Washington County Theatre to perform "It's A Wonderful Life" as 1940s radio show this weekend

Darren Hurst as George Bailey and Charity Main as Mary Bailey.

Washington County Theatre will present It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Show  on December 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gary W. Hartsook Hall at 405 N. Shelby St. in Salem.

The production reimagines the classic holiday story as a 1940s-era radio broadcast, complete with period costumes, vintage microphones, and live sound effects created on stage. Rather than a fully staged play, the actors perform at microphones, reading from scripts and portraying multiple characters through vocal performance.

Director Mark Carter said the show is structured to resemble an authentic radio program from the era.

“We’re doing it like it was a regular radio show,” Carter said. “They’re reading from their scripts, nobody’s memorized anything. It’s set in the 1940s, so they’ll be in period costumes. We’ve got live sound effects like they had back in the day, and we’ve tried to keep those as authentic as possible.”

Grace and Brecklyn Wilde simulate wind on the bridge as Charity Main assists with wind chimes during the appearance of Clarence the angel.

The sound effects are produced live by foley artists Grace Wilde and Brecklyn Wilde, using both traditional and creative methods. Some effects include bottles clinking together, plates and forks scraping to simulate dinnertime, and a miniature door opening and closing to indicate characters entering or exiting a scene. Other effects are more inventive, such as an overturned bicycle with its wheel rolling against a floor mat to recreate the sound of wind during the iconic bridge scene.

The cast includes Darren Hurst as George Bailey, along with Charity Main, John Hardaway, Rebecca McKinley, and Devin Hurst.

For Darren Hurst, the role of George Bailey marks his first starring role since high school. He said he had not seen It’s a Wonderful Life  prior to being cast, but found the character relatable after learning the story.

“He’s having to put his own aspirations to the side for his family,” Hurst said. “We all have hopes and dreams that have to be put on the back burner sometimes for what truly matters in life, and put others first.”

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Doors will open at 7:00 both nights.

John Hardaway as the evil Mr. Potter argues with Rebecca McKinley in a tense scene.