The Best Christmas Pageant Ever at Lakewood Playhouse

A Minor Miracle

by Michael Dresdner 

Thanks both to the skills of director Marty MacKenzie and to an innovative partnership with LIT, the theatre’s educational arm, Lakewood Playhouse is offering a Christmas-themed play, both by and for children, that is surprisingly good. A strong cast and crisp, innovative directing, including some very funny physical comedy, make this worth watching on its own merits, beyond the obvious allure of cute kids. For once, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever may actually live up to its name.  

Why the surprise? First, any show with 20 children in the cast is already a challenge. On top of that, there’s the unlikely script. In it, characters so stereotypically evil as to be almost cartoonish go through jarringly rapid and unlikely personality changes.     

The story involves a town that mounts a traditional, crèche-inspired Christmas pageant every year at the local church. The same kids are always cast, but this year there’s a hitch. The usual director, Helen Armstrong (Cassie Cahill), is in traction with a broken leg, and she reluctantly turns over the production to Grace Bradley (MariClaire Schilling) and her comically grudging husband Bob (Mark Peterson.) Much of the exposition is provided in the form of narration by their daughter Beth (Kathryn Dunkelberger.)  

The naïve Grace ends up casting the town delinquents, a gaggle of hard-core young bullies who are all siblings from the same welfare family. They scare off the “good” kids and grab all the lead roles. Things go from bad to worse, and havoc ensues. All looks lost until the 11^th hour, when said bullies inexplicably and instantaneously transform into caring sweethearts once the curtain goes up on the play. The moral is that if we only accept them, the mean will turn kind and the selfish compassionate. Hey, it’s a Christmas story; it’s supposed to be miraculous.  

MacKenzie started by casting three strong actors for the adult leads; four if you include the narrating elder daughter. Schilling did an excellent job of anchoring the play as the mother who reluctantly takes on the task of directing, while Dunkelburger more than held her own in the demanding and arguably adult role as daughter and narrator. Peterson was delightfully funny as the classic, put-upon father who’d rather hide behind his paper than be involved in a kids play, but who steps up, as expected, when needed.

Perhaps the funniest and certainly most over-the-top adult performance came from Cahill as the brash, outrageous Helen Armstrong. Dressed in outré outfits even though confined to a hospital bed and wheelchair, she deftly wields the phone as her chosen weapon of control, albeit unsuccessfully. 

Equally impressive was the large cast of children, which may in part be a credit to LIT. Two of the larger roles, Imogene Herdman  (Alexis Collins) and her kid sister Gladys (Rachel Wrede) stood out, but all the children were admirable actors. While children in plays are sometimes more trouble than help, these kids were attentive, motivated, hard-working, and skilled beyond their years. In short, they were not just kids, but real actors.

The pacing was excellent, with strong, sensible blocking, culminating in the high point of the physical humor at the end of act one. As a church rehearsal devolves into chaos with a fire scare, the stage erupts with streams of frantic, interlaced, running actors, both children and adults. It’s Keystone Kops meets Marx Brothers in a superbly choreographed melee worthy of Mack Sennett, and the long, frenetic scene went off without a hitch or a single collision. 

All this took place on a clean, efficient set designed by Blake York, replete with a stunning argyle-pattern painted floor, which seemed to have no mission beyond adding panache. As always, the lighting and sound, by Alex Smith, was both clever and well blended, while Marcie Hagerman’s costumes were believable and thoroughly appropriate. Between scene changes, Music Director Melanie Stevens treated us to iconic old Christmas songs, many of which were humorously and eerily appropriate to the action.

If you’ve seen this play before, trust me, this version is way better. In fact, it may well change your mind about the wisdom of attending shows where children hold the lion’s share of the roles. Give it a shot, even if you don’t know anyone in the cast. I suspect you’ll be delightfully surprised.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

Dec. 13 to Dec. 24, 2012

Lakewood Playhouse

http://www.lakewoodplayhouse.org/

Sister's Christmas Catechism at Centerstage

Hark, the herald angel

by Michael Dresdner

Shh! Better be quiet and sit down! Sister is in the house.  

Yes, go ahead and rejoice, because Centerstage has brought Sister’s Christmas Catechism, the seasonal version of the deservedly popular Late Night Catechism, to its stage. And yes, it is every bit as hilarious, entertaining, and flat-out delightful as its, ahem… “sister” show.

You have not seen any of the Catechism series? Shame on you. Ok, sit up straight, hands in your lap, and I’ll explain what you’ve missed.

Sister is delightfully portrayed by Nonie Newton-Breen, a smart, sassy, schoolmarm in nun’s garb who transforms the theater into a Catholic classroom and the audience into her highly interactive class. Weaving a wealth of real and fascinating canonical history into a non-stop barrage of humor and faux cynicism, she finds willing victims in the audience to harass, reward and involve. The upshot is that everyone feels like part of the festivities (a few more than others) and we all have a wonderful time. 

Catholics get to relive their childhood experiences through a veil of spot-on humor, which I am sure is as cathartic as it is rib-tickling. Non-Catholics get the joy of peeking behind the veil of a world both strange and frequently lampooned. Either way, it is a win-win.  

Sister used the period before recess (or intermission, if you insist on calling it the first act) to locate her best victims and get everyone both laughing and caught up on the history of Christmas and Saint Nick. There were prizes for right answers and withering gibes for those who fell short of her high standards.

