Improv Playhouse celebrates 25 years with Live Radio Play of ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’
There’s a flickering warmth in the heart of downtown Libertyville this December, not just from the Christmas lights draped along Milwaukee Avenue, but from inside a newly lit marquee at 130 N. Milwaukee Ave.
The Improv Playhouse Theatre, celebrating its 25th anniversary, is opening the doors to its new performance home with a return to one of its most beloved traditions: “Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play.” But this is no mere stage play. It’s not performed at microphones behind music stands. It doesn’t rely on a Foley sound-effects table for nostalgia. Instead, Director David Brian Stuart, founder and executive producer of Improv Playhouse, has crafted it as an immersive audio experience, where the sound, storytelling and sentiment are woven into a continuous, emotionally rich radio-style tapestry along with period commercials, on stage.
“It’s not about old-timey radio,” Stuart said with a wry, professorial smile. “It’s about rediscovering what radio did best: awaken the imagination, stir up hope, and quietly remind you that one life, well lived, can change the trajectory of all the others.”
Libertyville audiences will recognize many familiar faces, and voices. Stephen Pickering of Gurnee returns as George Bailey, a role he says he’s honored and humbled to play again.
“George Bailey isn’t just a character,” Pickering said. “He’s a mirror. His doubts, his grit, his faith, that blend of small-town courage and quiet sacrifice, it reaches into you. George is every man who ever wondered if his life made a difference.”
Mia Hirschel of Lake Zurich, SAG-AFTRA member, stars as Mary Hatch, the emotional heart of the Bailey family.
“There’s a subtle strength in Mary,” Hirschel said. “She doesn’t just love George, she believes in him when he forgets how to believe in himself.”
The colorful world of Bedford Falls comes alive through a dynamic ensemble cast: Egon Schein (Libertyville), Clarence and Mr. Potter; Susan Kries (Vernon Hills), Violet, Mrs. Thompson and Mrs. Hatch; SAG member George Elliott (Hainesville), Gower, Superintendent of Angels and Mr. Welch; Randy Rice (Mundelein), Ernie the Cab Driver; Ted Rafferty (Schaumburg) Announcer, Martini and Bert the Cop; Dan Ness (Palatine), Uncle Billy and Sam Wainwright; and Steve Plumhoff (Gurnee), Pop Bailey and Nick the Bartender.
The youth roles, Zuzu, Janey, and Petey, are played by children from the Improv Playhouse Training Program, giving the production an authentic family feel.
Egon Schein, who plays both Clarence and Potter, said, “In one moment, I’m playing a ruthless tycoon, and 10 minutes later I’m an angel trying to earn his wings. It’s every actor’s dream, to be wicked and holy in the same evening.”
Unlike most stage productions that use Foley props, this version “wraps the audience in sound,” as Stuart puts it. Carefully crafted audio, from steps through the snowfall to distant church bells to George’s final epiphany, amplifies the emotional arc, without diverting attention to performers manually creating effects. The result is a seamless, radio-driven theatrical experience that feels both vintage and surprisingly cinematic.
Audience members are encouraged to arrive early to explore the Bedford Falls Winter Wonderland, a lobby display of 1940s-era memorabilia, original radio posters, vintage photographs, film artifacts, and warm holiday décor.
This production marks not just a new holiday season, but a milestone: 25 years of Improv Playhouse. Thousands of students trained. Dozens of original productions. Hundreds of graduates now performing professionally. Countless stories told. And now, a new home in downtown Libertyville, a space for community, creativity ... and angels who occasionally earn their wings.
As Stuart puts it: “In the end, it’s not a story about Christmas. It’s a story about belonging, about knowing your life mattered. That’s what a theater should do for a community: remind it of who it is, and who it could be.”
Before select performances, families can stop at a charming Santa Photo Corner, a simple, stress-free photo op, with no long lines or mall chaos. No tickets for photos. No staged elves. Just holiday warmth.
There will be six performances: 7:30 p.m. Fridays Dec. 12 and 19; 7 p.m. Saturdays, Dec. 13 and 20; and 2:30 p.m. Sundays, Dec. 14 and 21.
The runtime is 75 minutes. Recommended for ages 7 and older.
Tickets are $25, $20 for ages 65 and older, $15 for students and youth. For tickets or group information, call (847) 968-4529 or visit improvplayhouse.com. Improv Playhouse Theatre is at 130 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Libertyville.