Carlee WrightBe a part of the live studio audience!
It’s December 24, 1946. An energetic buzz fills Studio A at WBFR Radio as a cast of actors assemble, preparing for their performance of It’s a Wonderful Life with a live listening audience — that’s you!
Step back in time this holiday season with Pentacle Theatre’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.
Seven actors will bring more than 40 different characters to life to share the story of George Bailey, a young man struggling with his responsibility to the family business. As he disheartenedly contemplates his future, he meets Clarence, a guardian angel who shows him how different the world would be if he’d never been born.
The show within a show, which is based on the classic holiday movie, is twice the experience. Close your eyes and listen to the story unfold as Pentacle Theatre channels a 1940s broadcast; Open them and watch the inner workings of a radio studio.
“Many of the Foley ‘devices’ are everyday items. For example, different types of shoes ‘walking’ on different types of surfaces (concrete, wood). Crunching pasta with a heavy object to sound like ice breaking,” Director Debbie Neel said. “Our technical director, Chris Benham, built us a wind machine, a mechanism that makes a creaking sound, a door in a frame to open and close and several other items.”
Although there are two dedicated Foley artists doing most of the work, they also play various other characters, said Debbie.
“We hope the audience will have fun watching how some of the sounds are done,” Debbie said.
As if juggling more than 40 characters, plus sound effects, was not a handful, the show has also been challenging in terms of tech, said Debbie. “Due to Covid, each actor has their own mic. Two of our actors are also the primary Foley artists, so they also each have a sound effects mic at their table. There is also a Foley mic on the floor for sound effects that cannot be done on the table. In addition, there is a stage manager in the radio station control room who has some lines at the beginning of the show, so she also has a mic. Keeping the mics from interfering with each other is only one of the challenges. There is also recorded music for scene transitions and underscoring, plus applause and on-air signs that light up at the appropriate times. All of this takes a lot of timing and precision.”
Of course, the story has some wonderful lessons. The knowledge that every life is important, that we each impact the world in a unique way.
“We hope the audience enjoys being part of the live radio studio audience and enjoys the performances of these amazing actors…”
The show includes Scott Ramp as Freddie Filmore, Diane Slamp as Sally Applewhite, Teresa Waite as Lana Sherwood, Anthony Redelsperger as Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood, Brad Steiner as Jake Laurents, Jason Ramey as Trent Touchstone and Barbara Ramp as Betty Blackwell. Jason and Barbara are also the on-stage Foley artists.
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Life Radio Play
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec 3 – Saturday, Dec 18 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Dec 5 and 12. The Thursday, Dec 9 performance will be interpreted by a team of certified ASL interpreters.
Where: Pentacle Theatre, 324 52nd Ave. NW. (Off Highway 22 about 6 miles west of downtown Salem.)
Cost: $25 general admission. Frontline healthcare workers and people who hold an Oregon Trail Card are eligible for a 50% discount. Doors open one hour before curtain to allow extra time for socially distanced seating.
Tickets: http://tickets.pentacletheatre.org
NOTE: All audience members must provide proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours before the performance. Masks must be worn at all times. Audience seating is limited to meet current social distancing rules and guidelines.
This story originally ran in Press Play Salem issue 12 (Winter 2021/22)
Updated: Dec 3.
Author: Carlee Wright
Carlee Wright is a community instigator with a grand love for Salem and notably fashionable shoes (Hello, John Fluevog!) who turns waste into wearable art in her "spare" time.
The Instigator
