NHTP MainStage Season Continues With IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY

New Hampshire Theatre Project celebrates the holiday season with a revival of its production of It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Joe Landry has re-envisioned the beloved film classic as a 1940's style radio play. Five seasoned actors bring George, Clarence, Mary and all the residents of Bedford Falls to life on that fateful Christmas Eve - over 40 different roles.

The production opens December 20th and runs through December 29th on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm. There will also be two additional performances on Saturday, December 21 at 2 pm and Thursday, December 26 at 8 pm.

New this year, Tobin Moss will be joining the creative team as a musician - performing live holiday music throughout the show.

NHTP will be working with show sponsors, Piscataqua Savings Bank and the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast, to host community-centered conversations around what makes a home. "After producing the show last year we realized that we had an opportunity to open up a dialogue around housing in the Seacoast," says Artistic Director Catherine Stewart. George Bailey's community bank, the Building and Loan, finances Bailey Park, a development of modest houses that offers home ownership in contrast to overpriced rentals from the unscrupulous Henry F. Potter. "Without George Bailey the town of Bedford Falls and its housing market collapses. We can't wait to use the play to inform a variety of events that we're hosting with our sponsors," continues Stewart.

On Wednesday, December 4th NHTP will host the second of its Community Connectors events, a free gathering that invites participants to think civically and engage locally. The event will begin at 5.30pm, and attendees will have an opportunity to network and join in a discussion with Rick Wallis from Piscataqua Savings Bank and Sarah Wrightsman of the Workforce Housing Coalition of the Greater Seacoast. "We'll be envisioning what the future of housing will look like in Portsmouth, and beyond," adds Stewart. "And what we can do as individuals, just like George Bailey, to ensure that people can live and thrive in this area."

For additional information about other ways to engage with the themes presented in It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Show, including pre-show mixers and post-show discussions, visit the NHTP website at nhtheatreproject.org.

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is directed by Robin Fowler and features well-known seacoast actors Bill Humphreys, Todd Hunter, Peter Josephson, Kathleen Somssich and Genevieve Aichele, with Kate Kirkwood as the Foley Artist and Tobin Moss as musician. CJ Lewis is Music Director and Sound Designer, Mike Ficarra is Lighting Designer, and Fran Bechtold is Costume Designer. Stage manager Brennan Donnell rounds out the crew.

Sponsors for It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Show include Piscataqua Savings Bank and the Seacoast Workforce Housing Coalition, along with Emilie & Richard Spaulding, and Saunders & Silverstein LLP.

New Hampshire Theatre Project will continue the new RUSH40 program which offers half-price tickets for all MainStage Productions for audience members under the age of 40 when purchased 30 minutes before curtain at the theatre. "We're working hard to make sure that all individuals have an opportunity to participate in the arts, and we found that our programming was out-of-reach for the 20 and 30 year olds that are moving into Portsmouth," explains Stewart.

Memberships and individual tickets for the 2019-2020 season are available now.

For more information about New Hampshire Theatre Project visit nhtheatreproject.org

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