{"id":244752,"date":"2011-12-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2011-12-23T08:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/its-a-wonderful-life-a-live-radio-play\/"},"modified":"2011-12-23T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2011-12-23T08:00:00","slug":"its-a-wonderful-life-a-live-radio-play","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/its-a-wonderful-life-a-live-radio-play\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play"},"content":{"rendered":"

Por Charlene Baldridge | Cr\u00edtico de Teatro SDUN <\/strong>

\"It&#039;s<\/a>
Amanda Sitton, Tom Andrew (Photo by Daren Scott)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/p>\n

As its annual holiday show, Cygnet Theatre Company has presented Joe Landry\u2019s \u201cIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play\u201d since 2006. The current production, playing through Dec. 31 in Old Town, is the last for now because Artistic Director Sean Murray, who stages the work, feels it\u2019s time to move on to something else.<\/p>\n

The 1946 Frank Capra film from which \u201cIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life\u201d is adapted is perfect family entertainment, and what could be better than brunch or dinner in Old Town followed or preceded by this redemptive celebration of goodness?<\/p>\n

Each actor in the nine-person company portrays at least two characters, so it is great fun to watch their display of versatility as they enact the beloved film. First of all, they portray film and stage stars gathered in a Manhattan broadcast studio at Radio Station WCYG. Shirley Pierson\u2019s period costumes are delightful. Murray\u2019s set and Michelle Caron\u2019s lighting design complete the scene, with Matt Lescault-Wood\u2019s sound providing impeccable support. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s Christmas Eve 1946 and the players are participating in a live broadcast of the film that starred Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.
\nBorn in the small town of Bedford Falls, George Bailey (Tom Andrew) had big plans for his life, including initial escapes to college and the big city followed by travel to exotic places. Due to circumstances, Bailey watches everyone else\u2019s achievements while he stays, having become CEO of his father\u2019s savings and loan. He marries his childhood sweetheart, Mary (Amanda Sitton) and has children. When Uncle Billy (Tim West) loses the bank deposit and the nasty banker, Mr. Potter (Jonathan Dunn-Rankin), gains the upper hand, threatening to take over the savings and loan, it is a calamity. <\/p>\n

George decides he\u2019s worth more dead than alive, and his life amounts to nothing, despite Mary, his adoring children and the tacit admiration of the entire community. <\/p>\n

When Heaven finds out George\u2019s despair and intent, Clarence, an angel, is dispatched to save George\u2019s life, which he does, thus earning his wings after waiting 250 years. In effect, the play and film are a celebration of simple virtues, family ties and the American work ethic. Sentimental? Yes, but utterly uplifting, even upon sixth viewing or hundredth.<\/p>\n

The above actors plus Jason Connors, Melissa Fernandes, Veronica Murphy and Patrick Osteen, plus music director Billy Thompson, greet the audience in their movie star personas, then assume their \u201cWonderful Life\u201d characters, endearing themselves over the course of the next two hours.<\/p>\n

Each of these marvelous actors \u2013 and particularly Andrew at his Jimmy Stewart best \u2013 is magnificent though understated. The piece is a sweet return to \u201cthe good old days\u201d that should not be missed, especially now, when these particular good old days are about to go away.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play\u201d continues at 7:30 Wednesdays and Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 3 p.m. Saturdays and 2 and 7 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 31 at Cygnet Theatre, 4040 Twiggs Street, Old Town San Diego. Visit www.cygnettheatre.com or call (619) 337-1525 to check holiday schedule and to purchase tickets.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Charlene Baldridge | SDUN Theater Critic As its annual holiday show, Cygnet Theatre Company has presented Joe Landry\u2019s \u201cIt\u2019s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play\u201d since 2006. The current production, playing through Dec. 31 in Old Town, is the last for now because Artistic Director Sean Murray, who stages the work, feels it\u2019s […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":731,"featured_media":244753,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"11555","_seopress_titles_title":"It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"jnews_override_counter":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[11549,11551,11555],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-244752","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-arts-entertainment","category-news","category-uptown-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244752","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/731"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=244752"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/244752\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/244753"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=244752"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=244752"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=244752"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}