It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

Adapted by Joe Landry

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is based on the story, ‘The Greatest Gift’ by Philip Van Doren Stern

“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” is presented by special arrangement with Broadway Licensing, LLC, servicing the Dramatists Play Service imprint.
(www.dramatists.com)

We would like to begin
by acknowledging that the land
on which we gather is the unceded territory
of the Yuchi and Cherokee People.
We offer our gratitude for the land itself,
and the Indigenous people that
stewarded it for generations.

River & Rail Theatre Co.

About The Play

It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play

Adapted by Joe Landry
‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ is based on the story, ‘The Greatest Gift’ by Philip Van Doren Stern

George Bailey dreams of going to college and traveling the world. But after he sends his younger brother to college and stays at home to manage the family business, his life begins to feel crushingly ordinary. One Christmas Eve, bruised by quiet desperation and unable to recognize himself, George reaches his breaking point. Would the world be better off without him? Many audiences know this story as the classic film It’s A Wonderful Life. With live foley and a skilled ensemble of actors, River & Rail presents a radio adaptation by Joe Landry as a nod to the film’s source: a short story by Philip Van Doren Stern which was privately printed as a Christmas card and distributed to the author’s friends in 1943. This play is our Christmas letter to Knoxville: a show about the power of community, the sacrifices we make for those we love, and the true spirit of Christmas.

CHARACTERS

Sally Applewhite
(PORTRAYING: Mary Hatch Bailey / Young Mary)

Jake Laurents
(PORTRAYING: George Bailey / Young George)

Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood
(PORTRAYING: Harry Bailey/Young Harry, Bert the Cop, Clarence Oddbody, Sam Wainwright, Lawyer, Dr. Campbell, Randall, Tom, Martini, Charlie, Carter, Horace the Bank Teller, Tommy Bailey (Child), Mr. Welch, Sheriff)

Freddie Filmore
(PORTRAYING: Announcer, Mr. Gower, Henry F. Potter, Uncle Billy Bailey, Joseph, Peter Bailey, Ernie, Old Man Collins, Ed, Pete, Man at Martini’s, Nick, Bridge Keeper, Binky, Cop)

Lana Sherwood
(PORTRAYING: Violet Bick / Young Violet, Rose Bailey, Matilda, Ruth, Mrs. Hatch, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Davis, Schultz, Zuzu, Janie, Sadie Vance)

Notes

Estimated Runtime is 90 minutes with no intermission

Cast

Amara Pappas as Sally Applewhite
(PORTRAYING: Mary Hatch Bailey / Young Mary)

Guthrie Butler as Jake Laurents
(PORTRAYING: George Bailey / Young George)

Brady Craddock as Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood
(PORTRAYING: Harry Bailey/Young Harry, Bert the Cop, Clarence Oddbody, Sam Wainwright, Lawyer, Dr. Campbell, Randall, Tom, Martini, Charlie, Carter, Horace the Bank Teller, Tommy Bailey (Child), Mr. Welch, Sheriff)

Christopher Pelant as Freddie Filmore
(PORTRAYING: Announcer, Mr. Gower, Henry F. Potter, Uncle Billy Bailey, Joseph, Peter Bailey, Ernie, Old Man Collins, Ed, Pete, Man at Martini’s, Nick, Bridge Keeper, Binky, Cop)

Celeste Pelletier as Lana Sherwood
(PORTRAYING: Violet Bick / Young Violet, Rose Bailey, Matilda, Ruth, Mrs. Hatch, Mrs. Thompson, Mrs. Davis, Schultz, Zuzu, Janie, Sadie Vance)

Creative and Production Team

Director — Scott Baron

Stage Manager — C. Rea Parrish

Assistant Stage Manager — Emily Anderson

Props Master — Seth Goins

Scenic Designer — Michaela Lochen

Technical Director — Jason Ammons

Sound Designer — Chance Beck

Costumes Designer — Magdalen Zinky

Lighting Designer — Angelyn Baer

Wardrobe Manager — Betsy Abernathy

Vocal Music Directors — Katy Wolfe, Amelia Zahn

House Manager — Wymon Anderson

Artistic Director and Producer — Joshua Peterson

Assoc. Artistic Director/Line Producer — Emily Ernst

Executive Director and Producer — Kenneth Herring

Administrative Assistant — Afton Howard

Marketing and Operations Intern — Caroline Storch

Director's Note

So many of us have a connection to It’s a Wonderful Life and George Bailey as a piece of media and as an emotional story. Mine was seeing it for the first time at the movies when I was around eight with my father and sister after watching a truly terrible movie (The name of which escapes me, the plot of which, unfortunately, does not). After the terrible movie, the three of us snuck into a showing of It’s a Wonderful Life as our father told us, “Now Here’s a great story.”

