Frank Capra's 1946 film It's a Wonderful Life was nominated for five Oscars, won numerous other awards and tops many lists of best Christmas movies of all time.
So Theatre Northwest director Jack Grinhaus had big shoes to fill when bringing the holiday classic to the stage -and he, and his cast and crew, have delivered.
Philip Grecian's script, It's a Wonderful Life: The Life Radio Play, re-imagines the film as a 1940s radio play - complete with traditional foley sound effects, musical cues and commercial breaks.
As a result, the action is contained to a single set, the radio studio, brought convincingly to life by set designer Hans Saefkow.
The play's 14 cast members voice the script's 52 speaking roles (plus voice acting for the commercials). The meta premise of the show means each actor is playing a character, the nameless radio voice actors, who are in turn playing characters.
It's difficult to pick out stand-out performances, as the show features a strong ensemble cast.
David Sklar stars as the voice of George Bailey, and he channels some of James Stewart's "aww, shucks" Midwestern charm into the role. Lara Schmitz is equally charming as Mary Bailey (nee Hatch), George's wife.
However, one could equally say that Roy Lewis is the star of the show, playing the announcer who ringmasters the whole performance, and throws himself with gusto in the role of the villainous, greedy Mr. Potter.
But, likewise, watching Pierre Ducharme, Troy O'Donnell, Amanda Barker, Miriam Smith, Marco Timpano, Bobbi Goddard and William Kuklis dive into up to to six roles each - and give each one a distinctive voice - was a like a workshop in the actor's craft.
The four young, local actors - Claire and Aleisha Ramsay, Jakob Hellyer and Nash Walker - who play the young versions of the main cast, then return as the Bailey children, show plenty of promise for the future of local theatre.
Even through the play is a mock radio production, there is always something more happening on stage then just actors speaking into microphones. The cast are on stage and in character every minute of the show, and are often recruited to help sound designer and foley artist Jessie Fraser produce the sound effects - splashing water in bowls, snapping celery sticks into microphones and more.
For those unfamiliar with the plot, the play follows a pair of angels, Joesph (Smith) and Clarence (O'Donnell), reflecting on the life of George Bailey, as told in a series of vignettes from his childhood to his current crisis.
Bailey grows up with big dreams of leaving his sleepy hometown of Bedford Falls, travelling the world and going to college to become an architect. But he is forced to put his dreams on hold to take over the family business - a building and loan association - and manage it through the Great Depression and hostile takeover attempts by the greedy developer, Mr. Potter. When a crisis pushes George to the brink of suicide, Clarence - a guardian angel in training looking to earn his wings - is sent to Earth to show George what the world would be like without him.
It all builds up to the heartwarming, tear-jerking conclusion. But even if you've watched It's a Wonderful Life a dozen times, taking the nostalgic journey again with the cast of Theatre Northwest is time well spent.
It's a Wonderful Life: The Live Radio Play runs until Dec. 13. Tickets are available at online at theatrenorthwest.com or in person at Books & Company.
