Published online on November 21, 2018
South Valley Civic Theatre brings an early entertainment Christmas gift to us with the sentimental holiday play “It’s A Wonderful Life,” an appealing story of love, life and retribution. SVCT originally produced it in 2008 with Carol Harris directing. Carol is again carrying the director’s baton for this refreshed production with her usual great ability to move people to the right place at the right time.
A fine local cast brings the charming story, beginning with a desperate small-town man George Bailey contemplating suicide, due to an error, (not of his fault) in his business. He meets his guardian angel who shows him how different life would be for his friends and family if he had never been born. Joseph McCarty carries the role of George Bailey with warmth and sensitivity. Scott Lynch plays Clarence, his guardian angel with gentle believability, James Daniel Pearson plays Henry F. Potter the ultimate villain with a driving vengeance. All of the 27 member cast, some from SVCT’s original 2008 production, carry the show with full dedication to the smallest role.
“It’s A Wonderful Life” is based on the 1946 award-winning Frank Capra film that starred James Stewart and Donna Reed. Capra took a short story called “The Greatest Gift” written in 1939 by Phillip Van Doren Stern and adapted it into a movie script that was to originally star Cary Grant, an interesting thought now that Stewart is so defined in the role.
The use of rear projection video handled by Oscar Beckmann gives the audience an intimate view of the scenes inside and outside, while adding the usual creativity of Scot Lynch and his set designer’s crew, with master carpenter Javier Garcia and lighting designer Matthew Hendrickson with Rhian Kleinmaier’s sound and sound effects designer Joyce Bedard who brought every cue right in on target on opening night.
The timing for “It’s A Wonderful Life” couldn’t be better. Not only for Christmas but for a complete overview and lesson for the need for kindness and understanding towards all mankind today.
DETAILS:
“It’s A Wonderful Life”
Produced by The South Valley Civic Theatre
Where: Morgan Hill Community Playhouse
Running Time: 2 hours fifteen minutes with one fifteen minute intermission
Tickets $16, to $25. For information and reservations call: 408-842-7469 or visit: www.svct.org
Tickets can also be purchased at the door on a space availability basis.
