Trinity Rep is pleased to announce that for a second holiday season, your family will have another spirited offering to enjoy, with It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, an adaptation of the heartwarming film classic. Five actors from Trinity Rep's resident company will bring Frank Capra's Bedford Falls to life on stage. Directed by Trinity Rep's Associate Artistic Director Tyler Dobrowsky, the show opens in previews December 9 and runs through December 31, 2011 in the Dowling Theater. Tickets are on sale now at the Trinity Rep box office, 201 Washington St.; by phone at (401) 351-4242; and online at www.trinityrep.com.

Resident acting company members Mauro Hantman (George Bailey), Rachael Warren (Mary Hatch), Joe Wilson Jr. (Clarence the Angel), Annie Scurria (Violet Bick), and Tim Crowe (Old Man Potter) will create over 50 memorable characters as an ensemble cast. After years of putting off his own dreams to help others, everyman George Bailey (Hantman) finds himself on the wrong end of humanity as his luck takes a nosedive when a rival businessman steals his last penny - along with his reputation. Drunk and despondent on Christmas Eve, George is about to end his life by jumping into an icy river so that his family can collect on his life insurance policy - until guardian angel Clarence (Wilson) steps in to save him. Bailey rebuffs Clarence's dose of perspective by angrily wishing he'd never been born. Clarence obliges, showing George what life in Bedford Falls would have been like without him - after which he sees, despite his run of bad luck, that he's truly "the richest man in town."

Trinity Rep's production is set as a period radio play, being broadcast on Christmas Eve, 1949. The show's five actors and a skillful Foley artist (Benji Inniger), who manually produces the show's sound effects, act out the story. Director Tyler Dobrowsky praises, "it's fascinating to watch the sound effects, like ice breaking or a car door slamming, be performed on stage."

In this way, Trinity Rep audiences will not only experience the heartwarming tale of George Bailey, but also the ingenuity and entertainment of actors performing a radio play in 1949. "Because we stage this show in such a unique way, everyone from young children to grandparents can find something enjoyable about Wonderful Life- it really makes for a satisfying evening at the theater for the whole family."

Following the overwhelmingly positive response to the show last year, Trinity Rep decided to bring the production back for a second holiday season. Dobrowsky attributes the success of last year's production to the story's powerful resonance with audiences. "When you come to the end of story, and George Bailey is back at his home, surrounded by loved ones, it makes you realize what's truly important: love, charity, family, friends," he noted. Dobrowsky believed it was important to once again offer audiences a reflective and festive holiday offering that celebrates the hope and magic of the season.

It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play features sets by Michael McGarty, costumes by Alison Walker Carrier, lighting by John Ambrosone, and sound design by Peter Sasha Hurowitz.

Tyler Dobrowsky (director) is Trinity Rep's associate artistic director. He was the dramaturg on The Dreams of Antigone, and assistant director for Shooting Star, both at Trinity Rep. From 2004-2009, as the company's education director, he oversaw the expansion of the Young Actors Studio after-school and summer programs, as well as Trinity's landmark Project Discovery program. Tyler received his MA in Education Policy from Brown University, and studied history, theater and Russian at Holy Cross. He teaches for the Brown/Trinity Rep MFA program, as well as Trinity Rep's education programs for children and adults.

Playwright Joe Landry's published plays include Vintage Hitchcock and Reefer Madness. Other projects include Mothers and Sons, a musical (with Kevin Connors) and Lifeboat, Dahling! (with Bert Bernardi). He is the founder of Second Guess Theatre Company, member of the Dramatists Guild, and currently teaches playwriting at Sacred Heart University.

Evening performances are Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 pm with selected Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday Matinees at 2pm. On December 24, there will be a matinee at 12PM and an evening performance at 5PM; on December 31, there will be a matinee at 12PM and an evening show at 5PM. There will be no performance on December 25.

The first performance on December 9, 2011 at 7:30PM is Pay What You Can (PWYC). PWYC tickets go on sale at 6:30 pm, limit one per person. Regular priced tickets for It's A Wonderful Life range $42- $66. Additional rush tickets and discounted tickets for subscribers, groups, students and seniors are also available, call box office for details. For information on group rates (parties of 10 or more) contact Group Sales at (401) 351-4242. $42- $66