Riverland Community College Theatre will start celebrating the holidays Nov. 16 to 20 with their production of It’s a Wonderful Life adapted for the stage by James W. Rodgers and based on the film by Frank Capra and the story by Philip Van Doren Stern. During the run of the play, a retrospective on the scenic designs by former Riverland Techncial Director Robert “Bo” Dudley will be presented in the James Wegner Art Gallery, located next to the theatre.

It’s a Wonderful Life takes place in the small town of Bedford Falls where George Bailey dreams of escape and adventure but is stuck in a life of family obligation and civic duty.  George’s guardian angel descends on Christmas Eve to save him from despair and to show him what the world would have been like had he never been born. This adaptation of the classic film celebrates our American philosophy of life: hard work, fair play, and the love and support of one's family and community. It’s a Wonderful Life is suggested for ages 10 and up.

Riverland Theatre faculty member Susan V. Hansen directs. The set and lighting designer is Mark Spitzer. The costumes are by Madlain Vander. The production is stage managed by Ian Gearhart.

“This production of It’s a Wonderful Life is new to our theatre, but will be familiar to audiences who love the classic film,” said Riverland Theatre Director Lindsey Duoos Williams. “This will be the perfect way to kick off the holiday season.”

The cast of It’s a Wonderful Life includes Will Arndt (Byron) as Mr. Martini, Paul Burger (Austin) as Clarence Odbody, Chase Collins (Austin) as Young George/Pete, Nora Curtis (Austin) as Mrs. Thompson, Maxwell Deyo (Austin) as Uncle Billy, Livia Dyke (Austin) as Miss Andrews, Caoimhe Farrell (Austin) as Mr. Potter’s Secretary, Austin Dean Hodnefield (Austin) as Ernie, Zack Huggan (Austin) as Mr. Gower, Dathen Johnson (Albert Lea) as Bert, Glynnis Kunkel-Ruiz (Austin) as Mary Hatch, Garrin Loveland (Austin) as Sam Wainwright/Welch, Kendahl Lewis (Austin) as Janie Bailey/Martini, Lexi Lewis (Austin) as Zuzu Bailey/Martini, Charli Martin (Austin) as Mrs. Martini, Emily Miller (Austin) as Aunt Tilly, Jacob Mueller (Austin) as Harry Bailey, Claire Olson (Austin) as Miss Carter, Maurene Olson (Alden) as Violet Peterson, C.J. Pederson (Geneva) as Mrs. Hatch, Kaye Perry (Austin) as Mother Bailey, Ray Wicks (Austin) as Newspaper Boy/Tommy, Vic Wylde (Austin) as George Bailey, Danny Ziebell (Kasson) as Mr. Potter’s Goon, and James Zschunke (Austin) as Henry F. Potter.

It’s a Wonderful Life will be performed Nov. 16, 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. at the Frank W. Bridges Theatre.

During the run of It’s a Wonderful Life, the James Wegner Art Gallery will be presenting The Scenic Designs of Robert “Bo” Dudley: A Retrospective. Dudley was the Theatre Technical Director at Riverland Community College (then called Austin Community College) from 1982-1999. Dudley also created set designs for Summerset Theatre and Matchbox Children’s Theatre in the space that is now the Frank W. Bridges Theatre.  This retrospective showcases his theatrical scenic design work, including sketches, photographs, and numerous scale 3-D models. A silent auction of the set models will be held to support Riverland Theatre scholarships.  The art gallery display begins on Nov. 7 and will be open until Nov. 20.  A reception and talk will be held on Nov. 19 at 6:30 pm prior to the performance of It’s a Wonderful Life. The gallery show is free and open to the general public.

“We have an incredible theatrical history here at Riverland, and Robert Dudley was a large part of that,” said Williams. “Part of his design process was creating intricate 3-D scale models of his sets.  Dudley’s family has graciously allowed us to display these models, along with other sketches and photographs of his work.  It will be a lot of fun for our long-time audience members to revisit these shows from our past, as well as a fascinating glimpse into the design process for a theatrical production.”

Individual tickets to It’s a Wonderful Life are $13 and currently on sale at www.riverland.edu/tickets 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The online ticketing system allows customers to choose their seats and pay by Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover. Tickets may also be purchased at the Riverland Box Office, located in room E107 in the East Building of the Austin campus. Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and one hour before performances. Riverland students receive two free tickets to each performance with a valid student ID. Contact the box office at 507-433-0595 or by emailing boxoffice@riverland.edu.

It’s a Wonderful Life is suggested for ages 10 and up. Riverland Theatre strives to provide quality productions that are entertaining and challenging to both the audience and the artists.  Because we reach such a diverse audience, some audience members may find some subject matter, language, or situations objectionable. If you have concerns about a specific production, we encourage you to become familiar with the material before attending the performance.