It’s a Wonderful Life is a wonderful show

Times Contributor 

 

Here’s my confession: I’ve never watched the movie ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’. Before seeing Rosebud Theatre’s version of the story on Nov. 1, the closest I came was reading a plot summary online.

Rosebud Theatre presents this classic story as an on-stage radio play, and I feared it might be boring to watch actors stand at microphones and say their lines. But from the second Andrew Legg, playing the RSBD Radio announcer, stepped onto stage to welcome us and thank the show’s sponsors, boredom was the furthest thing from my mind. This is a fast-paced retelling of George Bailey’s life. It moves so quickly, in fact, packing in so many life events, I was glad I’d read the plot summary ahead of time. I’d also had the idea that the play would be mostly serious, but I was wrong about that too. This show is hilarious!

Rosebud’s ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is a radio play within a stage play. The actors, dressed in 1940s styles, stand and speak into microphones of that era, but they also act out the story. Most cast members play several roles, and also take their turns producing sound effects in the on-stage studio. Rosebud makes the radio play format even more authentic by inserting several commercials, advertising Rosebud’s actual sponsors in a way that’s as entertaining as the story itself.

Nathan Schmidt gives one of his typically remarkable performances as George Bailey, who sacrifices his dreams to help the people in his community, then concludes his life is worthless. My theatre-companion, who was seeing Schmidt act for the first time, said repeatedly, “He’s amazing!” I have to agree. Heather Pattengale, who played Emily in ‘Our Town’, sparkles again as George’s wife, Mary.

What I enjoyed most in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ was watching familiar performers show off a greater diversity of talents than I’d seen them display previously. Mike Thiessen, who was Mr. Newsome in ‘Our Town’, and Telephone Repairman in ‘Barefoot in the Park’, gives an outstanding performance as Clarence, George Bailey’s bumbling-but-hopeful guardian angel, and his distractible, elderly Uncle Billy. He portrays his roles so believably, I’m still not sure how much of his performance is Mike Thiessen himself and how much is only the traits of his characters.

I also marveled at the performance of Joel Stephanson, who played bass in ‘Cotton Patch Gospel’ and in ‘May and Joe’, but whom I hadn’t seen in a full acting role. Here he plays elderly pharmacist Mr. Gower, so convincingly hunching his back and changing his voice and facial shape, I did a double-take when I realized it was Stephanson in the role. Then I was fascinated to watch him transform into greedy Mr. Potter, chewing a cigar with evident delight.

This show is full of funny and ordinary, nasty and sympathetic characters and they tell a story that’ll be a highlight of your Christmas season. If you, like me, are one of the rare Albertans who hasn’t seen the movie, just make sure you look up a plot summary before you go.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ runs at the Rosebud Opera House til Dec. 23. Theatre tickets include dinner in the Rosebud Mercantile. Get them at www.rosebudtheatre.com or 1-800-267-7553.