Auditions for It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play
by Joe Landry
Director: Anne Bomar
Monday, October 17, 2011 6:30-8:30 pm
Tuesday, October 18, 2011 6:30-8:30 pm
Call backs, if needed, tba
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (full-length version) is adapted by Joe Landry from the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra, and Jo Swerling. Five actors create more than fifty memorable characters to bring to life Frank Capra’s beloved film. This unique stage adaptation is performed as a radio play, broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1946. Everyman George Bailey gets the chance to see what the world would be like if he’d never been born.
Roles are available for two females and three males, ages 16 or older, each of whom will play multiple characters (see character breakdown below). We will also be casting a live Foley artist. Auditions will consist of cold readings from the script.
Character Breakdown
The following breakdown is for five actors (three men and two women). The underlined names are those of the radio performers who are performing It’s a Wonderful Life.
FREDDIE FILLMORE: ANNOUNCER, GOWER, POTTER, BILLY, JOSEPH, DR. CAMPBELL, ERNIE, OLD MAN COLLINS, ED, PETE, MAN (AT MARTINI’S), NICK, BRIDGE KEEPER, BINKY, COP
JAKE LAURENTS: GEORGE BAILEY (and YOUNG GEORGE)
SALLY APPLEWHITE: MARY HATCH (and YOUNG MARY)
LANA SHERWOOD: VIOLET (and YOUNG VIOLET), ROSE BAILEY, MATILDA, RUTH, MRS. HATCH, MRS. THOMPSON, SCHULTZ, ZUZU, JANIE, SADIE VANCE
HARRY “JAZZBO” HEYWOOD: HARRY (and YOUNG HARRY), BERT, PETER BAILEY, CLARENCE ODDBODY, SAM WAINRIGHT, MARTINI, CHARLIE, MAN (at run on bank), HORACE THE TELLER, MR. WELCH, TOMMY, SHERIFF
All five actors also provide ad-libs from the following crowds, etc.: BOYS, BOARD MEMBERS, CROWD AT RUN ON BANK, RESTAURANT PATRONS, CROWD AT PARTY. Four of the actors will also provide musical interludes, commercials, etc.
The voice of the STAGE MANAGER is also used and will be performed live from the front of the house.
Setting – The stage and auditorium of Studio A at WBFR in Manhattan, New York, Christmas Eve, 1946.
Tentative Rehearsal Schedule: Starting Friday, October 21, we plan to rehearse from 6:30 to 8:30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays until the week before opening. Performances will be at 7:00pm on Dec 2, 3, 8, 9, 10 and 2:00pm on Dec 3 and 10. Schedule is subject to change as needed.
