A beloved American holiday story will come to life onstage in downtown Holland for a fourth Christmas season when Hope Repertory Theatre presents “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” on Wednesday through Saturday, Dec. 17-20 at the Knickerbocker Theatre.

All evening performances during that timeframe start at 7:30 p.m., and an afternoon matinee is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 20, at 2 p.m.

With the help of an ensemble that brings multiple characters to the stage, the story of idealistic George Bailey unfolds as he considers what life would be without him one fateful Christmas Eve. A highlight of the production is seeing the actors perform the live sound effects as they would have been created for a radio show in 1940.

“We are delighted to once again share this community tradition of ‘It’s A Wonderful Life,’” said Michelle Bombe, who is executive artistic director of Hope Repertory Theatre and is also a professor and chair of Hope’s theatre department. “Families are making an evening at the theatre a family tradition! We have a delightful pre-show with local choirs singing in the lobby and our own professional actors singing some favorites as well. This is a must-see way to start your holiday.”

Written by Joe Landry and first produced in 1996, the play is based on the 1946 film produced and directed by Frank Capra and starring James Stewart as George Bailey.  The film was itself an adaptation — of a 1943 short story, “The Greatest Gift,” by Philip Van Doren Stern.  

This year’s production is directed by Curt L. Tofteland, who is founder of Shakespeare Behind Bars and former artistic director of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. Tofteland’s previous Hope Rep credits include directing “Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus” in 2025, “Romeo and Juliet” in 2013, and performing in “I Remember Mama” in 2011.

The cast will include multiple Hope alumni and a current Hope student. The title role of George Bailey will be performed by Jon Sprik, who is a Los Angeles-based actor and 2008 Hope graduate.  Other members of the cast will include Renae Geerlings, a 1996 Hope graduate from Fayetteville, Georgia; John Phillips from Los Angeles; Adam Chamness, a 2023 Hope graduate from Holland; and Hope senior Sofia Wake of Washington, Illinois.

Hope Repertory Theatre — or “Hope Rep” — produces plays and educational programs throughout the summer and during the academic year, and involves theatre professionals and student interns onstage and in technical and production areas.

Hope Rep began as Hope Repertory Theatre, inspired by the opening of the 500-seat DeWitt Center main theatre in the fall of 1971. It adopted its current repertory format and became Hope Summer Repertory Theatre in 1974.  The name was shortened to Hope Repertory Theatre in 2022 to reflect the company’s history of also including productions at other times of the year.

Ticket Information

Tickets for “It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play” are $35-$40 for regular admission; $25-$30 for senior citizens and members of the Hope faculty and staff; $15-$20 for high school students and college students; and free for children of middle-school age and younger.  

Tickets are available at the ticket office in the Events and Conferences Office located in downtown Holland in the Anderson-Werkman Financial Center (100 E. Eighth St.). The ticket office is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and can be called at 616-395-7890. Tickets are also available online at hope.edu/tickets.

To inquire about accessibility or accommodations to fully participate in the event, please email accommodations@hope.edu.  Updates related to events are posted when available at hope.edu/calendar in the individual listings.

The Knickerbocker Theatre is located at 86 E. Eighth St., between College and Columbia avenues.