SBCC Theatre Arts Department presents a student showcase production of IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY by Joe Landry, directed by Katie Laris, November 11-21, 2026 in the Jurkowitz Theatre on SBCC’s West Campus.

Our talented students will present a performance of the beloved holiday classic as it comes to life as a live 1940’s radio broadcast. With the help of an ensemble that brings a few dozen characters to the stage, it’s the story of kind-hearted George Bailey as he experiences a Christmas miracle when he needs it the most.

It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play will feature: Katie Connolly, William Conley, Tristan Fleming, Georgia Hoover, Jesse Kirkland, Marcus Loman, Cyrille Miller, Em Mintz, Santiago Musacchio, Cora Roush, Charlie Schurmer and Ada Vintar.

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
Performances will be November 11-21, Wednesday through Saturday @ 7:30pm, Sunday November 15 and Saturday November 21 @ 2pm. The Sunday, November 15, 2pm performance will be live-captioned for the hearing-impaired.

Ticket prices are $22 general/$19 seniors & SBCC staff/$10 students and seating is general admission. Due to the intimate nature of the Jurkowitz Theatre, no late seating is permitted. Parking is free and near the theatre on SBCC’s West Campus, 900 block of Cliff Drive. Call the Garvin Theatre Box Office at 805-965-5935 or purchase tickets online at www.theatregroupsbcc.com.

THE CAST

WILLAIM CONLEY (Freddie Fillmore, Sam, Uncle Billy, Tommy, Nick) is a sophomore and is passionate about the world of acting; he’s been seen in Les Misérables, Anything Goes, and Just So. He is excited to be making his college debut in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play with SBCC’s Theatre Arts Department. Some of his favorite past times are fishing, dancing, and singing as loud as he can in the car.

KATIE CONNOLLY (Lana Sherwood, Young Violet, Violet, Board Member, Man in the bank) is thrilled to make her SBCC Theatre Arts Department debut! Originally from Washington, she is a certified makeup artist studying costume design at SBCC. Katie also loves teaching youth musical theatre. Favorite roles include Sandy in The SpongeBob Musical and Lucy in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.

TRISTAN FLEMING (Harry “Jazzbo” Heywood, Clarence) is a student at Santa Barbara City College. Since a young age, Tristan has pursued this art and has grown to fall in love with acting. His other credits for SBCC Theatre Arts Department include Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge.

GEORGIA HOOVER (Sally Applewhite, Young Mary, Mary) is delighted to make her theatrical debut in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. She is in her second year at SBCC where she studies theatre and acting.

JESSE KIRKLAND (Harry, Peter, Pete, Charlie, Martini, and Bert) is a theatre arts major at SBCC and is making his first appearance with SBCC’s Theatre Arts Department. He was seen previously as Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Kenickie in Grease with Nordhoff High School where he attended. He also portrayed the troubled teen, Zane; a leading role in the upcoming feature film Edge of the Sun from Flicker Shack Films.

MARCUS LOMAN (Ray Gordon, Joseph, Bridge Keeper, Sheriff, Man in Commercial) is studying acting at SBCC and is thrilled to make his debut with the SBCC Theatre Arts Department. Acting credits include work with: Santa Paula Theatre Center, UCSB Public Domain Players, and Alcazar Players. When not acting, he works on diagnostic devices, plays drums, reads fantasy novels, and rock climbs.

MADELINE CYRILLE MILLER (Ernie, Zuzu, Mrs. Hatch, Schultz, Horace the Bank Teller, Mr. Welch) is a student of Anthropology, Music, and Theatre at SBCC. They worked backstage in theatre in high school and were the Santa Barbara Youth Poet Laureate in 2022 and had their writing published online through Gunpowder Press. It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play will be their first show with SBCC’s Theatre Arts Department.

EM MINTZ (Matilda, Ruth, Mrs Thompson, Janey, and Binky) is thrilled to make their SBCC Theatre Arts Department debut in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play. They are currently enrolled at SBCC studying Theatre and Anthropology. They have previously been a chorus member in Santa Barbara Revel’s production of The Celestial Fools.

SANTIAGO B. MUSACCHIO (Willie Kurtz, Gower, Potter, Cop) is an Alumni of SBCC and UC Berkeley in Film and Television Production. It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play is his debut performance with SBCC’s Theatre Arts Department.

