It’s a wonderful life- yes, even now
Who’d’ve thought that a radio show about a small town in the 1940s would resonate so hard- and make me so weepy- in a big city in 2019 (at Thanksgiving)?
Well, life’s full of delightful surprises if you just know where to look. Friends, here’s your heads-up: American Blues Theater’s live radio performance of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago!’ will cure what ails you. (Especially if “what ails you” is a blend of exhaustion, media over-saturation, and a general world-weariness.)
Now in its 18th year- and boasting the prestige of being Chicago’s second longest-running holiday play- it’s a must see. Even if you’ve seen it before. (Especially if you’ve seen it before.) It doesn’t hurt that the cast is a streamlined crew of radio performers who sing, whistle, whoosh windy sounds, and portray the entire population of Frank Capra’s Bedford Falls with a mere eight people.
When’s the last time you saw a Foley artist at work?
From the moment you set foot in the “recording studio” at Stage 773, you’re imbued with a sense of holiday cheer of the classic radio age variety. The cast warmly greets the audience- and each other- as they prepare for the Christmas broadcast, giving the whole experience the feeling like you’ve perhaps peeked in on a seasoned cast embarking on a treasured holiday tradition for them as well. Between audience singalongs, holiday trivia, and old-timey radio commercials (for current businesses in Chicagoland and beyond), the atmosphere is cheery as heck- but what’ll really get your eyes leaking are the audiogram messages that audience members can choose to write down prior to the show and have read by the performers between act breaks.
Brandon Dahlquist’s George Bailey is affable and earnest, without needing to dip into Jimmy Stewart territory to have the audience rooting for him from the very first. Other standouts include director (and ABT Artistic Director) Gwendolyn Whiteside as a sweet, funny, perfect-for-George Mary Bailey, and Announcer/Pianist Michael Mahler as the energetic emcee who zips the evening along. Rounding out the stellar group are Dara Cameron (Violet), Ian Paul Custer (Harry), Shawn J. Goudie (Foley), James Joseph (Uncle Billy), and John Mohrlein (Clarence/Mr. Potter), the latter who has the distinct honor of being involved with ‘It’s a Wonderful Life: Live from Chicago!’ from the very beginning.
By the end of the show you’ll swear you just spent time curled up with the family in front of a big ol’ radio.
You’ll think pretty long and pretty hard about the moments, the people, and the “ordinary” joys that make up a good life.
And you’ll also possess the unshakeable knowledge that, in many tiny ways, we are (and we are surrounded by) the people of Bedford Falls- whatever your zip code.
(How’s that for “let your heart be light?”)
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If you go:
Runs through Jan. 4th, 2020
(Children 12 & under receive keepsakes on Dec. 21st when Santa visits, and on Dec. 28th to celebrate Hanukkah)
at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave., Chicago
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