It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play opens on Broadway Wednesday, November 18, at the Broadhurst Theatre, the first Broadway production of Joe Landry’s 1996 adaptation. Directed by Jerry Zaks and starring Andrew Rannells, Megan Hilty, Tituss Burgess, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna, it runs nine weeks through January 3, 2027.
Key Takeaways
- Andrew Rannells plays George Bailey and Megan Hilty plays Mary Bailey, while Tituss Burgess, Harry Hamlin and Lisa Rinna each cover Clarence, Mr. Potter and Violet plus several other roles.
- Previews began November 4, and the limited engagement closes Sunday, January 3, 2027.
- Landry’s adaptation premiered in 1996 at Stamford Center for the Arts in Connecticut and has played off-Broadway and in regional theaters, but never on Broadway until now.
- The 2026 run coincides with the 80th anniversary of Frank Capra’s 1946 film, which earned five Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture.
- The production offers a digital lottery and in-person and digital rush, with $49 tickets.
It’s A Wonderful Life Reaches Broadway Three Decades After Its Connecticut Premiere
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play took a long road to West 44th Street. Joe Landry wrote the first version after a friend, Frances Rose Kondziela, asked him for a stage adaptation she could direct at Fairfield High School. The play premiered at Stamford Center for the Arts in 1996 and went on to become a holiday fixture at theaters around the country, with an off-Broadway history along the way.
Landry has said he never expected the small project to travel for decades and land at the Broadhurst. That gap between regional familiarity and a first Broadway booking is what makes this run notable. Many theatergoers already know the script from community and regional stages, and the Broadway production is now testing whether that familiarity, paired with a recognizable cast, can carry a short holiday engagement in Midtown.
The timing adds another layer. Frank Capra’s film, based on Philip Van Doren Stern’s 1943 short story “The Greatest Gift,” was released in 1946, so the Broadway premiere arrives during the film’s 80th anniversary year.
Five Actors Play Dozens Of Bedford Falls Characters
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play relies on a compact company. Five actors carry the story, with Jeanna de Waal and Martin Landry serving as standbys for all principal roles. Andrew Rannells, a two-time Tony nominee known for The Book of Mormon and Gutenberg!, leads as George Bailey. Megan Hilty, also a two-time Tony nominee, plays Mary Bailey.
The other three performers switch between characters throughout the evening. Tituss Burgess plays Clarence, the angel trying to earn his wings, along with other roles. Harry Hamlin takes on the villainous Mr. Potter, and Lisa Rinna plays Violet, both doubling as other residents of Bedford Falls. Hamlin and Rinna are married off stage, which adds a small novelty to their scenes together.
The casting mixes musical theater, television and comedy, and Jerry Zaks has described the group in exactly those terms. For a nine-week holiday run, a cast with that range gives the production reach beyond regular Broadway audiences.
The Radio Studio Format Turns Sound Into Part Of The Show
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is framed as a 1940s radio broadcast taped high above New York City at Christmastime. The audience sits in as the studio crowd while the actors perform the story at microphones. A foley artist creates the sound effects live onstage, and holiday carols run through the evening.
That format separates the production from a straight stage version of the film. The story of George Bailey looking back on his life during a crisis stays intact, but the staging puts as much attention on how the story is performed as on the story itself. Zaks has said the radio format calls back to an earlier era while leaving room for surprises aimed at modern audiences.
The design team supports that period setting. Tony winner Santo Loquasto designed the scenery and costumes, Kenneth Posner handles lighting, Palmer Hefferan designed the sound, and Andy Einhorn leads music direction.
A Nine-Week Run In A Busy November On Broadway
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play opens during a crowded stretch of the fall season. Now You See Me Live opens November 11, and Jamie Lloyd’s Much Ado About Nothing opens November 19, one day after the radio play. Limited engagements with name casts have been a pattern this fall, including Billy Crystal’s solo show 860 at the Imperial Theatre.
Holiday programming has a built-in audience, but its window is short. A nine-week run that ends January 3 means the production has to make its case almost entirely within the Thanksgiving to New Year’s period, when family audiences and visitors fill Midtown.
The producing team includes Seaview, WJP, No Guarantees Productions, Broadway & Beyond Theatricals, The Shubert Organization, The John Gore Organization and NETworks Presentations, among others.
Planning A Visit To The Broadhurst Theatre
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play runs about 90 minutes with no intermission. The regular schedule is Tuesdays through Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturdays at 1 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m., with holiday-week times subject to change. The production also runs a digital lottery and in-person and digital rush, each offering $49 tickets.
FAQs
Where is the Broadhurst Theatre?
The Broadhurst Theatre is at 235 West 44th Street in Manhattan’s Theater District. It is hosting It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play through January 3, 2027.
What is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre?
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is playing at the Broadhurst Theatre this holiday season. Previews began November 4, and opening night is November 18, 2026.
Who plays George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life on Broadway?
Andrew Rannells plays George Bailey. He is joined by Megan Hilty as Mary Bailey, Tituss Burgess as Clarence, Harry Hamlin as Mr. Potter and Lisa Rinna as Violet.
How long is It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play?
The production runs about 90 minutes with no intermission.
