Durango is lucky to have an abundance of character actors. Just witness the stellar production of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” The cast of the current offering by Merely Players proves it – from the engaging Brian Devine (George Bailey) to the mercurial Kaitlyn Bosveil (Violet). A dozen actors unspool the American dream version of an evergreen story of renewal. The play takes place in 1947 on the soundstage of WBFR, an imaginary radio station in New York City.
Director Matt Bodo’s soft opening merges the fantasy of a live radio production with real audience bustle. Blurring the line between actors meandering on stage for an imaginary show with audience buzz creates a magical atmosphere. While the WBFR stage manager (Beth Miller) counts down to airtime, employees wander in for the holiday broadcast. Charles Ford’s charming set enhances the experience with Christmas decorations, microphones, chairs, a desk for Foley sound-effect artists, a window with a cityscape and signs that read: ON AIR and APPLAUSE.
Once the “show” officially begins, credit Bodo for setting a quicksilver pace. WBFR’s lead announcer, Freddie Fillmore (the funny and endearing Ian Thomas) takes charge with a sense of urgency. Thomas reprises his role from the Players’ 2013 production. I remember him well. I reviewed the show then, and now it’s a pleasure to see him again.
The story is a parable of the American dream. George Bailey, the eldest son of a middle-class businessman, wants to travel the world, get an education, establish a career, start a family and live a full life. Circumstances and bad luck intervene. In mid-life, Bailey sees himself as a failure, so divine intervention sets up a life review to save him. That’s the structure of the play, and it reminds most people of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Instead of Scrooge as the central character, Bailey is the hero – the Bob Cratchit from the earlier tale. And unlike Scrooge, the American story centers on a mid-life crisis.
The American version has had many iterations. First written as a short story by Philip Van Doren Stern in the late 1930s, the tale captured the zeitgeist of the Great Depression. In 1946, movie director Frank Capra turned the story into a film starring Jimmy Stewart. It achieved iconic status after it started running on holiday television. Playwright Joe Landry adapted the fantasy for the stage looping in a live radio-show format.
Durango actor Devine convincingly inhabits the role of Bailey from childhood to the travails of adulthood. Emilie Kershaw plays his wife, Mary, with warmth. Michael Chapman, Lori Fisher and Abby Kubicek flesh out multiple characters with vocal gymnastics. Heather Rasmussen Thomas and Paul Laakso set up the intervention subplot as two corporate angels Joseph and Clarence. Beth Miller, Riki Tsethlikai and Mick Souder hold forth as Foley artists clicking shoes, slamming boxes and spinning a wind machine. Credit the WBFR Trio for wonderful Andrew Sisters’ song styling.
Costumer Mary Lynn Clark has assembled a convincing World War II wardrobe with period suits, ties, dresses, hats and hairstyles. Sound and light technicians plus the inimitable Diane Panelli on props and others round out technical support.
Bodo has incorporated considerable stage business. The actors move around swiftly from microphones to chairs. In addition, he has encouraged a liberal use of hats, aprons and other costume elements to visually signal character, gender and status. Other productions have limited visual activity and let language, acting and sound effects create the illusion of a radio show. At times, costume additions and too much stage business seemed excessive.
The show runs about 90 minutes without intermission through Sunday. Although sold out, a wait list exists. For more information, visit http://www.merelyplayers.org or call 749-8585.
Judith Reynolds is an arts journalist and member of the American Theatre Critics Association.
