SUNY Oswego's 'It's A Wonderful Life' to evoke golden age of rad io
SUNY Oswego's theater department will celebrate the holid ays with a live "radio play" of the classic "It's A Wonderful Life" on Dec. 5 at Pulaski's Kallet Theater and Dec. 6 in Hewitt Union ballroom.
T he fantasy comedy-drama "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" will ope n at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at the Kallet, 4842 Jefferson St. in Pulaski, a nd run as a matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
Cast of Oswego produc tion of It's A Wonderful LifeThis adaptation by Joe Landry tracks the iconi c tale of the heartwarming 1946 Frank Capra film that follows George Bailey as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. However, rather than as a traditional play, the story will unfold in the form of a radio d rama, with in-character narrative, music and sound effects plus minimal sta ging.
"It's like a play minus the acting in front of you," said Henry Shikongo, visiting assistant professor of theater at SUNY Oswego.
Th e student cast will read off scripts, relying on their voices for dramatic narrative. A crew of students and faculty will support the production with sound, lighting, costuming and a scene that will imitate the setting of a r adio station.
"This takes us back into the 1920s when televisions wer en't even invented yet," said Shikongo. "For entertainment, families were h uddled up by their radio listening to stories."
The presentation is t he latest in SUNY Oswego's efforts to use the temporary closure of Tyler Ha ll for renovations as an opportunity to take its fine and performing arts t o different venues and community audiences.
Hewitt Union box office m anager Kelly Cullinan, who assists with promotion of theater department pro ductions, said traveling to Kallet Theater in Pulaski presents a teaching-a nd-learning opportunity, as well.
"It's a touring experience for our students to pick up and take a show out of town," Cullinan said. "It benefi ts the Kallet Theater, and it gets our theater program out there."
Vo ice training
A key element to the play is its music and sound effects . Along with having a mini-orchestra, the production will include a Foley a rtist who will recreate ambient sounds for a live experience.
Perform ers are spending hours training their voices. "We do a lot of breathing exe rcises to help support our voices," said Keith Gallucci, a senior majoring in cinema and screen studies. "I've learned how to take a certain physicali ty to take on characters."
With eight cast members, he and the other actors are taking on the roles of multiple characters. Besides Gallucci, th e cast will feature Rebecca McCarthy, Dan Frohm, Mike Cothren, Evan Debevec -McKenney, Brian Bueche, Sarah Eye and Clarissa Bawarski.
Besides Shi kongo, the production team will include SUNY Oswego faculty and staff membe rs Jessica Hester, theater department chair and producer; pianist and music director Dan Williams, technical director Sean Culligan, scene and lightin g designer Ola Kraszpulska, costume designer Kitty Macey, costume shop supe rvisor Judy McCabe, properties master Jessica Culligan and master electrici an Greg Brewster.
Students on the production crew will include Bawars ki as stage manager, Rachael Kepler (sound designer and light board operato r), Ashley Barker (wardrobe chief), Nicole Marlowe (wardrobe run crew) and Royshanna Young (make-up crew chief), with costume preparation, scenery con struction and props by students in "Introduction to Theatre" classes. Stude nt musicians are Cheryl Goewey on alto sax, tenor Derek Holden and drummer Kevin Clark.
Tickets to the Hewitt Union presentation of "It' s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" on Dec. 6 are $10 for general admiss ion (free for SUNY Oswego students with valid ID) and are available at all SUNY Oswego box offices, online at tickets.oswego.edu and by phone at 315-3 12-2141. Contact the Kallet Theater at 315-298-0007 for informatio n on tickets to the Dec. 5 show.
Parking for the Hewitt Union perform ance is included in the price of a ticket and is available in the lots in f ront and to the east of Culkin Hall. People with disabilities needing assis tance should call 315-312-2141 in advance of the performance.
Before the Oswego show (starting at noon): there will be free horse-drawn carriage rides by Black Magic Stables, candy making demonstrations and sampling by Amy Lear of Man in the Moon Candies and making holiday stuffed animals in t he Hewitt Union lobby--all compliments of SUNY Oswego's SAPB.
