On December 7th, at 7:30pm, I attended It’s A Wonderful Life, A Live Radio Play. Illinois State University’s adaptation of this classic film took place in the Center for the Performing Arts. The actors took the stage as members of a 1940s radio show, playing a multitude of characters depicted in the original film. Although vastly different from the cinema version, this adaptation was very successful due to the congruous 1940s costumes, the use of varied voices to portray numerous characters, and the simulation of environmental sounds to create an accurate setting.
To begin, the radio show version of the play flourished due to the costumes that each character wore. Although this was meant to be a show heard over the radio, the costumes kept up with the idea that this occurred during the 1940s, and assisted in maintaining this imagery for the theatre audience. Each actor wore an outfit appropriate to both their radio personality, and to at least one of the characters they played from the film.
For example, the actor who played Sam Wainwright sported a flashy tuxedo with matching dress shoes. This outfit looked to be quite expensive for the time period, which was relevant to the character. In the story, Sam Wainwright is a wealthy man who moves to …show more content…
The costumes worn by the actors were reminiscent of fashion during the 1940s. The different voices maintained by the actors allowed the audience to better follow the story from the original film, It’s A Wonderful Life. The live foley proved to enhance the show as well as captivate the audience’s senses to believe they were truly in the midst of the story. Each of these production elements improved the theatre experience, making this show a sure success. I personally appreciated the directorial concepts and production elements that came together to make this production extremely enjoyable to audience members such as
To begin, the radio show version of the play flourished due to the costumes that each character wore. Although this was meant to be a show heard over the radio, the costumes kept up with the idea that this occurred during the 1940s, and assisted in maintaining this imagery for the theatre audience. Each actor wore an outfit appropriate to both their radio personality, and to at least one of the characters they played from the film.
For example, the actor who played Sam Wainwright sported a flashy tuxedo with matching dress shoes. This outfit looked to be quite expensive for the time period, which was relevant to the character. In the story, Sam Wainwright is a wealthy man who moves to …show more content…
The costumes worn by the actors were reminiscent of fashion during the 1940s. The different voices maintained by the actors allowed the audience to better follow the story from the original film, It’s A Wonderful Life. The live foley proved to enhance the show as well as captivate the audience’s senses to believe they were truly in the midst of the story. Each of these production elements improved the theatre experience, making this show a sure success. I personally appreciated the directorial concepts and production elements that came together to make this production extremely enjoyable to audience members such as