By Amanda Berg Whittle
It’s a Wonderful Life starring Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed, is a holiday classic, and It’s a Wondrous Life at Salt Lake City’s Off Broadway Theatre should be. It details the story of George Bailey (Clarence Strohn), an average Joe trying to get by with his wife Mary Bailey (Emma Thomas), facing hardship after hardship until he decides he wishes he had never existed. As a result, an “angel second class” Clarence Oddbody (Jillene Stark) is sent to earth to teach George what life would have been like for others if he never existed to help him understand why he is important and that his life has meaning. Through this, he realizes how every person’s life impacts so many others’ lives and that despite his hardships, he should be grateful for what matters most.
I know that first bit sounded quite mushy gushy like It’s a Wonderful Life, but we’re talking about the Off Broadway Theater here, so It’s a Wondrous Life has far more comedy than the original. In fact, I’m not sure the original has any comedy at all. Nonetheless, you know when you go to the OBT you’re in for a supersized helping of laughs. Theater owner and owner Eric Jensen (who also plays Uncle Billy in this performance) always does a wonderful job injecting humor into otherwise unfunny things. I also love the characters he plays in the shows he writes. Everything he says and does is hilarious, so even as “smaller” parts, he still steals the shows.
My personal favorite character, though unnamed (and probably Jensen), is the voice of God, who instructs Clarence throughout the first act. One reason this character is so funny is because I think of God himself as a sassy guy. Infinitely loving, but also infinitely feisty, saying things like “oh sorry, I had to throw up. You know, that’s how islands are made.” Stark plays on this hilarious God character as well, doing her best to be an obedient angel, though she clearly gets frustrated with God’s tricks.
The play has some musical moments—Christmas songs with words changed to fit the narrative of the play. Stark and Jensen have quite a bit of unexpected musical talent in “Bells Will Be Ringing.” Despite the comedic nature of the show, Strohn plays on the audiences’ heart strings in “My Grown Up Christmas Wish.” Non-musical characters, antagonists Henry Potter (Jason Unruh) and William Knott Jr (Sebastian Smith) bring life to the show despite making the audience constantly want to pull their hair out (no hair was lost in the viewing of this performance).
The OBT is a wonderful, family-friendly place to spend an evening. There are some non-explicit innuendos in this show that will likely go over the children’s heads, so it is safe to bring kids to this performance. In fact, there was a child of about four years sitting next to us laughing at the innuendos he definitely did not understand, which made them even more entertaining. This performance has more audience participation than their usual performances, so be prepared. If your evening was not filled with enough laughs and audience participation by the end of It’s a Wondrous Life, feel free to stay for their audience-led improv comedy show, Laughing Stock, at 10:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. If you go to Laughing Stock the same evening as It’s a Wondrous Life, you can get discount tickets.
Also, for your information, OBT is moving. They do not have a set location yet, but after December 21 their temporary location will be Midvale Performing Arts Center at 695 S Main Street in Midvale. Please keep them in your thoughts as they sojourn through the valley to find a new location. It is honestly my family’s favorite theater in the area and very close to our hearts, as my husband and I even got engaged on their stage. We wish them the best of luck as they find a new location. The Off Broadway Theatre presents It’s a Wondrous Life by Eric Jensen.
The Off Broadway Theatre, 272 S Main St., Salt Lake City, UT 84110
November 15-December 21, 2019 (Monday, Friday-Saturday) 7:30 PM
Tickets: $10-16 (And they have a special Groupon deal here.)
Contact: 801-355-4628
The Off Broadway Theatre’s Facebook Page
To help support the OBT with their move, either financially or physically (packing up the theater), please fill out this form. I know the OBT family would really appreciate it.
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