Celebrate the holidays with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley
For many, Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life has become as synonymous with the holiday season as candy canes or eggnog. This year, experience this yuletide favorite in a new way with TheatreWorks Silicon Valley’s It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, performing December 1-26.
Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the enduring classic film starring James Stewart and Donna Reed almost didn’t stand the test of time. In its 1946 release, It’s A Wonderful Life was critically acclaimed but failed to win any awards, up against postwar blockbusters like The Best Years of Our Lives, ultimately fading into obscurity for decades. The film gained a second life when it entered the public domain, frequenting televisions across America. It’s A Wonderful Life makes an annual sold-out run at Palo Alto’s Stanford Theatre. Sadly, that theatre remains closed, but this beloved story finds a new Palo Alto home at the Lucie Stern Theatre with TheatreWorks’s new stage production.
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play offers the film as a 1940s era radio play, complete with live foley-style sound effects. Presented in a fun, theatrical style, this live radio-play version of the holiday favorite is told by a diverse cast, including Moses Villarama, Sarita Ocón, Phil Wong, Luisa Sermol, and Todd Cerveris. These five nimble actors take on dozens of roles, sharing George Bailey’s iconic tale of love, loss, and redemption on Christmas Eve. On-demand streaming will also be available for audiences to enjoy this theatrical treat from home.
Whether you’re a veteran viewer or it’s your first time visiting Bedford Falls, It’s a Wonderful Life should be on your must-watch list this season. Its message still rings true today—much as the community rallies behind George Bailey in his time of need, Silicon Valley communities have supported and uplifted their members, despite not being able to gather in person. Giovanna Sardelli, who directs the play, says, “It’s A Wonderful Life is about celebrating those who often feel unseen and unvalued. It offers hope about who we can become, and it reminds us of the best within ourselves—our ability to overcome adversity, to support one another, to envision a better world together. This is why people return to it time and time again.”
Also, something to look forward to in 2022: virtuoso pianist/ performer Hershey Felder is returning to TheatreWorks in the musical masterpiece Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin, performing January 19- February 13, 2022 at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts. Felder dazzles as brilliant Polish composer Fryderyk Chopin, illuminating an exclusive piano lesson with this musical master. In this stunning solo show, the “Poet of the Piano” tells his romantic story while sharing dazzling performances of his compositions. Tickets for this highly-anticipated show make excellent holiday gifts for theatre fans and music lovers alike.
Tickets for It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (December 1-26, 2021) and Hershey Felder as Monsieur Chopin (January 19-February 13, 2022) are now available at theatreworks.org or by calling (877)-662-8978.