We live in a time when it is so easy to get sucked into the macro of the world’s goings on, that sometimes we forget about the micro that we live in our day to day lives. What is so beautiful about this story is that it reminds us that just by the very fact of our own existence and presence, we spread a web of love and support in our everyday actions and choices that makes our communities better in ways we may not know or come to see for years. In watching George’s story we are also given the opportunity to reflect on how we impact those around us, and those who impact us.

The decision to produce this play was in no small part because here at River and Rail is that just like George, we were fortunate enough to have that gift. To watch first hand and in a beautiful way the power that this story still has decades later. We experienced last year how this story and this character are still able to bring audiences to sorrow, joy, and many many tears. The decision to bring this story once again to you, our community, was an easy one.

I would invite you all to join us in the unabashed fun of the performing arts. As we went through the process of once again bringing this story to you the audience, we decided that the best way to thank you for your support is to in some way invite you to the stage with us. To offer you the chance to as we say at the beginning of our rehearsals, “leave your worries at the door, and play”

At the time of writing this I have been working with this fantastic design team over the last couple months and with this cast this past week. There has been so much excitement and joy in this production that we have been fortunate to experience. And now we welcome you, the final piece of this wonderful creation, to join us.

Show Sponsors

McCarty Holsaple McCarty Architects, Inc

Season Sponsors

Alice Torbett

A Special Thanks

The Chairs at the Old City PAC were donated to River & Rail by the Angel Capital Group in memory of Sam McCamy.

And a Thank You to Spotlight Costume & Prop Rentals

Who's Who

CAST

(Alphabetically, by Surname)

Guthrie Butler (Jake Laurents)

Guthrie is a UT graduate, originally from Johnson City, Tennessee . He majored in theatre and has been doing improv for a decade. During his stint at university, he had roles in multiple plays, including A Christmas Carol, Murder On The Orient Express, and Blood At The Root, among others. He has been out of school for almost two years, Dang! And is currently working at UT in Facilities Services. This is his first time in a production with this theatre, and he is extremely excited to be working on a piece of media he treasured as a child. Thanks for coming and enjoy the show!

Brady Craddock (Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood)

Brady Craddock grew up in rural West Tennessee, where he performed in many of his hometown’s community theatre productions. He moved to Knoxville in 2017 and graduated with his BA in Theatre from the University of Tennessee in 2021. Previous credits in Knoxville include A Christmas Carol (2017, 18, 19) and The Madwoman of Chaillot at The Clarence Brown Theatre, All’s Well That Ends Well and The Flick with First Take Co. Most recently, he played Howie Newsome and Sam Craig in Our Town here at River & Rail, and he is thrilled to be working with them again. Happy holidays!

Christopher Pelant (Freddie Filmore)

Christopher grew up in Southern California and studied Theatre Arts & Communications major at Southern Illinois University. He appeared in many plays, including main-stage plays "Dealers in Young Women", "A Christmas Carol" and "Angels in America". Both “Dealers” and “Angels” won the SIU Theatre's top honors as “Play of the Year.” Pelant was nominated for Best Actor in “Dealers” and Best Supporting Actor in “Angels”, respectively. After college, Pelant worked professionally as an actor, a coach and talent manager. He continued his drama education by attending the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art Summer Programs and he studied multiple years with renowned teachers Stephen Book, Harry Mastrogeorge, Brian Reise and Robert Easton. He also attended the legendary Groundlings school for 3 years. Christopher has appeared in many plays, his favorites being 1984, True West, Henry V, Angels in America and The King & I. Besides being a professional actor and writer, Pelant has been a coach and consultant his entire adult life specializing in business development, acting and swimming. Christopher is the proud father of two red-headed sons: Dylan Michael (16) and Cayden Alexander (9).

Celeste Pelletier (Lana Sherwood)

Celeste is feeling downright jolly and joyful to be a part of this year’s production of It’s a Wonderful Life: the Radio Play. If you’ve frequented shows by River and Rail before, you may have seen her in past production such as President Wilson in The Burn Vote, as #49 in The Wolves, or as the Fox in The Little Prince. If you’re interested in seeing more of Celeste’s work, her original play will be performed in The Tennessee Stage Company’s New Play Festival, coming up in January. She’d like to thank the wonderfully talented cast and crew who made this possible, her many amazing friends and family who support her, and most of all, her cat, Dumpy, who keeps her almost totally sane. Celeste hopes you enjoy the show and she wishes you the very happiest of holidays.

