The National Press Club, in association with CBS Radio Network and American Heritage Magazine, will present a rendition of Marty Bufalini’s “It’s a Wonderful Life: The Radio Show,” an adaptation of the classic story of George Bailey who, exasperated by life's challenges, wishes he'd never been born. Granted his wish by his guardian angel, he learns the positive impact that each of our lives has on so many others.
The program will be available on the Club's website at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, and subsequently will be available on demand.
The cast includes many voices familiar to the Club and to radio listeners across the country, including past president Mark Hamrick, Sam Litzinger, Dan Raviv, Debra Silimeo, Irv Chapman, Barbara Porter and 2021 Club President Lisa Nicole Matthews.
“Radio remains the most intimate of all media, allowing listeners to create the scenes in their own imagination as they hear the voices, sound effects and music,” said former Club President Mike Freedman, the show’s executive producer.
In addition to appearing on the Club's website, the program will be offered by the CBS Radio Network to its 500-plus affiliates nationwide, and will be featured on the American Heritage website.
The program was directed by Marty Bufalini and P. Scott Graham, who also produced it. The engineer was Randy Hall. Original sound effects were provided by Dante Bufalini.
The Club produced the play in 2020 as part of its celebration of the centennial of radio during Freedman's presidency. Due to COVID-19, that program was produced via Zoom and premiered on the Club's website on New Year's Eve. With conditions improving, this year the cast produced the program in the Club's Broadcast Operations Center, which provided network-quality audio.
CAST
Mark Hamrick - George Bailey
Debra Silimeo - Mary Bailey
Mark Wojno - Uncle Billy
Sam Litzinger - Clarence the Angel
Dan Raviv - Mr. Potter
Lisa Nicole Matthews - Josephine the Angel
Gil Klein - Franklin the Angel
Bennett Lowenthal - Sam Wainwright
Maureen Beasley - Mrs. (Mother) Bailey
Mike Freedman - Nick the bartender
Glenn Marcus - Mr. Gower
Irv Chapman - Pop Bailey
Mark Schoeff Jr. - Martini, Marty Hatch, Tom
Mike Hempen - Ernie, Freddie, Tommy (little boy)
Jerry Green - Bert, Boy on p.3, Mickey, Pete
Jan Zastrow - Janie, Mary (girl), Mrs. Thompson (p.32), Woman 1&2 (p.57), Charlie (p.60)
Barbara Porter - Our announcer PLUS Zuzu, Mrs. Hatch (p.25), Randall (p.31)
Viola Gienger - Dr. Campbell, Violet, Man 1,2,3 (p.57), Mrs. Davis
Scott Rosenberg - Various roles
PRODUCTION
Executive Producer - Michael Freedman
Directors - Marty Bufalini and D. Scott Graham
Producer - D. Scott Graham
Engineer - Randy Hall
Original Sound Effects - Dante Bufalini, Wyatt Setty, Anthony Kanakari
