SUNDERLAND –Valley Players’ dinner-theater production of It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, going up at the Blue Heron Restaurant in Sunderland on December 12, 13, 19, and 20, will raise funds to support affordable housing in the Valley. Half of net ticket proceeds from the show will be donated to the Springfield-based affordable housing nonprofit Way Finders.
This production imagines the beloved holiday classic as a 1940s radio play, performed live on stage with foley sound effects and a cast of six local actors playing all forty roles. The show, directed by Chris Rohmann and produced by Matteo Pangallo, features Jane Barish, Jen Campbell, Mark Dean, Ben Hersey, Alex Manugian, and Joe Van Allen, with sound effects by Chip Roughton, stage management by Jason Fregeau, costumes by Piper Pichette, and vocal musical arrangements by Nettie Harrington Pangallo.
In addition to the play, the ticket for It’s a Wonderful Life includes a gourmet three-course meal from the Blue Heron, with a choice of entrée and showcasing locally sourced ingredients. Reservations are required and can be made at valleyplayers.org. Ticket sales close three days before each performance and walk-in admission is not available.
“What I love about this show,” reflects Rohmann, “is that it transforms the iconic movie without losing any of its charm or emotional impact. Seeing it re-enacted in an old-time radio studio by 1940’s-era actors, while watching our wizard sound-effects man recreating the soundtrack live, makes me love it all over again.”
“Part of Valley Players’ mission is to build community through community theater,” notes Pangallo, “and It’s a Wonderful Life shows how community coming together can give us hope and help when its needed most.” With each show, Valley Players donates half of net ticket revenue to another Valley nonprofit. When it came time to decide what organization to support with It’s a Wonderful Life, Pangallo says the answer was easy: “It had to be a group making real change for affordable housing in our region. Because that’s what George Bailey would want.”
“Partnerships like this are deeply meaningful to our mission,” says John Bidwell, Chief Development Officer at Way Finders. “The funds raised will support programs that help families remain housed, so they don’t have to choose between paying rent or keeping the heat on. Way Finders not only helps people access affordable housing but also provides the resources and support they need to stay housed.”
During the show, Valley Players will also be holding a food drive for the Amherst Survival Center and audience members are asked to bring a non-perishable food item to contribute. Valley Players will also be running a Local Gifts Raffle during the show, featuring a range of goods, services, and gift certificates celebrating local Valley businesses. To contribute something for the raffle, businesses can email info@valleyplayers.org.
Valley Players is an all-volunteer nonprofit group with a mission to enrich the quality of life in the Connecticut River Valley of Massachusetts by producing nimble, meaningful, and accessible community theater and donating half of net ticket proceeds to other Valley nonprofits. In its first two years, Valley Players’ productions have raised funds for Cancer Connection, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, River Valley Counseling Center, Community Aid Pioneer Valley, the Peace Development Fund, and the Literacy Project. More information about Valley Players, including how to donate, become a business sponsor, or join the email list, is at valleyplayers.org.
