A live radio play version of It’s a Wonderful Life will bow on Broadway this holiday season at the Broadhurst Theatre, with previews beginning November 4 ahead of a November 18 opening. The limited run will continue through January 3, 2027.
The cast will feature Andrew Rannells as George Bailey, Megan Hilty as Mary Bailey, and Tituss Burgess as Clarence and others, along with offstage husband-and-wife Harry Hamlin as Mr. Potter and others and Lisa Rinna as Violet and others. Casting is by Taylor Williams.
Adapted from the 1946 film (itself written by Broadway writers Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett, and Frank Capra) by Joe Landry, It’s a Wonderful Life will transport audiences to a 1940s radio studio as actors gather to perform the timeless holiday favorite (based on Philip Van Doren Stern‘s 1943 short story “The Greatest Gift”), complete with live foley effects and a band to play Christmas carols during commercial breaks. This adaptation of the film premiered in 1996 at Connecticut’s Stamford Center for the Arts, but the upcoming run will be its first Broadway bow.
”This story has touched the hearts of millions for generations, and I’m thrilled to now be bringing it to the Broadway stage this holiday season with this sensational cast of musical theatre, television, and comedy greats,” says director Jerry Zaks in a statement. “This production’s unique format as a radio play calls back to the charm of a bygone era, while also folding in exciting surprises to thrill modern audiences, making for a memorable and joyful holiday experience for all!”
“It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play began when my dear friend Frances Rose Kondziela asked me to create a stage version she could direct at Fairfield High School,” adds Landry. “I never dreamed that the little play we started together would travel for decades, be embraced by theatres around the country, and eventually arrive on Broadway. I’m deeply grateful to Jerry Zaks, our producers, creative team, and extraordinary cast for bringing it to the Broadhurst. It’s something I’m still trying to take in.”
Zaks will direct the production, which will feature scenic and costume design by Santo Loquasto, lighting design by Kenneth Posner, sound design by Palmer Heffernan, and music direction by Andy Einhorn. Wagner Johnson Productions‘ Dylan Glen is general manager. The run will be produced by Seaview, Wagner Johnson Productions, No Guarantees Productions, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, Pam Hurst-Della Pietra & Stephen Della Pietra, Jillian Robbins, The Shubert Organization, The John Gore Organization, NETworks Presentations, Tom Tuft, Scott Abrams, Colleen Cook, Nicholas Kaiser, Stella La Rue, and Bruce & Peggy Wanta.
Tickets are at Telecharge.com. Visit ItsaWonderfulLifeBway.com.