Auditions for It's a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play

The Walpole Footlighters will hold auditions for "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play," directed by Peter Bradley, on Tuesday, Sept. 30 and Thursday, Oct. 2 from 7 pm-10 pm at the Footlighters Playhouse, 2 Scout Road, in Walpole. This is an extra production on the Footlighters schedule, a fund raiser for our capital fund. Performances will be held at 8 pm on Friday, Dec. 5 and Saturday, Dec. 6 and at 2 pm on Sunday, Dec. 7.

We will bring this beloved holiday story to life in the form of a 1940s radio broadcast, complete with live sound effects on stage. Based on Frank Capra's classic film, the story follows the life of George Bailey from childhood until the fateful Christmas Eve is decides to take his own life--until an apprentice angel intervenes. It is a story with more than a score of interesting characters. But we will be looking for just a handful of actors, each of whom will be asked to handle multiple roles. Versatility is a must. Women may be asked to handle the children's roles. The cast will consist of 5-7 men and 2 women.

Among the key characters are:

George Bailey (both as a child and adult), Family man, dreamer, a good man.

Young George

Clarence, an apprentice angel charged with helping George and earning his wings

Mary Hatch, George's girl

Henry Potter, the richest (and meanest) man in town

Rose Bailey, George's mother

Bert, a cop

Violet Bick, a girl who has a thing for George

And many more

Auditions could include both individual readings from the script and scene readings.

For the production, actors on stage will be reading from a script: roles will not have to be memorized. Actors may be asked to assist with sound effects when their characters are "off stage." Rehearsals will be twice a week in the early weeks, perhaps expanding to three if needed. The schedule will be based on cast availability, but could well include Sundays. There will be no rehearsals Monday to Saturday of Thanksgiving week.