Cast overcomes obstacles to bring magic to musical

A big cast, elaborate sets, a faulty speaker and bouts of illness provided challenges.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
The Youngstown Playhouse presented its holiday musical "A Wonderful Life" to family and friends in a preview night Thursday, a kind of final dress rehearsal before Friday's public opening.
Plagued by bouts of the flu that spread among many key cast members, the production suffered numerous setbacks in rehearsals, ultimately resulting in the cancellation of the first weekend of performances. Obviously fatigued, the still-enthusiastic cast played to a room full of supportive audience members.
In spite of everything, these players had a strong grip on their roles, and were well chosen for their parts. Jason Green starred as George Bailey, which was a huge undertaking as he was onstage throughout most of the play and kept the momentum going throughout. Karen Halley was an excellent match for him as his adoring wife, Mary. Brian Lee provided comic relief as the not-too-bright angel, Clarence, who has been waiting 200 years to "get his wings." Don Donnally played George's nasty and greedy antagonist, Mr. Potter. Jim Sullivan Sr. was George's drunken and incompetent Uncle Billy.
Though not complicated for the audience, this play provided a challenge for everyone involved. The cast was large, 33 altogether, including chorus members, and the scene changes were numerous, with sets rolling on and off stage and other scenery being raised and lowered. The stage was filled with lots of people and objects most of the time -- in fact, the instrumental musicians were set up in the pit area to allow more room for the players. And, except for intermission, there was never a break in the action, with each scene flowing to the next. With few exceptions, the play was much like the movie.
Musical version
One big difference, of course, was that this is a musical version, and though the music will probably not be familiar to most, it was pleasing and accessible. Unfortunately, during the first act, one of the speakers went wonky, making it difficult to clearly hear the singing, but that problem was at least partially alleviated during Act 2. One of the most enjoyable musical scenes was the Charleston contest at Bedford Falls' Class of '28 dance, a huge number with lots of neat dancing.
There were some nice special effects, too. During the "Heaven" scenes, Clarence stood on a high platform, with a silvery blue backdrop, and bells tinkled as he spoke to his invisible guide, Joseph, whose voice echoed from even farther above.
The set design was a masterwork. The street scene where George and Mary first fall in love was gorgeous, in blue-gray lighting, two streetlamps descended from the ceiling, along with a backdrop of trees and a misty full moon. The Bailey home, before and after remodeling, also made for interesting sets, and the church where they were married was impressive.
This story has become almost as much a holiday tradition as "Christmas Carol" and "The Nutcracker." Its message is timeless: We never really know how much our lives touch the lives of others, and how even the smallest of good deeds can make a massive difference in the history of the world. If you are one of the millions of fans of this heartwarming and touching story, this play is a must-see.
XThe play continues weekends through Dec. 18, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 2:30 p.m. Call (330) 788-8739 for information.