by James W. Rodgers

The next production of the Coshocton Footlight Players is the timeless Christmas Classic, “It’s A Wonderful Life”.  First presented as a movie in 1946 and later developed into a stage play in 1993, it tells the story of George Bailey, the Everyman from the small town of Bedford Falls, whose dreams of escape and adventure have been repeatedly quashed by the notions of family obligation and civic duty.  One Christmas Eve, his guardian angel, Clarence, shows him what life would have been like had he never been born.  George finally realizes that, indeed, his has been a wonderful life.

There are 38 people in the local production of this play, ranging in age from 7 to 82! They include:  Mathew Besco as George Bailey, Bob Shaw as Clarence, Shannon Mould as Mary Bailey, and Irwin Jennings as Mr. Potter.  Other cast members are Gwenna Neal, Denny Blanford, Heath Chaney, Robin Talley-Virostko, Doug Wachtel, Shelly Lillibridge, Alan Myers, Bethel Toler, Lynn Jacobs, Tom Heil, Carly Ringenberg, Julie Heil, Dean Hettinger, Sharon Mercer, Steve Mercer, Jon Cotterman, Jill Fry, Jessica Hawthorne, Crystal Spriggs, Zack Crowle, Mackenzie Martin, Maxx McKenna, Blake Lillibridge, Sarah Virostko, Terry Shaw, Chloe Crouso, Laura Mould, Casey Fletcher, Shelby Jacobs, Jessica Spriggs, Kirstie Kolmerten, Haley Kolmerten, and Katerina Virostko.

The show is directed and produced by Susan Metz Foster.

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