We all have our favorite holiday films we watch each year, but what did folks do for entertainment before television? Turns out those radios we now occasionally listen to in the car used to be a much bigger deal. Families used to gather ‘round the radio each evening and wait with bated breath for the news and then live radio performances of plays, complete with music and sound effects. Radio dramas reached their peak in the 1940s with plays such as Orson Welles’ “War of the Worlds,” which was performed so convincingly that many listeners panicked, temporarily believing aliens were actually invading.
Come celebrate the season the old-fashioned way and catch “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” presented by Rover Dramawerks in partnership with Dallas-based AmeriStage Players. Audience members will be treated to quite the spectacle, glimpsing the past and how radio operators flawlessly pulled off shows with little to no rehearsal time, complete with sound effects performed live and with only a few actors voicing all the characters!
The story of “It’s a Wonderful Life” follows character George Bailey as he struggles to make ends meet and wonders if the world had been better if he’d never been born. All performances are family friendly and will be a real treat, showcasing how only five actors can perform as all of the characters.
Performances are Fridays, December 11 and 18 at 8:00 pm, Saturdays, December 12 and 19 at 2:00 pm and 8:00 pm, and Sundays, December 13 and 20 at 2:00 pm. Plus, a special 2:00 pm matinee will perform on Christmas Eve, December 24.
Tickets are $22 Friday and Saturday nights and Christmas Eve, and $16 for Saturday and Sunday matinees. Thursday, December 10, is a preview night with all seats $10 in advance online or “pay-what-you-can” at the door.
Rover Dramawerks is currently the only theatre in Plano doing a live radio style play. They are currently in the middle of their sixteenth season since their inception in 2000. AmeriStage Players have been performing since 2003. This collaborative performance is directed by AmeriStage Players founder Jeff Fenter.
Rover Dramawerks Website > [codepeople-post-map]
