Arts & Entertainment

Farmington Director Brings 'It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play' to Hartford

The performance is scheduled for Dec. 7 at The Mark Twain House.

You don't have to go further than Hartford at the start of the holiday season to visit George Bailey in Bedford Falls as he learns what the world would be like if he were never born.

Farmington's Virginia Wolf directs It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play at The Mark Twain House & Museum the week after Thanksgiving as the holiday season begins. 

Connecticut's Herstory Theater, a "non-union, professional theater company," is partnering with The Mark Twain House for to bring the holiday classic live to Hartford "in the style of old-time radio theater" with local talent, enhanced with the work of sound effects artist Ian Galligan, of Meriden. Joe Landry wrote the adaptation.

Betsy Maguire, of Simsbury, Chris Berrien of East Granby, Susan Saks,  Marty Moran, of Wethersfield, Patrick Spadaccino and Bob Muscatel, both of Middletown, Jomarie Pipolo and Mark Englehart, both of West Hartford,  Ann Baldwin, of Windsor and John Swanson, of Rockville are in the cast. Wethersfield's Kathryn Lewis stage manages the show.

Fans of the film might remember a Connecticut connection to the story that only makes it fitting that The Mark Twain House is the venue for the performance. Clarence, a guardian angel, carries a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, which was written and published in Hartford.  

The movie, "It's A Wonderful Life," starring James Stewart,  was released in 1946. The beloved film was "not an immediate popular or financial success, but its reputation grew over the years," according to a press release about the production. Due to a "clerical error resulting in the loss of copyright protection," the movie was "widely" shown annually leading up to Christmas and grew in popularity, the release stated.

There will be two performances of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play on Saturday, Dec. 7 in the Mark Twain House Museum Center at 2 and 7 p.m. The show is 90 minutes long without intermission. Admission costs $10. For more information, call 860- 280-3130. Tickets can also be purchased online at itsawonderfullife.brownpapertickets.com.

Wolf has a weekly radio show at WLIS/WMRD about arts and entertainment and has "done a couple of live radio dramas on air, just for fun," she said.  

"I was part of a staged reading of 'It's a Wonderful Life' two years ago with the Suffield Players, and really enjoyed it!" Wolf said. "So the idea of performing it again has always been in my mind...this was the year to do it!" 

Herstory Theater produces "educational performances" for "schools, museums, historic societies, libraries," and people interested in history, the release states. Wolf founded the theater company to marker her original one-woman show, 'Panic in Connecticut; Accused Witches Have Their Say.'  

"The idea of stories about little known women in history blossomed, and beyond my own show, I've produced two other readings, 
'Pierce,' written by Jacques Lamarre, about Jane Pierce, tragic First Lady, and 'The Waltz,' written by Carolyn Kirsch, about Camille Claudel, Rodin's muse," Wolf said. "I'm also developing a new one woman show for the Mark Twain House portraying Katy Leary, their housemaid of 33 years."

The Mark Twain House and Musuem is located at 351 Farmington Ave. in Hartford.

CAST & CREW

Ann Baldwin -  Sadie,  Mrs. Thompson, Woman In Commercial, Ruth 

Christopher Berrien -  George Bailey

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Mark Englehart –  Announcer, Joseph,  Binky, Mr. Welch

Betsy Maguire - Mary Hatch Bailey

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Marty Moran* –  Harry, Sam Wainwright, Uncle Billy, Man in Bar, Tommy

Bob Muscatel -  Peter Bailey, Ernie,   young  Peter, Schultz, Nick, Man in Commercial, Bridgekeeper, Horace 

Jomarie Pipolo* - Violet, Ed, Mathilda, Janie

Susan Saks* - Rose Bailey,  Mrs. Hatch,  Zuzu

Patrick Spadaccino* -   Mr. Potter,   Old man Collins, Martini, Bert/Cop, Sheffif

John Swanson - Clarence,   Mr. Gower,  Dr. Campbell, Charlie

Kathryn Lewis – Stage Manager

Ian Galligan – Foley Artist

(*WBFR Quartet)


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