December 12, 2003

Dale Connelly and Jim Ed Poole hosted this year's holiday pageant at the Fitzgerald Theater. The show featured performances by Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer, whose repertoire covers bluegrass, swing, and traditional folk music. Dan Chouinard joined in once again for some savvy keyboard work, and Prudence Johnson graced the stage with a few seasonal songs. A centerpiece of the evening was the Morning Show Players' retelling of a Frank Capra classic we now call "Wonderful, It's a Life."

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In Its Entirety
Listen to the whole show

In Segments
"Wonderful, It's a Life!"
Act I
Act II
Act III
Act IV

The Morning Show Players
• Georgia Bailey—Beth Gilleland
• Clarence the Angel—Bubby Spamden (Jim Ed Poole)
• Mr. Potter—Bud Buck (JEP)
• Uncle Billy—Captain Billy (JEP)
• Mr. Gower—Larry Kyle (JEP)
• Don Reed—Tony Bennett (JEP)
• Guy 2 , Neighbor, Cop—Jim Ed Poole
• Gal 1, Mom, Mrs. Banks—Marcy Marxer
• Gal 2, Donna—Cathy Fink
• Franklin, Guy 1, Lackey, Inspector, Ted—Dale Connelly
• Piano—Dan Chouinard
• SFX—Alan Frecthman

Prudence Johnson, with Dan Chouinard on piano
Set 1
• "It Ain't Necessarily So"
• "I Got Plenty of Nuthin'"
• "Love is Here to Stay"

Set 2
• "Cantique de Noel"
• "Baby it's Cold Outside"
• "River"

Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer
Set 1
• "Song of Joy/Mason's Apron"
• "Birds and Ships"
• "Orange Cocoa Cake"
• "Star of Bethlehem"
• "It's The Girl"

Set 2, with Dan Chouinard
• "Swing it Baby, Swing"
• "Rockin' the Uke"
• "House of Gold"
• "The Potato Song"
• "Banjo Pickin' Girl"
• "Here Is the Chorus"
• "Rock-a-bye Boogie"

Related Links
Cathy Fink and Marcy Marxer
Prudence Johnson
The Morning Show home page

More Holiday Features
Echoes of Christmas
Cool Yule: The Flip Side of Holiday Music
Holiday CD picks from from Minnesota Public Radio music staff
2003 holiday broadcast schedule

Purchase related music from Public Radio MusicSource.

Photos from the Rehearsal

MPR Photo/Lindsey Brown Dale Connelley and Beth Gilleland read from the "Wonderful, It's a Life" script.

MPR Photo/Lindsey Brown Soune effects master Jim Ed Poole adds dimension to the radio play.

MPR Photo/Lindsey Brown Alan Frechtman consults with Jim Ed Poole on sound effects to be used in the live program later that evening.

MPR Photo/Lindsey Brown Dan Chouinard is the musical heartbeat of the script.