Cayla Hoke, Paige Jackson, Patrick Manfred and Kyle Smock came into the KPBX studio to talk to E.J. Iannelli about TAC at the Lake's new production of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.
The holiday show opens this weekend. It's an audio version of Frank Capra's classic film nested within the broader conceit of voice actors gathering in a 1940s radio studio to perform it.
Smock is the president of the TAC board of directors and is directing this production. He outlined some of the fun and challenges associated with directing what are essentially two simultaneous plays.
Jackson is the stage manager for this show and also heads TAC's teen board. She talked about the special role of the teen board and their recent "Play in a Day" fundraising event back in November.
Given that this is actually a play within a play, Manfred and Hoke spoke about their roles as the voice actors who play George and Mary, respectively. They're joined onstage by a small number of other actors who give voice to the approximately 40 characters in It's a Wonderful Life. Two foley artists are onstage as well to create the sound effects in the radio play the actors are performing.
Hoke and Manfred read two scenes. The first was when George visits Mary at his mother's insistence. The second was when Mary reveals to George that she's pregnant.
Looking ahead, Smock also gave some details on TAC's forthcoming production of The Mousetrap. Audition dates for that January 2 and 3, 2024.
It’s a Wonderful Life opens at TAC at the Lake (22910 E Appleway Ave) in Liberty Lake this Friday (Dec. 8). It runs there until December 17.
Tickets are available at the TAC at the Lake website.