Creative & Production Team

Scott Baron, Director

Scott Baron moved to Knoxville three years ago to join River and Rail Theatre Company as its Technical Director. He received his B.A in Acting and Directing from the University of Samford in Birmingham, Alabama. He has worked on River and Rail’s past three seasons as both a Technical Director and Designer on productions such as, The Little Prince (Technical Director), The Mountain Top (Technical Director and Scenic Designer), A Case for the Existence of God (Technical Director and Lighting Designer), Fat Ham (Technical Director and Lighting Designer), and Our Town (Technical Director and Sound Designer). He has also been fortunate enough to work as a technical consultant to L&N Stem Academy’s productions of Lucky Stiff and Footloose. It's A Wonderful Life A Live Radio Play will be his professional directing debut. He has been lucky enough to work abroad in Iași, Romania on a foreign language production of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe (Assistant Director, Wurmbrand College). His other non-professional directing credits include Sylvia (Assistant Director, Samford University Mainstage), Lungs (Director, Samford University Underground Theatre), and The Laramie Project (Director, Samford University Mainstage)

C. Rea Parrish, Production Stage Manager

C. Rea Parrish is your stage manager for this production of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. Rea is a playwright, director, stage manager, and dramaturge from Knoxville, TN who has recently graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a BA: Theatre and a minor in Classics. Rea’s recent work includes Assistant Directing and Dramaturgy for Antigone at Pellissippi State Community College, Stage Managing for the premiere of After Effects: Gun Violence Survivors Speak with Obvious Dad, serving as the Social Media Marketing Specialist for UTC Theatre Co., and serving as Stage Crew Head for 9 to 5: The Musical. Rea wants to say thank you to family and friends, as well as mentors that have poured their wisdom into Rea. Happy Holidays everybody!

Emily Anderson, Assistant Stage Manager

Emily Anderson is a senior at Concord Christian School who is thrilled to be working with River and Rail for the first time! Emily has been doing theatre for 6 years in onstage and production roles in shows like Wizard of Oz, Miracle Worker, Willy Wonka, A Dolls House, and at Tennessee Governors School for the arts. She wants to pursue a career in Theatre Education and is so grateful for River and Rail and all those who have poured into her! Galatians 6:14

Jason Ammons, Technical Director

Hailing from the backwoods of East Tennessee, Jason Ammons is an award winning Scenic Designer working in theatre and film. He attended the University of Tennessee, Knoxville for his undergraduate studies, where he received degrees in Art and Cultural Anthropology with emphases in Printmaking, Media Art, and Art History. A US Naval Veteran, His work has been showcased at the National Design Portfolio Review at the Bohemian Hall in New York, NY and at the US Institute of Theatre Technology’s Young Designer’s Forum. Formerly the head of the Scenic Design Program at East Carolina University, he now makes a living freelancing as a Scenic Designer and working as an Art Director for True Crime television.

Magdalen Zinky, Costume Designer

Magdalen Zinky is a theatre maker, writer, and parent based in Greeneville, TN. Recent theatre credits include costume designer for the world premiere musical “The Burn Vote” (River and Rail), director for world premiere play "Corners" (Greeneville Theatre Guild), solo play "8th Annual Women’s Retreat" (featured in the 2021 59E59 East to Edinburgh Festival), and writer/director/producer for "The Limit of the Tongue" (Daughters Collective NYC). In her spare time she hosts hosts the podcast The 24 Hour Woman and moonlights as a farmer-florist with The Flower Girl TN.

Betsy Abernathy, Wardrobe Manager

Betsy has enjoyed assisting with wardrobe for this production. She thanks River and Rail for welcoming her into their warm and supportive community. Betsy grew up in Scarsdale, New York, went to college in Massachusetts, and has lived in lots of other places (including 5 years in Grenoble, France) before settling in Oak Ridge with her husband and three daughters, now grown. A former English teacher and copy editor, Betsy is currently involved as a volunteer with a number of community organizations in the Oak Ridge and Knoxville area and enjoys many different creative activities.

Katy Wolfe, Vocal Music Director

Katy Wolfe has appeared extensively in this region as well as overseas as a versatile performer fluent in both opera and musical theatre. Favorite roles include Marian in Music Man, Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, Kate in Kiss me Kate, Musetta in La Bohème and the Beggarwoman in Sweeney Todd. Other highlights include the Knoxville Symphony’s Fourth of July Celebration at World’s Fair Park and the 75th Anniversary of the Smoky Mountain National Park. Katy spent the past 14 years as the voice teacher for the Department of Theatre at the University of Tennessee and as a Company Member with the Clarence Brown Theatre. Katy is passionate about bringing her training in bel canto vocal technique together with the study of a deep connection to text to actors and singers. She continues to train an impressive roster of Broadway, Film, and TV professionals with her private Voice Studios in Knoxville and in New York City, including Tramell Tillman (Apple TV’s Severance), Conrad Ricamora (How to Get Away with Murder, Here Lies Love, King & I) and Bailey McCall (Waitress National Tour). Katy also produces several cabarets every year in NYC with her studio. Katy holds degrees from Belmont University where she studied with Marjorie Halbert and the University of Tennessee where she studied with George Bitzas. She is a proud member of Actors Equity Association.

