Rankin makes his skilled Cygnet debut as the scroogey Mr. Potter and various bit roles. Resident Artist David Gallagher nails both the upbeat angel Clarence Oddbody and the hapless Uncle Billy; Melissa Fernandes captures the slutty Violet and the precious Zuzu with equal aplomb. Tom Andrew brings James Stewart to modern life in the lead role of George Bailey, and Brenda Dodge’s Mary Hatch is a lovely, perfect complement to originator Donna Reid.
Jeanne Reith’s period costumes are both stunning and inspired, and George Ye’s sound design mimics the medium of radio without being obvious about it. As interpreted by this crew and cast, Cygnet’s production makes us long for the days when A Wonderful Life seemed possible. When the film premiered, World War II was recently over, the troops had heroically returned, and buying a first home was becoming a reality for middle-class Americans.
Most popularly known as the 1946 film produced and directed by Frank Capra, Life is based on the short story, "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren Stern, a civil war historian in the late 1930s. Inspired by a dream, Stern created the tale of George Bailey, a small-town banker fed up with what he perceives as his Sad Sack life. When Bailey decides to end it all just before Christmas, he’s rescued by Clarence, an angel trying to earn his wings. Like all angels, Clarence is an optimist, and he uses his upbeat brand of creativity to alter history, showing George what impact he has had by taking it all away.
There’s a story within a story in this seemingly simplistic yarn, when George views a revision of his world sans himself. Thus jolted out of his personal pity party, our hero becomes the man he always was, and the grateful townspeople whose lives were bettered for his presence rise to the occasion. Would that we all could know what the world would have been like without us.
Modern media are replete with speculations about world-altering moments and characters, most of them villainous. Perhaps the hopeful possibilities reflected in this trite and true story are what have made it a classic.
Ironically, its author Stern spent years perfecting the story and shopping it around before he gave up trying to find a commercial publisher. Instead, he self-published 200 copies of the 4000-word fantasy and sent it to friends as a Christmas card.
It must have been Clarence’s doing when one of the cards ended up in the hands of an RKO producer, who showed it to Cary Grant. Grant wanted to play George Bailey, and RKO purchased the rights for $10,000 in April, 1944. In December, the book was published, and early the next year Good Housekeeping brought it to the magazine’s pages.
Frank Capra’s production company bought the rights a year after the book was published for $10,000 (proving once again that major studios don’t always know what’s best or always make a profit on their mistakes) and released the film on December 20, 1946. Despite the popularity of its three stars, James Stewart, Donna Reid and Lionel Barrymore, it failed to make its projected profit or receive an Academy Award.
But, like the story’s premise, goodness is its own reward. What modern television has not replayed this classic Christmas story, either on a major network or video tape? Clarence must be gleefully celebrating up there.
It’s a Wonderful Life: A live radio play adapted by Joe Landry plays at Cygnet Theatre Company, 6663 El Cajon Blvd. #N, San Diego, through December 30.
Show times are 8pm Tues – Sat, 2pm & 7pm Sun.
Tickets are $25-31.
Reservations: 619-337-1525 or www.cygnettheatre.com
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