By Bella Whitmore | Intern

This holiday season, the Waco Civic Theatre is preparing to spread joy and inspire audiences with its upcoming production of “It’s a Wonderful Life: The Musical.” Adapted from the beloved film, this version of the story introduces heartfelt songs alongside its timeless themes of faith, family and community. With opening night on Thursday Dec. 5, the production promises to be a highlight of the season for local theater enthusiasts.

Director Richard Leslie shared insight into the unique aspects of this beloved film-turned-musical.

“Some of the scenes in the movie are told through song lyrics in the musical version,” Leslie said. “As far as timelessness, I think that both the movie version and this version are both about faith. The people of Bedford Falls have faith in George Bailey because he is the definition of a righteous man. In turn, George sees the faith of the townspeople as they show up at the end of the show to help George in his financial need.”

Leslie also spoke about the collaborative nature of theater, describing the synergy that drives the production.

“While a director may have a creative vision, the music director, choreographer and designers work together to bring that vision to life,” Leslie said. “If I can return to the theme of faith, we each have faith in the creative process and in each other. While I may create the framework for the staging, I have faith in my actors to expand past that framework and find their own creative moments. For the performances, we ask the audiences to have faith in us and to join us as the final collaborators in the process.”

Behind the scenes, stage manager Bella Peters has been instrumental in ensuring the production runs smoothly, she said.

“The most challenging thing about coordinating this production is keeping track of all the small things that can fall through the cracks,” Peters said. “So much goes into creating a production like this, and things are constantly changing. To make sure that I don’t lose track of everything, I write reports for every rehearsal with all the updates that I share with the rest of the production team, and they can be a lifesaver.”

Peters highlighted the unpredictable nature of live theater, but that she does everything she can, like making run sheets, to ensure that the show is carried out cleanly.

“I always do everything I can, but a show going smoothly is never promised,” Peters said. “I do my best to stay calm and come up with a short-term solution so the show can continue with as little disruption as possible.”

Opening night will commence at 7:30 p.m. Purchase your tickets for the show here.