‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ at HTC

The Hampton Theatre Company (HTC) will present a three-day holiday presentation of “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” on the stage of the Quogue Community Hall for one weekend only, December 16-18.

Adapted by playwright Joe Landry from the classic film produced and directed by Frank Capra, this family-friendly short version (approximately 45 minutes) will recreate for live audiences the high-wire, high-spirited energy of a 1940s-era radio troupe, complete with music and sound effects generated both by actors onstage and recordings in the booth. The production features eight actors from the HTC family, each performing multiple roles in period costumes on a set depicting the studio of the fictional “WBFR” radio station in New York City.

Presented as a Christmas Eve installment of HBFR’s weekly “Playhouse of the Air” series, “It’s a Wonderful Life” serves up the heartwarming story of George Bailey, a despairing building-and-loan officer in the fictional town of Bedford Falls, New York, and the guardian angel, Clarence, who is assigned to help George see the light and cherish the life he has.

Members of HTC’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” cast include actors who are well-known to audiences from their work in past productions. The ensemble includes Andrew Botsford, Rosemary Cline, Matthew Conlan, Rebecca Edana, Terrence Fiore, Amanda Griemsmann, George Loizides and Roger Moley, each playing denizens of Bedford Falls and/or in-studio radio announcers. The production is directed by Botsford with lighting design by Sebastian Paczynski, sound by Seamus Naughton and costumes by Teresa Lebrun.

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” will be performed at the Quogue Community Hall, 125 Jessup Avenue, Quogue, on Friday, December 16, at 7 p.m., Saturday, December 17, at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 18, at 2:30 p.m. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy complimentary hot cider, hot chocolate and cookies served before the show. All tickets are $10, at hamptontheatre.org or 631-653-8955.