Young People’s Theatre kicks off the holiday season with It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
Young People’s Theatre (YPT) is getting this year’s Christmas season started with a unique adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life.
Directed by YPT artistic director Herbie Barnes, the show transports audiences back to the era of 1940s radio plays, complete with Foley sound effects and retro jingles. It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play hits the Ada Slaight Stage on November 20, and will stay until December 30 with a run entirely composed of daytime matinees.
“This play is a love letter to my childhood,” said Barnes in a press release. “It’s a throwback to a time of connectedness – when everyone gathered around the one television in my house and experienced this meaningful story as a family. My hope is that family members of all generations will enjoy this story about human connection – told in an entirely new way – together.”
The story is by and large faithful to Frank Capra’s 1946 film, following Bedford Falls man George Bailey and his guardian angel Clarence through a journey of self-discovery and Christmas spirit.
“When the weight of the world pushes you down, it’s sometimes hard to see how important you are to those in your life, or how you are supported by so many,” said Barnes. “This story of humanity and hope is a gentle reminder of the impact that one life can make.”
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play features performances from Caitlyn MacInnis, Amy Matysio, Shaquille Pottinger, Anand Rajaram, and Cliff Saunders.
Information about tickets and group bookings is available here.
Aisling Murphy
Aisling is Intermission's senior editor and an award-winning arts journalist with bylines including the Toronto Star, Globe & Mail, CBC Arts, CTV News Toronto, and Maclean's. She likes British playwright Sarah Kane, most songs by Taylor Swift, and her cats, Fig and June. She was a 2024 fellow at the National Critics Institute in Waterford, CT.
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