I first auditioned for American Blues Theater in 2012. It was a unique audition – I had to prepare 10 characters, each with a distinct, different voice. Also, I needed to be comfortable acting in front of a microphone. And, hey, by the way, you’ll need to do audience interaction, informally called “noodling”. You know, just like they did in the classic Jimmy Stewart movie.
But 13 years and 12 productions of It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! later, I’ve realized that this production, like my audition, is so much more than the classic film. It’s a celebration. A party. A reminder that though the years may pass, and people may move on, or get their wings, what remains is so much more than what you expected.
It has been a gift being a member of the cast of It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! for a part of the last thirteen years. Every holiday season, I get to see this story in a new way. Whether you have never seen our production or have seen it every year since it began (24 years this year!), I encourage you to come to the theatre and experience it. It’s the classic story with a new spirit, that reminds us to be there for each other, to give a little more as you learn a little more about one other, and to count our blessings through hard times and through good times. Even in the hard times, we always have our friends.
It has been a gift being a member of the cast of It’s a Wonderful Life: Live in Chicago! for a part of the last thirteen years. Every holiday season, I get to see this story in a new way. Whether you have never seen our production or have seen it every year since it began (24 years this year!), I encourage you to come to the theatre and experience it. It’s the classic story with a new spirit, that reminds us to be there for each other, to give a little more as you learn a little more about one other, and to count our blessings through hard times and through good times. Even in the hard times, we always have our friends.
Ian Paul Custer
American Blues Theater
Ensemble member since 2016
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