Joe Landry Reinterprets Heart-Warming Holiday Classic

by Mary Lou Herlihy

My first trip up to the Spreckels Performing Arts Center did not disappoint. Easy to find, easy to park and a beautiful sprawling courtyard and campus suggest that this community supports the arts.

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” presents a world where angels intervene, good guys win, and all lives matter— a perfect start to the holiday season.

Frank Capra’s classic film It’s a Wonderful Life, essential holiday fare, reminds us that our lives matter, community is powerful, and even in times of deep darkness, we cannot grasp the big picture.

As we choose seats in the cozy Condiotti Studio Theatre, a dapper costumed character welcomes us. On a table, we see potential sound effects: push mower blades, a wash bin, and a metronome. Foley Sound Artist Gabe Adelman brings them to life in delightful ways.

“WBFR RADIO” and “ON AIR” signs put us in a 40s radio studio. Applause signs light up but we applaud whenever.  When Rosie Frater brilliantly mimics an infant crying, or a drunken partygoer, we erupt in spontaneous laughter and applause.

Freddie Filmore (delightful John Craven) warms us up for Christmas Eve in New York City, in a perfectly modulated radio voice. “Five, four, three—We are LIVE.” Women in chic 40s fashions huddle and harmonize to the quirky WBFR jingle. Piano by Janis Dunson Wilson and corny radio commercials sprinkle whimsy.

Five performers play many movie roles, using voice, physical, and prop tricks. As Jake Laurents, Nic Moore plays a passionate George Bailey; his youthful zest for life enlivens early scenes. When life’s unexpected hurdles weigh on him, we brace as he berates befuddled Uncle Billy (brilliant by John Craven).

The talented ensemble benefits from Craven’s versatility as he moves between characters with ease. From haughty cigar smoking Banker Potter to a needy young child, Craven holds the team together.

Ingenious Rosie Frater plays: a flirt, a mother, a floozy, a drunk, a child. She makes us laugh uproariously as she transforms. As Mary, Allison Lovelace’s sympathetic expressions convince us of her dedication.

As Clarence, Matt Farrell shifts gears smoothly to Giuseppe Martini, an Italian immigrant. When George lifts him from poverty, we see how small gestures can be life changing.

While we came for the fun and Foley, we left with the familiar “It’s A Wonderful Life” warm feeling of community as we sang “Auld Lang Syne” together.

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” by Joe Landry, directed by Jenny Hollingsworth, set & lighting design by Eddie Hansen, costumes by Adriana Gutierrez, sound design by Jessica Johnson, and live piano by Janis Dunson Wilson at Spreckels Performing Arts Center, Rohnert Park, California.

Info: spreckelsonline.com – to December 14, 2025.

Cast: John Craven, Nic Moore, Allison Lovelace, Rosie Frater, Matt Farrell, and Gabe Adelman.