Friday, May 24, 2013

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"Wonderful Life" Live Radio Play Performed
Will air on public radio, tv
By Bill McAllister
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The story from the classic Christmas film “It’s a Wonderful Life” is getting the multimedia treatment in Anchorage this week. And it could be the beginning of a new collaboration between theater and public broadcasting.

Wednesday night Cyrano’s Theatre Company closed its production of “It’s a Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play.” But the production could enjoy a second life through KAKM public television and KSKA public radio.

On Monday, Anchorage public station KAKM aired a condensed version of “It’s a Wonderful Life – A Live Radio Play.”

Five actors play dozens of roles, set in a radio studio in Manhattan on Christmas Eve 1946.

The Cyrano’s team re-staged their production for the camera, an idea originally floated by actor Mark Robokoff, who portrays Mr. Potter and others.

The audio recording of the play will be broadcast at 5 p.m. this Saturday, Christmas Eve, on public radio station KSKA.

KAKM and KSKA obtained the rights for only one broadcast each this year, and the play will not be posted online.

But Patrick Yack of the public broadcasting station says he will be meeting with Cyrano’s artistic director, Sandy Harper, in the near future, and he is certain that another collaboration of stage and camera will occur in 2012.