Ridgedale Players present ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ radio play

TROY — This holiday season, the Ridgedale Players are performing a radio play version of “It’s A Wonderful Life,” with more show dates set for Dec. 12-14 and Dec. 19-21. 

“It’s A Wonderful Life” is a Christmas film from 1946 that tells the story of George Bailey, a man with dreams outside of his hometown in Bedford Falls, N.Y., and the circumstances that lead to him contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve. An angel by the name Clarence Odbody is tasked with showing him how important his existence has been to the people around him.

Jaylen Roach will be playing George Bailey. This is Roach’s second show with Ridgedale after a long break from theater. He has a long history on the stage, having grown up performing plays and musicals.

“He (George) has these huge dreams of seeing the world and creating, and building, and just exploring,” Roach said. “And through circumstances that are of his own doing, (George) has to stay in town and take care of business, because who he is as a person is someone who is loyal and is going to do the right thing, and he loves people, and wants to make sure that everyone around him is taken care of and valued.”

Sara Fournier is playing Mary Hatch (later Bailey), George Bailey’s wife. Fournier has done around 20 shows, and “It’s A Wonderful Life” will be her fourth show with Ridgedale. Fournier is also on the Players Board of Directors.

“She (Mary) is a very loyal wife, but she is also driven and has goals of her own,” Fournier said. “She’s someone that I think is very kind and is giving, and empathetic. I wish there were more people in the world like Mary Bailey sometimes, who can just be there to support somebody and love them through whatever they’re going through. That’s one of the things I really love about her in this story.”

Elliot Schott plays the angel Clarence in his first show with Ridgedale, although he has done shows in the past with Fraser High School, among other theater programs.

“He’s a very earnest character, although he does have his own personal goals in mind, trying to earn his wings,” Schott said. “He’s still very invested in helping people see the good in themselves.”

Rather than presented like a traditional play, the Ridgedale production reimagines the story as a 1940s-styled radio broadcast where the cast will be on stage orally telling the story and even providing some of the sound effects. There are no changing sets, and costume changes are minimal.

 “There’s more of that imaginative element,” Fournier said. “It’s still a play, but there is a focus on the sounds and the atmosphere of it.”

“I hope they (the audience) do get the idea of … seeing the movie that maybe they were more familiar with in a different light — getting a different angle on it,” Schott said.

The theater is at 205 W. Long Lake Road. The Friday and Saturday shows start at 8 p.m. while the Sunday shows start at 2 p.m. Tickets are around $20 for adults and $18 for seniors.

For more information, visit ridgedaleplayers.com.