"It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" coming in December to area towns

Rehearsals are underway and tickets are now on sale for Wheatland Theatre Co.'s production of "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play."

The play is set in a 1940's radio station, where a group of actors and technicians gather to perform a live broadcast of the classic holiday story, "It's A Wonderful Life." Audience members will experience the story as a radio drama, complete with live Foley sound effects. Director Jerry Sciarrio, a veteran actor and director whose work has been seen on many Spokane stages has been involved with three different incarnations of the "It's a Wonderful Life" story onstage and says that "Joe Landry's adaptation is by far the best. It captures the essence of the original film and presents it in a unique and very entertaining way. The live radio setting offers a backstage peek at this nearly extinct form of entertainment."

The play will be performed Saturday, December 9, at 7:30 p.m. at the Old Town Hall, marking the first time that the nine-year-old nonprofit, based in Davenport, will hold performances in Odessa.

Performances will also be held Friday, December 1, at 7:30 p.m. at Davenport Memorial Hall; Sunday, December 3, at 2 p.m. at Reardan Community Hall and Friday, December 8, at 7:30 p.m. at the Wilbur Community Center.

Tickets are available now at WheatlandTheatre.org, by calling 866-811-4111 or in person at The Odessa Record.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students under 18. Admission includes a drink ticket. Local beer from Rocky Coulee Brewing Company in Odessa and wine from Two Winey Bitches near Reardan will be served. The show is appropriate for all ages.

The production features a cast from throughout Lincoln County, including Justin Bradford, Jonathan Broadway, Patra Canfield, Erin Herny, Knute Hernas, Shirley Johnson, Lee Jorgensen, and Erika Scharff.