It's A Wonderful Life - Live Radio From Swift Creek

So many holiday traditions, so little time. Just as you can count on some stores hauling out the holiday decorations the day after Halloween, you can count on certain tell-tale signs that December and all its attendant miracles are soon upon us. One of those events is the annual showing of Frank Capra’s It’s A Wonderful Life, one of the greatest American movies ever made. Over the past decade or so, there have been many attempts to bring the movie to life on the stage with a variety of success, and one such version is now playing at Swift Creek Mill Playhouse.

This version entitled, IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY reinvents the movie as if it were a radio broadcast in the mid 1940’s. If you have never heard a radio play before, you have missed out on one of the golden eras of entertainment and I for one, am saddened that radio plays are almost unknown any more in the United States. I have European colleagues that still teach the techniques and present this form of theatre on a regular basis. Whenever they do, I tune in via the internet, and suddenly I am in a completely different world.

So I was excited when I saw the listing for this and have been looking forward to the production with great anticipation. I was not disappointed. Director Tom Width has assembled six talented actors to play all of the parts and provide all of the sound effects. For those familiar with the movie, and I can hardly imagine anyone who is not familiar with the movie, will have no trouble placing each of the characters, and after watching one or two of the actors acting out scenes in which they play both sides of a conversation, you may come away with a deeper appreciation of radio.

Joe Pabst is George Bailey, the small-town dreamer who wants to escape from Bedford Falls’ gravity, but who finds himself becoming the reluctant heart and soul of the town. Pabst walks a delicate tightrope as he carves out his own version of this iconic character but still manages to find those Jimmy Stewart nuances that make the character indelible in our memories.

Georgia Rogers Farmer is his wife Mary, among a few other characters and she does a wonderful job of bringing her to life. Farmer has talent, charm, and all the tools to become one of the best actresses this town has to offer.


Paul Deiss has about ten lines in the whole play, but creates most of the sound effects and gives the play its unique charm. Since most of the action is verbal, it is perfectly okay to split your focus and watch how he creates the sound of breaking glass, doors opening, characters running and even ice cracking. I could honestly watch a show made up of these very special effects.

Also needing to be mentioned are Joe Doran’s lights, Maura Lynch Cravey’s costumes and Tom Width’s set. All are very effective in putting the audience smack in the middle of 1946.

This is one of those plays that will warm your heart and sooth your soul. Don’t let it get lost in the holiday shuffle, you owe it to yourself to check it out.

For WCVE Public Radio, I’m John Porter.