Every December It’s a Wonderful Life returns. The film plays on TV, theatres mount their adaptations, and George Bailey overflows with joy as he runs through Bedford Falls once again.
This year in Prescott, we’re taking it in a different direction with a devised-theatre piece I’m directing called It’s a Wonderful Life?
That question mark matters.
A (mostly) blank canvas
Stephen Sondheim said, “The unexpected, that’s what theatre is about. If you had to patent one thing in the theatre, it’s surprise.”
Devised theatre doesn’t start with a ready-to-go script. It starts with people in a room, testing ideas, throwing out what doesn’t work, and keeping what surprises us.
“I like that we learned about plot twists at the same time the audience will, in the moment as it happened,” says Nikki Andreasky (playing Cousin Tilly).
“Keeping the actors in the dark has added to the mystery and connects the performers to the audience on a deeper level,” says Jesse Janisch (Harry Bailey).
That unpredictability has been part of the fun. “The devising process is truly magical, because it gives each of us a sense of ownership of the piece,” says Jenna Marie Miles (The Supervisor). “It helps create true collaboration and community.”
Tone and style
This production won’t look like a holiday card. The style is minimalist and semi-surreal, with just enough set and lighting to create a framework for the audience’s imagination to build a world.
The tone is dark satire, drawn from a healthy dose of unironic love for the original. The cast has embraced that mix of affection and bite. Porter Blakely (Uncle Billy) puts it simply: “Roger is evil. 10/10 recommend.”
Bradly Elless (Nick the Bartender) adds, “Roger has literally emotionally tortured us and laughed during the process. I feel anger most of the time while rehearsing. Come see our show.”
Our goal is to deliver an experience that leans into the juxtaposition of humor and existential discomfort.
The original film wrestles with sacrifice, reliance and belonging. Those themes remain, but here they carry sharper questions.
Why “devised”?
Devised theatre is becoming more common in larger theatre cities. We wanted to bring that spirit of exploration here and build something unique together. By the time you see us on stage, you’ll be participating in something that belongs to this cast and this community.
An invitation
While I can’t promise the warm glow that the movie delivers (it’s a Halloween project, after all), I can promise something unique: a minimalist, satirical and deeply collaborative work of theatre made by Prescott artists for the Prescott community.
The Bedford Falls we’ll take you to may not be exactly as you remember it, but it’s alive, and it beckons you to lean in. That, to me, is wonderful.
