THIS WONDERFUL LIFE BACKSTAGE GUIDE 3 Note from Artistic Director Gwendolyn Whiteside ………………………………………………...………………………...…..Page 4 About Actor James Leaming……...................................................................................................................Page 5 Actor James Leaming on Playing All of Bedford Falls.................................…………………..………..……..…...Pages 6-7 The BackStory with Director Carmen Roman................……………………….…………………….………………...…….....Page 7 This Wonderful Life Across America...........................................………………………………………….................Pages 8-9 About the Film…………………………………………………...........…...…....................................................................Page 10 About Frank Capra………………………………..........……………………………………….…..………………...........................Page 11 Life in the 1940s.....................……………………………………………….…...............................................................Page 12 1946 vs. 2017 in America..…..………………………………………...........................................................................Page 13 Timeless Business Lessons from “It’s a Wonderful Life”................…………………..................................Pages 14-15 12 Things You Didn’t Know About “It’s a Wonderful Life”..................................................................Pages 16-17 About American Blues Theater…………………………………………………………………………………………………...…Pages 18-19 BACKSTAGE Contributors Elyse Dolan Assistant Producer American Blues Theater with Gwendolyn Whiteside and Carmen Roman © 2017 American Blues Theater. All rights reserved. TABLE OF CONTENTS