Hangar Theatre Presents IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, 12/9-16

Delivering on its commitment to bring professional theatre to the region beyond its traditional summer programming, the Hangar Theatre presents Joe Landry's It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. This Holiday offering – a first for the Hangar – runs Friday, December 9th through Friday, December 16th.

Directed by Cornell's David Feldshuh, It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, is based on the classic Frank Capra film but brings Bedford Falls to life as a 1940's radio broadcast.

"The Hangar is thrilled to be working with David to remount the production he originally created for Cornell's Department of Theatre in 2009 and present it to our audience as our first-ever winter production," stated Executive Director Lisa Bushlow. "With our proximity to Seneca Falls," - which is believed to be the inspiration for Bedford Falls- "It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" is a show families all over the whole region can enjoy! This production represents what the Hangar believes in- bringing the community together to experience the magic of live theatre. To be doing this around the holidays is an added bonus and our gift to the community."

The cast of seven, Paul Hebron, Carolyn Goelzer, Jeffrey R. Guyton, J. G. Hertzler, Madeline McDonough-Maher and Michael Samuel Kaplan will bring to life over thirty different characters. Tim Ostrander (Cornell's Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts) will transform the converted airplane hangar to a 1940's radio station, while also serving as the production's Foley Artist.

Tickets prices for It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play range from $18-$26 and can be purchased in advance at: www.hangartheatre.org, by calling the Ticket Center at (607) 273-4497, or at the theatre box office ( 801 Taughannock Blvd., Ithaca, NY 14850) 1 hour before the show. There will be a Pay What You Can performance on Saturday, December 10th at 3 pm. More information about the Hangar Theatre's Pay What You Can program can be found on it's website (www.hangartheatre.org).

The Hangar Theatre is committed to providing exceptional theatre experiences of high professional quality to enrich, enlighten, educate, and entertain the diverse audience in the Finger Lakes region and beyond. Strong education and training programs are central parts of its commitment to the local and national artistic communities. For more information visit our www.hangartheatre.org.

JOE LANDRY (Playwright) at age 12, had his first job in the film department at the library in his hometown of Fairfield, CT. This was before the dawn of home video, back in the days of 16mm, and their Permanent Collection included It's a Wonderful Life, The Lady Vanishes and other early Hitchcock films. Joe's other main interest was the theatre. Encouraged by his parents, Joe was introduced to various theatres which he came to call home, including Playwrights Horizons and Roundabout Theatre Company in New York, Westport Country Playhouse and others. In 1995, Joe founded Second Guess Theatre Company, which produced over two dozen new plays, adaptations and revivals to critical-acclaim. In 1997, It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play premiered in Stamford, CT and has since enjoyed productions around the country. Joe's other plays include Vintage Hitchcock: A Live Radio Play and an adaptation of the cult classic Reefer Madness. Other projects include Mothers and Sons, a musical co-written with Kevin Connors and Lifeboat, Dahling! with Bert Bernardi. www.joelandry.com.

David Feldshuh is a Phi Beta Kappa, philosophy major of Dartmouth College. He completed his actor training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, studied mime with Jacques Lecoq, and joined the Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, remaining there for seven years first as an actor and then as Associate Director. Subsequently, he completed a PhD in theatre focusing on creativity and actor training. He then earned an MD degree and completed a residency in emergency medicine, a specialty he continues to practice. As a Clinical Instructor in Emergency Medicine, Dr. Feldshuh mentors visiting medical students from Weill Cornell Medical College. His theatrical career includes regional theatre and off-Broadway directing as well as opera and film. He is author of three published and widely produced plays, most notably, Miss Evers' Boys, for which he was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize in drama. As an HBO movie, Miss Evers' Boys received twelve Emmy nominations, winning five including Best Picture and the President's Award for television presentations exploring vital social issues. Dr. Feldshuh has served as Professor of Theatre and as Artistic Director of the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts for the past twenty-seven years. He is a Stephan H. Weiss Presidential Fellow, an award recognizing distinguished undergraduate teaching. In addition, Dr. Feldshuh is the recipient of the Menschel Distinguished Teaching Fellow.

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