Theater opens new show Friday

Season continues with Pierce adoption of live radio play

A holiday classic is given a relatively modern take with “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play,” performed as a 1940s live radio show, and is opening Friday in the Performing Arts Complex.

The show continues through this weekend and the next. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m., while Sunday shows at 2 p.m.

The play follows the story of the original film, but the stage is set in a radio station where the actors perform to the crowds listening to their radios at home — this was before the spread of television.

“It gives the audience a chance to see how a lot of radio worked in those days,” said Michael Sande, producer of the show. “The main thing being the sound effects.”

The foley artist, who performs the special effect sounds that would be needed for the purely audial experience that the play reenacts, is played by Michelle Hallbauer. The six other actors (Vince Cusimano, Shannon Mary Dixon, Mark Hen, Amir Khalighi, Michele Selin and Matti Lenora Werber) will be playing the actors in the show, portraying multiple characters and changing their voices to suit.

“Six people actually play about 20 characters,” Sande said. “It’s a unique challenge.”

Sande says that the cast and crew have been preparing since they received the rights to perform the show, which was something that was difficult to acquire.

The popularity of the show meant that Pierce’s theater department had to compete with every other theatre in the Los Angeles area, professionals included. Only one production can be done in the county at the same time, according to Sande. script, which was encouraged by the playwright, according to Sande.

The most notable addition is a singing group called The Clarinda Sisters, who are modeled after The Andrew Sisters, a popular group from the time period of the play.

“It’s a fun show to do,” Sande said. “It’s something none of us have really done before.”

Tickets are $12 for students and seniors, and $15 for general admission.

“We were very lucky to get it,”

Sande said.

The director, Frank Catalano, made a few changes to the original

To purchase tickets, call (818) 719-6488 or go to LAPCTheatre. brownpapertickets.com.