CORA ROUSH (Hazel Jenkins, Foley Artist, Stage Manager) is originally from the east coast moving to Santa Barbara. Growing up with dance and music she grew into loving theatre as well. She looks forward to this production as it’s her first with the SBCC theatre.

CHARLIE SCHURMER (Jake Laurents, Young George, George) is a 3rd year Theatre Arts acting major at SBCC and is extremely excited to have this opportunity to be playing George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play! Charlie was born and raised in the beautiful valley, Ojai CA.  He first started his acting adventure as an 8-year-old where he played the Emperor in The Emperor with No Clothes at his elementary school.  He then took a very long break from acting as he concentrated on athletics. When college came around, with big inspiration from his brother who took acting classes at SBCC, he started his acting adventure again! In his 2nd year he was seen as Charles Bingley in the SBCC’s Theatre Arts production of Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. In the Spring he returned to his high school as an alumnus to play Teen Angel in Grease.

ADA VINTAR (Trixie Devine, Old Man Collins, Ed, Rose, Sade, Dr. Campbell, Man at Martini) is a student at Santa Barbara City College studying screenwriting and playwriting. This production marks her inaugural return to acting as an adult.

PRODUCTION STAFF
KATIE LARIS (Director) is Co-Chair, stage director and an associate professor of acting for The Theatre Arts Department at SBCC. Recent productions include Anything Goes, A Small Family Business, Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley, Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Legally Blonde, The Outsider, Emma, Guys & Dolls, Comedy of Tenors, Something Rotten!, Murder on the Orient Express, Ripcord, Here We Go Again, The Thin Man, Looking Back, Looking Forward, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Sense and Sensibility, Significant Other, The Game’s Afoot, Grease, Communicating Doors, It’s a Wonderful Life, Rabbit Hole, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, and Dead Man’s Cell Phone. Katie received her B.A. in Theatre/Literature from Reed College and her M.F.A. in Theatre Directing from Columbia University.

BARBARA HIRSCH (Sound Designer) owns Opus 1 mobile recording, recording much of Santa Barbara’s rich musical scene.  Working in theatre has included writing music for theatre, playing in the pit, running sound for shows. Ages ago she won a Dramalogue Sound Design award for SBCLO’s Singin’ in the Rain, a show whose rain on stage helped to end a years’ long drought – so cool!  More recently she has provided music and sound for many SBCC productions. Barbara loves working with Katie Laris, Ben Crop and the truly talented folks this theatre department attracts..  In another realm she owns the long-loved Santa Barbara Yoga Center.

PAMELA SHAW (Costume Designer) is resident costume designer for The Theatre Group at SBCC, recently designing Clue, Anything Goes, Young Frankenstein, Ken Ludwig’s Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood, Lost in Yonkers, Legally Blonde, Guys and Dolls, Something Rotten!, Murder on the Orient Express, Sense & Sensibility and Significant Other among many other productions. Ms. Shaw was Costume Designer for the off-Broadway show Lonesome Traveler; the musical Bonnie & Clyde, the World Premiere musical The Dark of the Moon, the World Premiere musical Somebody to Love, Return to The Forbidden Planet and South Pacific at The Rubicon Theatre, The Curious Case of the Watson Intelligence, San Patricios and The Book of Will at PCPA and Assistant Costume Designer for TV sensation Vampire Diaries. She was the Assistant Costume Designer on the Best Picture and Best Costume Design Academy Award winning film, The Artist, with Mark Bridges, costume designer. Ms. Shaw is a member of the Costume Designers Guild Local 892, the 2017-2029 Western Region Board Chair and Local Union Executive Board Trustee of United Scenic Artists, USA Local 829, IATSE.

ANDREW LAYTON (Scenic & Lighting Designer) has over 25 years of design, drafting, drawing and model-making experience in the entertainment industry. He has worked as Assistant/Associate designer on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in Regional Theatres around the country, and spent four seasons as Scenic Design Supervisor at the Williamstown Theatre Festival. Andrew has taught at MiraCosta College, Oakland University, UC-Santa Barbara, and was Resident Scenic Designer at the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts. A graduate of the North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA), and The University of Washington (MFA), Andrew is very happy to be a new faculty member at SBCC.

LALLI CORTEZ-MARTINEZ (Production Stage Manager) is currently enrolled at SBCC where she is studying acting and business. This is her first time serving in this capacity. Previously, she worked backstage as an assistant stage manager for Miss Bennett: Christmas at Pemberley. Though Lalli has worked backstage a lot, she hopes to share the stage next semester with her colleagues.