WBT It’s a Wonderful Life

By Gary Chattman

Jimmy Stewart; Donna Reed; Lionel Barrymore; Henry Travers; Thomas Mitchell; writers Stern and Goodrich; Golden Globe to best director Frank Capra: what do these things have in common? The classic holiday movie, “It’s a Wonderful Life”, of course. And Sheldon Harnick (of “Fiddler” fame) and Joe Reposo (of “Sesame Street” fame) have created a stage musical based on this classic. Sorry boys, you just can’t fiddle with a classic.

It’s hard to imagine Potter “singing” his thoughts; it’s difficult to see plot lines shrunk to song “song-bites”; it’s excruciating to witness the shrinking of George Bailey’s thoughts to lyrics. But—there is a good side here, of course. We’re talking about the Westchester Broadway Theatre—that classic place where we’ve seen “Jekyll and Hyde” and “Gypsy” among many others. Here they take this slight incarnation and put extraordinary performers into it. And it actually is a “wonderful” show!

Duke Lafoon is his own “George”—not the Jimmy “ah-shucks” Stewart type. And he makes us feel his pain because he is a wonderful actor. Juli Robbins (formally Guenevere in that other fine theatre venue—the White Plains Performing Arts Center this past fall) is a radiant Mary. Together these make theatre magic.

The direction by Richard Stafford is first-rate—but you can always expect that here in Elmsford. We can compliment the lighting by Andrew Gmoser; laud the choreography by Stafford (as well) and admire the costumes of Gail Baldoni. Back to the cast: we laugh at the antics of Clarence, played by Darin DePaul; we admire the supporting cast (Pasquale J Baccari as Ernie, particularly), but it’s what we have come to expect from WBT.

It’s ridiculous to recapitulate the plot here. We know of the altruism of George Bailey; we know the befuddledeness of Uncle Billy, played here with befuddedlness by Jack Hallett; we know of that Building and Loan and George’s efforts to save it; we know of the love (“Is that what you want, Mary? Want me to lasso the moon?”) of George and Mary; we’ve seen Zuzu’s flower peddles; we’ve watched Potter and his evilness. We know that in the end Clarence will get his wings, and that the money Potter stole (what would he be in 2008? The head of General Motors, perhaps) will be redeemed by all the people George touched because he lived, and really was born (even though Clarence ruse makes George see that it’s really a “Wonderful Life”!). Yes, we know the plot.

If you want to start your holiday out happily, go on down to Bedford Falls (The Westchester Broadway Theatre, natch) and see “A Wonderful Life.” You never know—you might even hear that bell “ring” for your own special angel’s wings!

* The show runs through February 8.