Instead of upcycling textiles or other materials, local actor and producer Willie Repoley of the Immediate Theatre Project has reinvented It’s a Wonderful Life as a theatrical experience with a twist. Set at the studios of fictional WVL Radio in 1945, the work follows “a ragtag group of station employees” as they face a crisis. With a storm raging outside, they soldier through a live interpretation of the classic screenplay for their listeners. (Hint: It’s a play about people performing a play on air.) At best, the characters can reap redemption like that which George Bailey (the original protagonist) enjoys once a guardian angel points out his life’s significance. Adding to the production’s old-time radio feel are the cast’s live sound effects, created using materials like coconuts and sand, egg beaters and a mixing bowl, and cranking gears, metal poles and splashing water. Isis Restaurant & Music Hall hosts the annual performance, including music by local artist Nathan Shirley, Wednesday, Nov. 25, at 8 p.m. $15/$20. isisasheville.com. Photo courtesy of the Immediate Theatre Project
Smart bets: It’s a Wonderful Life — Live from WVL Radio
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