Joshua Peterson, Artistic Director

Joshua Peterson is a Texas transplant via Paris and New York but is now proud to claim Knoxville as his home. Prior to moving to Knoxville, Joshua served as the Artistic Director of Firebone Theatre Company in New York City. Joshua received his MFA in Acting from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He also holds a BA in Theatre from Oklahoma Baptist University. Between pursuing his degrees Joshua spent two years living and working for a humanitarian aid organization outside of Paris, France. He made his Knoxville acting debut in Clarence Brown Theatre's A Christmas Carol. Other Selected Regional Acting credits include Measure for Measure and Much Ado About Nothing (Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival), Barry Love in House and Garden (Theatre Three), Gail in Our Lady of 121st Street (Kitchen Dog Theatre) and Jon in Tape (Dallas Theatre Center.)

Emily Ernst, Associate Artistic Director/Line Producer

Emily is an actor, director, movement coach, and producer. Emily is the co-founder & Artistic Director of the ensemble theatre company Fair Assembly. Emily has taught theatre at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, Cistercian Preparatory School, and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Previous staff positions include Teatro Dallas (Associate Artistic Director), Flatwater Shakespeare Company (Associate Director) and Theatre for a New Audience (Associate to the Artistic Director). Recent directing credits include It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play (River & Rail, 20243), Fiddler on the Roof (The University of North Texas) and Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and King Lear (Fair Assembly). With Junior Players, Emily is the lead teaching artist for the first ever youth-focused Shakespeare in Prison program in the state of Texas. SMU BFA Acting (2008, L’École Internationale de Théâtre Jacques Lecoq (2017-2018)

Kenneth Herring, Executive Director

Kenneth Herring grew up in Oak Ridge, TN, just 25 miles from downtown Knoxville. Kenneth holds a BA in Communications for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and a Masters in Business Administration from Bethel University. Kenneth has a non-traditional theatre background, having spent the 10 years working in Information Technology sales. Kenneth is a former member of the Hammer Ensemble, which performed at Knoxville's Flying Anvil Theatre. Kenneth is passionate about content creation and creating inclusive environments. Kenneth enjoys basketball and spending time with his son, Rayne.

Afton Howard, Administrative Assistant

Afton Howard is River and Rail’s Administrative Assistant, and a student at the University of Tennessee’s College of Music. Afton is currently pursuing a B.M. in Vocal Music Education with a minor in Theatre. She is a Knoxville native and a Central High School alumni (go bobcats!). Her recent performance credits include 9 to 5: The Musical (Ensemble), Les Miserables (Eponine), High School Musical (Ms. Darbus), Radium Girls (Grace), and Beauty and the Beast (Napkin/Wolf/Ensemble). Afton is proud to be working with River and Rail to bring relevant stories to Knoxville in the form of professional theatre.

River & Rail Board of Directors

Harrison Boyd

David Brown

Tyler Hays

Kenneth Herring

Joshua Peterson

Deaver Shattuck

Katy Wolfe

Parker Jenkins

Amber Collins Crane

FOUNDING BOARD EMERITUS

Logan Mahan

Amelia Peterson

River & Rail Staff

Founding Artistic Director — Joshua Peterson

Assoc. Artistic Director — Emily Ernst

Managing Director — Kenneth Herring

Technical Director — Scott Baron

Administrative Assistant — Afton Howard

Marketing and Operations Intern — Caroline Storch

The Rest of Our 2024-2025 Season

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When you look at the demographics of Knoxville, the people that live on the river and the people that live near the railroad experience Knoxville from vastly different perspectives. Our neighborhoods, churches, community groups, and social circles seem deeply divided along various lines. Some are the literal lines of the Tennessee River or the tracks of the railroad, and some are metaphorical, like the lines between races, religions, and ethnic groups or the cultural lines between east, west, north, and south Knoxville. The goal of River & Rail Theatre is to not just create professional theatre accessible to all Knoxvillians, but to create theatre true to the stories of Knoxville, shared collectively by those on every side of every line.

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Thank You!

“This project [is being] [was] supported in whole or in part, by federal award number 21.027 awarded to the City of Knoxville by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Arts & Culture Alliance.”