Every Time A Bell Rings...

Every time a bell rings, Kevin Day gets his wings. But after four years, he's still hoping he'll learn to fly someday in his role as Clarence in the Silver Dollar City production of "It's a Wonderful Life."

"Put in a good word for me," he tells a reporter. "Tell them I want to fly."

That's not to say the production isn't magical for the actor, who has spent most of his life in choral music. When he moved to Branson, Mo., he says, he was making significant and unscripted alterations in his life. He was changing careers after "aging out" of church music, he says, he'd suffered losses, and his family was still living in Colorado.

"So I thought, 'How ironic.' I'm the one who could use a rescue, I'm the one who needs an angel, and I'm trying to save George," he says. "The first season, I fought not to bawl every time I stepped out on that bridge, because in my own life, I was George.

"It was kind of a healing agent in my own life to do the show."

Now in its fifth year at the 1880s theme park, "It's a Wonderful Life" was adapted by Silver Dollar City Vice President of Entertainment & Events Brad Schroeder based on the 1946 movie starring Jimmy Stewart. Like all of Schroeder's adaptations -- including "A Dickens Christmas Carol," which is also on stage this year -- "It's a Wonderful Life" includes popular music used to move the storyline forward: "Spirit of the Season" from "The Polar Express," "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" from "Spamalot," "Money" from "Cabaret" and "From a Distance," originally recorded by Bette Midler.

"It's not like you do two minutes of dialog, then stop for another song," Day says. "You don't get bogged down by the music. They're incredibly appropriate songs."

Day says 30-plus years into his professional life, he didn't expect to be during four shows a day and five on Saturday. He has a master's degree in choral music, but he says as he got older, he found the field less welcoming. Now he's on stage singing instead of conducting, doing a morning show at the Andy Williams Theater, then three shows a day at Silver Dollar City -- except on Saturdays, when he does four. He's also written a Christian novel, titled "Juniper," builds Native American flutes and portrays a ship's officer the rest of the year at the Titanic attraction in Branson.

"I never imagined I wouldn't be in church work all my life," he says. "And I can't say playing Clarence was on my radar as one my goals. But I did love the ['It's a Wonderful Life'] movie, and I love how [Silver Dollar City] has condensed an incredible story into a one-hour show at turbo speed. It's supercharged with good talent and great music and fun dance. That's why all ages enjoy it."

"It's a Wonderful Life" is just one element of An Old Time Christmas at Silver Dollar City. The event, which continues through Dec. 30, also features a five-story Christmas tree with a light and sound show, a lighted parade and 5 million lights on the buildings that house the theme park's shops and attractions.

"One of the festival's most popular features is Rudolph's Holly Jolly Christmas Light Parade, led by the most famous reindeer of all," says park spokeswoman Martha Hoy Bohner. "As grand marshal, Rudolph leads nine musical, lighted floats, accompanied by 44 colorful costumed characters, including Bumble the Abominable Snow Monster, 14-foot moose characters, 12-foot tall elves and 10-foot candy canes, plus penguins, elves and a troupe of marching wooden soldiers."

In addition to "It's a Wonderful Life" and "A Dickens Christmas Carol," new this year is "Tinker Junior's Toy Shop," which stars a 12-foot tall talking Christmas tree that talks, sings and interacts with kids, accompanied by huge toy characters.

"You can't go out in the park and not smile," Day says. "It's just a happy place this time of year."

NAN What's Up on 11/25/2016