“Look, Daddy, teacher says, every time a bell rings ...” Chances are, nine out of every 10 people can finish this famous line from “It’s a Wonderful Life.” Those who cannot should be forced to sit in front of TBS on Christmas Eve, where they will inevitably be exposed to the classic 1946 film. Frank Capra’s “It’s a Wonderful Life” is to America what Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” is to the Brits. Both stories portray a mythical Christmas spirit, where kindness and generosity ultimately prevail, instead of consumerism and ugly sweaters.

This year, Seacoast residents can see “It’s a Wonderful Life” performed live and without commercials. Pontine Theater will present the holiday classic on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 14, 15 and 16. Staged at the West End Studio Theater on Islington Street in Portsmouth, the performance will feature Pontine’s co-directors M. Marguerite Mathews and Greg Gathers, who play all the characters through the use of puppets and masks.    

“It’s one of my favorites. I love the movie and have been wanting to do it for years and years and years,” Mathews said.
However, translating the movie into a stage performance proved difficult. Mathews and Gathers drew from a radio performance of “It’s a Wonderful Life” that broke the story down into several short scenes. The radio play “solved a lot of the problems I had been trying to solve in terms of reducing the scope and size and putting it on stage. That radio script gave us a structure,” Mathews said.

Using puppets and masks instead of a full cast has given the performance mobility. “I prefer it. It’s an idea called ‘permanent ensemble.’ It becomes a puzzle on how you can do it, so it’s a stylistic choice as well as one of convenience,” Mathews said, noting that she and Gathers have already performed the play at several libraries and retirement homes across New Hampshire.
This is the second year Pontine has performed “It’s a Wonderful Life.” According to Mathews, the story helps people get in the holiday spirit.

“I think that the reason these kinds of stories survive and are retold is because they speak very deeply to us,” she said. “Things may seem difficult and things may be heart-breaking, but there is a deeper worth to human experience, a sense of worth in our connection to other people. I think people hunger for that sense of home and familiarity.”

Prior to each show, French Canadian musician Lucie Therrien will perform several folk-inspired holiday tunes. During the performance, Jeffrey Zohler will provide musical accompaniment on the dulcimer and lute. Afterward, audience members will be invited onstage to play with the puppets, try on the masks and enjoy complimentary eggnog and cookies.

Performances are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m., 959 Islington St., Portsmouth. Tickets are $15. A special prepaid rate of $10 is available for groups of 10 or more. Reservations are recommended and can be made by calling Pontine Theatre at 603-436-6660, or emailing This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it Tickets can also be purchased online at www.pontine.org.