It's a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play

On a snowy Christmas Eve, all George Bailey can think about are his failures: The people he has disappointed, the failing family business, and his youthful dreams of travel and excitement that have never happened. If only, he wishes, he had never been born. That wish is granted in the form of a little old man who gives George the chance to see how the world would have been without him; and it is a whole lot worse. Given a second chance, George realizes that a life well lived is not measured by what you done, but by the number of lives you have touched through integrity and kindness.

First brought to us on film in 1946, Frank Capra’s tale has become a holiday tradition. It is the story of a regular man who, through no other motivation than to do the right thing, enriches the lives of everyone in his small town. It is a reminder that each of us can change the world for the better, if only in a small way, and that the ripples of those actions spread out infinitely. In the current year, when people need the most help but social contact makes it difficult, this story resonates as much now as it did more than 70 years ago.

In this spirit, Debut Theatre brings to the stage via video and radio streaming this reminder of how important we are to the people whose lives we touch, the difference one person makes and how each of us changes our world. This holiday favorite is presented as it might have been on 1940's radio with character voices and Foley sound.

The imagination and collaboration of 13 young people, the Debut Players (ages 12-17), combine to create a homage to 1940’s classic radio with vintage music and live foley sound. Unique to the youth arts programs in Fort Collins, Debut boasts a troupe structure where young artists not only perform but also take on the technical aspects of the show.

Being only one of three similar theatre companies between California and Minnesota, Debut teaches all aspects of the craft to create shows truly done by and for children – and families of course! Recent shows include: Vintage Hitchcock: A Radio Play, Sarah, Plain and Tall, The Phantom Tollbooth, A Little Princess, Emil and the Detectives, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, A Wrinkle in Time and Sherlock Holmes.

Livestream Information:
The December 19th performance of It’s A Wonderful Life: A Radio Play will be livestreamed on December 19th at 7:00 p.m. This is a live event, and cannot be paused or replayed. If you are unable to watch the initial livestream, there will be two additional opportunities for you to watch a recast of the performance! You can purchase tickets to watch one of the recasts on December 21st at 7:00 p.m. or on December 23rd at 7:00 p.m. The recasts will also only be streamed once at the designated date/time, so you will not be able to rewatch once the streams end. You may watch these events on any device that can access the internet, including laptop and desktop computers, iPhones, iPads, other SmartDevices, and SmartTVs. Purchasers will receive an email the day before the show with the private link to view the stream along with viewing instructions. If you purchase within 24 hours of the show start, you will receive your private link no later than one hour prior to start time. Sales for each performance will end one hour prior to the start of the show. One ticket is required per household.