SUNY Oswego's 'It's A Wonderful Life' to evoke golden age of rad io
SUNY Oswego's theater department will celebrate the holid ays with a live "radio play" of the classic "It's A Wonderful Life" on Dec. 5 at Pulaski's Kallet Theater and Dec. 6 in Hewitt Union ballroom.
T he fantasy comedy-drama "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" will ope n at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, at the Kallet, 4842 Jefferson St. in Pulaski, a nd run as a matinee at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
Cast of Oswego produc tion of It's A Wonderful LifeThis adaptation by Joe Landry tracks the iconi c tale of the heartwarming 1946 Frank Capra film that follows George Bailey as he considers ending his life one fateful Christmas Eve. However, rather than as a traditional play, the story will unfold in the form of a radio d rama, with in-character narrative, music and sound effects plus minimal sta ging.
"It's like a play minus the acting in front of you," said Henry Shikongo, visiting assistant professor of theater at SUNY Oswego.
Th e student cast will read off scripts, relying on their voices for dramatic narrative. A crew of students and faculty will support the production with sound, lighting, costuming and a scene that will imitate the setting of a r adio station.
"This takes us back into the 1920s when televisions wer en't even invented yet," said Shikongo. "For entertainment, families were h uddled up by their radio listening to stories."
The presentation is t he latest in SUNY Oswego's efforts to use the temporary closure of Tyler Ha ll for renovations as an opportunity to take its fine and performing arts t o different venues and community audiences.
Hewitt Union box office m anager Kelly Cullinan, who assists with promotion of theater department pro ductions, said traveling to Kallet Theater in Pulaski presents a teaching-a nd-learning opportunity, as well.
"It's a touring experience for our students to pick up and take a show out of town," Cullinan said. "It benefi ts the Kallet Theater, and it gets our theater program out there."
Vo ice training
A key element to the play is its music and sound effects . Along with having a mini-orchestra, the production will include a Foley a rtist who will recreate ambient sounds for a live experience.
Perform ers are spending hours training their voices. "We do a lot of breathing exe rcises to help support our voices," said Keith Gallucci, a senior majoring in cinema and screen studies. "I've learned how to take a certain physicali ty to take on characters."
With eight cast members, he and the other actors are taking on the roles of multiple characters. Besides Gallucci, th e cast will feature Rebecca McCarthy, Dan Frohm, Mike Cothren, Evan Debevec -McKenney, Brian Bueche, Sarah Eye and Clarissa Bawarski.
Besides Shi kongo, the production team will include SUNY Oswego faculty and staff membe rs Jessica Hester, theater department chair and producer; pianist and music director Dan Williams, technical director Sean Culligan, scene and lightin g designer Ola Kraszpulska, costume designer Kitty Macey, costume shop supe rvisor Judy McCabe, properties master Jessica Culligan and master electrici an Greg Brewster.
Students on the production crew will include Bawars ki as stage manager, Rachael Kepler (sound designer and light board operato r), Ashley Barker (wardrobe chief), Nicole Marlowe (wardrobe run crew) and Royshanna Young (make-up crew chief), with costume preparation, scenery con struction and props by students in "Introduction to Theatre" classes. Stude nt musicians are Cheryl Goewey on alto sax, tenor Derek Holden and drummer Kevin Clark.
Tickets to the Hewitt Union presentation of "It' s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" on Dec. 6 are $10 for general admiss ion (free for SUNY Oswego students with valid ID) and are available at all SUNY Oswego box offices, online at tickets.oswego.edu and by phone at 315-3 12-2141. Contact the Kallet Theater at 315-298-0007 for informatio n on tickets to the Dec. 5 show.
Parking for the Hewitt Union perform ance is included in the price of a ticket and is available in the lots in f ront and to the east of Culkin Hall. People with disabilities needing assis tance should call 315-312-2141 in advance of the performance.
Before the Oswego show (starting at noon): there will be free horse-drawn carriage rides by Black Magic Stables, candy making demonstrations and sampling by Amy Lear of Man in the Moon Candies and making holiday stuffed animals in t he Hewitt Union lobby--all compliments of SUNY Oswego's SAPB.
