Stage Write

In 2008 the country was in the midst of a massive economic recession. That year the Indiana Repertory Theatre produced This Wonderful Life, a one-man show that celebrates the classic film, It's a Wonderful Life. It's appropriate that the theatre would return to that joyful play in 2020, a year that has been so heartbreaking. Never before have we so badly needed the reminder that family and friends are the most valuable part of our lives.  Rob Johansen plays the storyteller, recreating the movie with an exuberant performance. He single-handedly brings each character to life. In the blink of an eye, he switches from the evil Mr. Potter to the coquettish Violet. If you know the movie well, you can probably say many of the lines along with Johansen. It’s almost a retelling, but with some added commentary about 1946 and the impact of certain scenes. You can’t recreate live theatre with a recorded performance, but the care that was put into the production is excellent. Benjamin ...

It’s a Wonderful Life may not have been a box office smash when it was first released, but in the decades that followed, the film became an American classic. Families watch it together at Christmas, people can quote lines from it, there are even flower shops named Zuzu’s Petals in almost every state. The reason the movie has become such a holiday staple is because the story is one that’s easy to connect with. Everyone has felt discouraged at some point and it’s easy to believe your life doesn’t matter. That struggle resonates with people and keeps them coming back, year after year. It’s hard to capture the onscreen magic created by the earnest Jimmy Stewart and his town of misfits, but the cast of Beef & Boards' current production brings the story to life. Sean Patrick Hopkins plays George Bailey with all the sincerity and selflessness needed to make the audience root for him. Stockberger makes a great Uncle Billy and Eddie Curry is in his element as the simple angel Clarence. ...