A Curate’s Egg
by Michael Dresdner
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| L to R: Lydia Hedman, Dan Lysne, Kirsten Deane All photos by DK Photography |
In the stage adaptation of the obligatory seasonal
indulgence It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey’s business, the Building and
Loan, is a somewhat ramshackle place with a noble mission and a heart of gold.
The same can be said for Tacoma Little Theatre’s production, directed by Maria
Valenzuela. It’s a bit rough around the edges, but has enough heart to win over
its audiences.
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| L to R: Jordan Talbot, Jameil Jackson, Dan Lysne |
You probably know this, but bear with me for a short
synopsis. George Bailey (Dan Lysne) runs the modest building and loan company started
by his parents (Curtis Beech and Leigh Duncan) after being repeatedly foiled in
his desire to flee the small town of Bedford Falls and see the world. When his
partner and uncle Billy (George Mc Clure) loses enough money to shut down the
business on the eve of a bank examiner’s visit, George decides to end it by
jumping off a bridge. He’s stopped by a guardian angel, Clarence Oddbody (Gary
Spees) sent by the Angel Superintendent (Andrew Fry) who acts as the de facto
narrator of Bailey’s background story. Clarence shows George what the town and
its inhabitants would be like if he’d never been born, and he realizes he is
indeed a valued cog in the gears. Convinced, he returns to his wife and
children to find that the whole town has turned out to cover the monetary loss
and reassure George of how much he is loved and appreciated.
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| Tom Birkeland, in wheelchair, with ensemble |
I must admit that I was particularly eager to see Tom
Birkeland, who plays the wheelchair-bound Mr. Potter, George’s nemesis and the
wealthiest, crankiest man in town. Birkeland has long been one of the South
Sound’s most outstanding actors, but has been on medical hiatus for a number of
years. He’s lost nothing; his performance was balanced, powerful, and flawless,
and easily the shining light of the play. It’s nice to see the old timers
showing the young how it’s done.
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| L to R: Kirsten Deane, Dan Lysne |
A close second was Kirsten Deane, who played George’s wife
Mary with just the right mix of warmth, coyness, affection, and ebullience. It’s
a huge cast, too big to list, but there were other high spots as well, like the
short but well-played role of the young George by Brian Loughridge, and the
before-and-after maturation of Violet Bick, played by Allyson Jacobs-Lake.
With 27 separate scenes in a dozen different settings, the
task of coming up with a set that worked for all must have been daunting. With
a bit of imagination and a parade of moving furniture pieces, Blake York’s complex
set held up quite nicely to the play’s considerable demands. The same can be
said of Michele Grave’s costumes, Pavlina Morris’ lighting, Karrie Nevin’s
props, and the sound design by Darren Hembd, which included a live piano
accompanist, Zachary Kellog.
This is not slick, polished, professional theatre, but one
could argue that it’s better this way. It’s a Wonderful Life is all about
heart, love, and the regular folk of a town, and that’s just the feeling this
production conveys. If you, like so many, need a yearly dose of this
heartwarming Christmas classic, this play is a far better way to consume it
than sitting in front of the TV for yet another rerun of the movie you know by
heart.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Nov. 29th to Dec. 22nd, 2013
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