Holiday classic, with a twist
The North Carolina Stage Company is bringing back the local favorite Live from WVL Radio Theatre: It’s A Wonderful Life.
An original adaptation of the 1946 feature film, written and directed by Willie Repoley and produced by Asheville’s Immediate Theatre Project, Live from WVL Radio Theatre: It’s A Wonderful Life offers a different perspective — taking the storyline of the classic movie and, essentially, flipping it on its end.
Instead of the familiar main characters — George Bailey, Mary and Clarence the guardian angel — the adaptation pushes new personalities to the foreground, the staff of the fictional WVL Radio Theatre. Struggling to stay on the air one snowy winter’s night, WVL Radio Theatre has scheduled an on-air reading of It’s a Wonderful Life — but the professional voice actors are nowhere to be found.
Instead of admitting defeat, the small but intrepid staff decide the show must go on — portraying the story’s dozens of characters and scenes themselves, using every day household items for sound effects.
This rendition of the classic tale invites the audience “to take stock of what we hold dear, and demands that we examine our lives and our priorities. It reminds us that belief in family, in friendship, in people, is not misplaced — no matter how bad things get.”
Making its 2018 season debut at NC Stage on Wednesday, Nov. 28, Live from WVL Radio Theatre: It’s A Wonderful Life will run through Saturday, Dec. 15, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., with 2 p.m. matinee shows on Sundays. Two additional 2 p.m. matinee shows are scheduled for Dec. 1 and 8.
In its final week, Live from WVL Radio Theatre: It’s A Wonderful Life will alternate with NC Stage’s next holiday offering, The Twelve Dates of Christmas.
Tickets are on sale now for $17-$36, depending on seating section, and special $10 tickets are available for students under 25 with a valid student ID. Tickets can be purchased online at ncstage.org or by calling 828-239-0263.
On Wednesday, Nov. 28, come for Pay What You Wish Night, where you choose your own price on a sliding scale of $6-$20 for a preview performance.
Other special theme nights are:
Thursday, Nov. 29: Preshow Hors d’Oeuvres - Arrive early to this preview performance to enjoy complimentary hors d’oeuvres catered by Greenlife.
Friday, Nov. 30: $1 Beer Night and Post-Show Q&A - Love Beer City? Beer is $1 all night long at the concessions bar. After the show, join a discussion with the cast to get an insider’s look at the creative process.
Saturday, Dec. 1: Opening Night Champagne Toast - Join a complimentary champagne toast to the cast and crew following the performance.
NC Stage Company also offers season passes — six shows for the price of five — for all of its 2018-2019 Mainstage Productions. Season passes are $195 and give pass-holders priority seating, free unlimited ticket exchanges, access to online seating reservations, and special discount codes for all other happenings at NC Stage.
North Carolina Stage Company is located at 15 Stage Lane - between Haywood Street and Rankin Avenue - in downtown Asheville, and has been producing professional theater in its 125-seat playhouse since 2001. For information on season passes, upcoming productions, educational opportunities and much more, call the theatre’s box office at (828)239-0263 or visit www.ncstage.org.