Radio Drama of Classic Film for Christmas

Students from DCHS have produced a radio drama of the festive classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, for transmission in the run up to Christmas. 

The production is led by sixth form students, with Eleanor Wilson as director and sound production by Amy Miller-Trotter. Both students are veterans of many of the high school’s previous stage shows. The cast is made up of students from year 7 to year 13 who have been rehearsing since September, learning new skills in voice acting.

Director, Eleanor Wilson said: “We're excited to bring this new type of production to the community and spread some Christmas cheer in the last week of term. Maybe we can invoke the spirit of a 1940s Christmas and get families sitting round their radios (or smart speakers!) for a good, old-fashioned radio drama.”

”It’s a Wonderful Life tells the story of George Bailey who meets a crisis in his life but who’s forced to review his situation when an angel is sent to show him how the world would be if he’d never been born. The story was adapted for radio by Anthony E. Palermo and is based on the famous 1946 Frank Capra film, starring James Stewart.

Back in 2020, staff at the high school were looking for a show that they could produce despite COVID restrictions and the consequential closure of the Alnwick Playhouse. A radio drama seemed to fit the bill and the rights to It’s a Wonderful Life were secured. A 2020 cast was in place but ultimately, the project had to be abandoned when a second national lockdown was imposed.

It’s a Wonderful Life adds a third production to the high school’s performing arts programme this year. It comes after their recent stage production of The Flint Street Nativity and is followed by the forthcoming musical, The Band in February.

The drama will be broadcast on Lionheart Radio in three, half-hour episodes on 17th, 18th, and 19th December with each episode starting at 6.30pm. Those outside Alnwick can still access the drama via Lionheart’s website or the school’s dedicated web page https://sites.google.com/dchs-alnwick.uk/wonderful where each episode will also be available to download after transmission.