Heartland theater captures magic of holiday classic

“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings.”

If you’re unfamiliar with that bit of classic movie dialogue, then you probably don’t watch TV much during the yuletide season.

Thanks to frequent airings around the holidays, Frank Capra’s 1946 film “It’s a Wonderful Life” has become the quintessential American Christmas movie.

The American Heartland Theatre aims to capture a bit of the magic that Capra’s sentimental standard is known for with a cheery stage adaptation called “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.”

Playwright Joe Landry reformulates the familiar material by placing it in the context of a radio broadcast.

The year is 1946 and Kansas City station WDAF is about to begin a Christmas Eve presentation of the story.

Announcer Freddie Filmore (Ken Remmert) and the actors welcome the audience members as they arrive at the “studio” to witness the broadcast.

Freddie introduces the cast members and explains which parts they’ll be playing.

The performers offer a few pre-show seasonal tunes to warm up the crowd.

Soon, they grab their scripts, step up to the microphones and launch into a spirited rendition of the story about a put-upon fellow named George Bailey (Tim Scott).

In heaven, a guardian angel named Clarence (Remmert) gets an overview of George’s difficult life by a celestial VIP named Joseph (Kevin Albert).

Soon, we meet many of the residents of George’s hometown of Bedford Falls, including wife-to-be Mary (Lauren Braton), Uncle Billy (Michael Dragen), flirty Violet (Natalie Weaver), cabbie Ernie (Colleen Grate), cop Bert (Anthony T. Edwards doing double duty as accompanist), George’s daughter Zuzu (Addison Landes double-cast with Lindsey Reed Hart), and the oily Mr. Potter (Albert).

All of the actors play multiple roles, ably filling out the extensive cast.

Perhaps the most impressive feat this production accomplishes is that it manages to get the audience thoroughly engrossed in George Bailey’s story even though we’re always aware that we’re watching a radio re-enactment. (Yes, they even throw in some corny, ’40s-era commercials.)

Remmert and Grate add an amusing element to the proceedings by creating the show’s elaborate sound effects in full view of the audience.

Paul Hough’s skillful direction probably accounts for most of the show’s success, but an extremely capable ensemble of actors and top-notch production values are a big help.

Scenic designers Alex Perry and Laura Burkhart have created an authentic-looking studio, and Sarah M. Oliver’s costumes are equally apropos.

Prop master William J. Christie has populated the set with 1940s-era adornments that add greatly to the atmosphere.

Even those who consider “It’s a Wonderful Life” to be an example of “Capra-corn” may fall prey to the nostalgic charms of this good-natured holiday offering.

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” runs through Dec. 27 at the American Heartland Theatre, 2450 Grand Ave., Kansas City, Mo.

For tickets, call (816) 842-9999 or visit www.ahtkc.com.

THEATER NOTES

The Barn Players Theatre stage has been transformed into Germany’s Kit Kat Klub at the dawn of the 1930s.

Even the orchestra is beautiful in “Cabaret,” the renowned Broadway musical with book by Joe Masteroff, lyrics by Fred Ebb and music by Kansas City native John Kander.

The production is under the direction of Nino Casisi and features musical direction by Kevin Bogan and choreography by Marisa MacKay.

Cast members include Laura Jacobs, Jered Solace, Benjamin Baellow, Debbie Blinn, Michael Nemeth, Emerson Rapp III and Briana Marzen-McCollom.

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