Published by New Jersey Stage
originally published: 11/11/2024
Classic Radio Road Show presents It's a Wonderful Life, the holiday classic as a delightful radio play, in December. Performances take place in Marlboro, Piscataway, Aberdeen, and Monroe. All of the characters of Bedford Falls will be acted by a handful of talented actors. Sound effects will be performed by a Foley artist, manipulating props to create a soundscape.
It's a Wonderful Life is the story of George Bailey discovering his own worth. George Bailey has lived his entire life in the same Bedford Falls, NY community. He married a local woman, Mary Hatch, after succeeding his father at the Building and Loan Association. They then had four children. A scandal rocked George’s settled existence. One of his associates, his Uncle Billy, lost an $8,000 deposit, and George could potentially go to prison for malfeasance. He unraveled under the strain. The pressure led him to contemplate death.
Joseph, the Superintendent of Angels, tasked Angel Second Class Clarence with showing George how meaningful a life he lived. If Clarence succeeds, he will receive his wings. Clarence concocted a plan to show George how life in Bedford Falls would have been had he never been born.
Join the actors after the performance for an It’s a Wonderful Life Trivia Game! PLUS, two brand new funny LUX commercials by Anthony Aversano!
Performances on December 5, 7 and 11 are FREE. The December. 8th show is a benefit for Cross of Glory Church, $10 Suggested Donation, and will additionally feature live jazz music performed by Leigh Pezet.
December 5th at 3:00pm ~ Marlboro Public Library located at 1 Library Court, Marlboro, NJ 07746
December 7th at 3:00pm ~The Tavern at East Jersey Olde Town Village, located at 1050 River Rd. Piscataway, NJ 08854
December 8 at 1:00pm ~ Cross of Glory Lutheran Church located at 95 Cambridge Dr, Aberdeen, NJ 07747.
December 11 at 3:00pm ~ Monroe Public Library located at 4 Municipal Plaza, Monroe, NJ 08831
The explosion of visual media over the last sixty years has changed our entertainment world. Our diet of the performing arts is now all through visual mediums brought to us via various streaming platforms for television, films, and of course, YouTube.
Join Classic Radio Road Show as we drift back in time to the Golden Age of Radio. Classic Radio Road Show recreates this magical art form, providing the stimulus to revive and activate the wonder of your very own visual projector. The scenes from the stories are enhanced by sound effects, music, and the voices of talented actors. Live performances of the scripts by the most creative writers of the era will trigger your imagination. It's called "theater of the mind." The artists of Classic Radio Road Show will awaken your imagination and guide you into “seeing with your ears.”
EVENT PREVIEWS
James Rana to perform in Cape May for Classic American Tales on Thursday
(CAPE MAY, NJ) -- On Thursday, July 16, 2026, James Rana will read the first chapter of Vladimir Nabokov's "Pnin" at The Dormer House in Cape May. Every Thursday through October 15, Classic American Tales (CAT) presents stories written by noteworthy authors, read by a variety of performers, with lemonade and homemade desserts also served. Showtime is 4:00pm.
Skyline Theatre Company presents Shakespeare on the Porch with "Much Ado About Nothing"
(BLOOMFIELD, NJ) -- Skyline Theatre Company presents Much Ado About Nothing with performances July 17-18, 2026 as part of its Shakespeare on the Porch series. The Bard's ultimate rom-com comes to life on the porch of the Oakeside Mansion.
Gas Lamp Junior presents Disney's "Descendants: The Musical" this weekend
(GLEN RIDGE, NJ) -- Gas Lamp Junior presents Disney's Descendants: The Musical from July 17-18, 2026 at the Ridgewood Avenue School with a different cast each night. Based on the popular Disney Channel Original Movies, this is a musical jam-packed with comedy, adventure, Disney characters, and hit songs from the films!
Princeton Summer Theater to Hold Two Special Talkbacks on Espionage and the Women of Hitchcock
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton Summer Theater will present two special talkbacks this week after their productions of The 39 Steps. These two conversations will be about Espionage: Fiction and Reality with a Princeton fellow who held a 36 year long career with the Central Intelligence Agency and The Icon of the 1930s Dame + Hitchcock, with a Princeton University English professor.
Aspire Performing Arts Company presents Green Day's American Idiot
(MONTVILLE, NJ) -- Aspire Performing Arts Company presents Green Day's American Idiot from July 17-19, 2026 at the Barn Theatre. The band's powerhouse album is brought to life in this electric-rock musical of youthful disillusion. The production features two sets of casts.
The Theater Project presents "Too Fat For China" by Phoebe Potts
(UNION, NJ) -- The Theater Project presents Too Fat For China from July 17-19, 2026 in the DMK Black Box Theater. Comedian Phoebe Potts' one-woman show follows the surprises and painful realizations of her adoption journey with humor and candor.
CAU Community Players present "Seussical Jr." this weekend at UCPAC
(RAHWAY, NJ) -- CAU Community Players present their 15th Anniversary show, Seussical Jr., at Union County Performing Arts Center (UCPAC) from July 17-19, 2026. This is a vibrant, family-friendly musical that brings the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss to life on stage.
"Chip and Gus" - a comedy with balls comes to Florham Park on July 20th
(FLORHAM PARK, NJ) -- On Monday, July 20, 2026, Chip and Gus, a comedy with balls will be presented at The Thomas H. Kean Theatre Factory. The play is performed, directed, and created by John Ahlin & Christopher Patrick Mullen. Showtime is 7:30pm.
Trilogy Repertory presents "Shrek, The Musical" in Basking Ridge
(BASKING RIDGE, NJ) -- Bernards Township Parks & Recreation and Trilogy Repertory presents Shrek, The Musical across two weekends from July 16-25, 2026 at Pleasant Valley Park Amphitheater in Basking Ridge. Everyone's favorite ogre is back in the hilarious stage spectacle based on the Oscar-winning, smash hit film. Admission is free; bring your own lawnchairs and enjoy the show! Showtime is 8:00pm.
The Blue Moon Theatre presents "Where the Lost Children Play"
(WOODSTOWN, NJ) -- The Blue Moon Theatre presents Where the Lost Children Play across two weekends from July 17-26, 2026. This is a dystopian stage play by Hannah Lee DeFrates. It follows two young women, Willow and Poppy, navigating a grim society.
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