After recess, she set up a Nativity play. Using bags of often garish and always cleverly chosen thrift shop finds, she dressed a Joseph, a Mary, three Magi, a drummer boy, a shepherd, an ass, an ox, a sheep, and a small, halo-graced angel crafted from a child in the audience.

The sheep, for instance, was convincingly decked out in a white fuzzy throw rug, a matching toilet seat cover hat with office clip ears, black socks on her arms, and a black cup clenched in her teeth for a snout. Magi sported everything from table runners and brocade slip covers to a clever hat made of a blender cozy.

Watching her dress her audience assistants, and seeing their reactions, was a show in itself, but that wasn’t enough. She then had them go through the motions, accompanied by song and story, to recreate a living nativity scene, and ultimately solve the mystery of the missing Magi gold. The music, which Sister also controlled with an iron hand, came from an on-stage barbershop quartet in matching outfits made up, apparently, of people who just happened to be in the audience.

Every minute of the evening was joyous, hilarious, and captivating, thanks in small part to a good-natured audience, but mostly to Newton- Breen’s considerable skill.

In short, Sister’s Christmas Catechism is an absolutely delightful way to spend an evening. Now, here are the dates of future shows in which you can indulge, so pay attention; there will be rewards in heaven for those who get the answers right.

Sister’s Christmas Catechism

Dec. 5 through Dec. 22, 2012

Centerstage

http://www.centerstagetheatre.com/EventDetails.aspx?EventID=80

Miracle on 34th Street at TLT

 Elliot Weiner, Elena Easley 

A Believable Miracle

by Michael Dresdner

The stage version of Miracle on 34^th Street now playing at Tacoma Little Theatre is a sterling example of how impressive theatre can be when all the elements click. A large, solid cast directed by Casi Wilkerson, very creative lighting, delightful music, a wealth of fine costumes, and an absolutely mind-blowing set combine to make this charming Christmas story of trust and imagination a worthwhile investment for the season.

I’m sure everyone has seen at least one of the movie versions of this classic so heavily aired this time of year. The play is fairly close to the movie, so I’ll keep the synopsis brief.

Kris Kringle, who claims to be the real Santa Claus, is hired to replace a drunken Santa by Macy’s’ event coordinator Doris, a pragmatic single mom with a cynical young daughter, Susan. Kris wins over customers and bosses, has a run in with a stuffy personnel wonk named Sawyer, and gets himself committed to a mental hospital. With help from Doris’ love-struck neighbor, a lawyer, Kris must get himself released, fulfill some promises, get the lawyer and Doris together, and convince Susan he’s the real deal, all before Christmas. (Yes, he does.)

Adysen Barkhurst, Elliot Weiner 

Throughout the huge and admirable cast are some wonderful portrayals, starting with the leads. Elliot Weiner is both charming and fitting as Kris Kringle. Gabe McClelland brings the perfect touch and convincing manner to lawyer Fred Gayley, who lives next door to, and has a schwarm for, Doris. Elena Easley is a solid and likeable Doris, but as good as she is, she is sometimes outshined by her perky factotum, Shellhammer, played superbly by Jefri Peters. Incidentally, Jefri’s infant son appears on stage several times doing a very convincing job of being, well… an infant. Last, and certainly not least, go kudos to young Adysen Barkhurst who is both adorable and outstanding as Susan, the non-believing daughter who hides a genuine hopeful streak inside.  

But it’s not just the leads who carry this. Michael Osier does an outstanding portrayal of a drunken Santa in the opening scene, then shows up later, just as convincingly, as a cigar chomping ward healer advising the presiding judge (Steve Lien) in Santa’s hearing. Perhaps my favorite portrayal, though, was Joseph Grant as the supercilious popinjay Sawyer, who tricks Kris into getting himself incarcerated.

It may be hard to believe with such a fine cast, but even they are a bit overshadowed by what I can honestly say is the best set I’ve ever seen in any community theatre production. Set designer Blake R. York, aided by props and set dresser Jeffery Weaver and set painter Brie Yost, pulled out all the stops and, taking advantage of the theater’s rotating floor, created four sets, each one so impressive and dazzling that one alone would garner accolades. There’s a snow-kissed store front street scene, an iconic Santa’s throne receiving area, a courtroom, and Doris and Susan’s apartment. In a fine choice by the director, when the floor is rotated through one scene for another we see people in each of the “unused” sets doing just what they’d be doing if it were the set in use. It was a clever and pleasant way to let the audience experience the set changes.

Excellent lighting by Niclas R. Olson, including the very clever use of some GOBOs for special effects, and delightful period era music from sound designer Joseph Kelly all added to the allure. Wrapping up the whole package were a huge array of fine costumes from Michele Graves, Diane Runkel and Marci Hagerman.  

Forget the fact that this is a tired old chestnut, and forget that you’ve seen it many times on film. Indulge once more and go see Miracle on 34^th Street. This version at Tacoma Little Theatre is a feel-good experience that’s sure to make your holiday much more merry, no matter what you believe in.  

Miracle on 34^th Street

Nov. 30 to Dec. 23, 2012

Tacoma Little Theatre

http://www.tacomalittletheatre.com/

   

Cinderella at Centerstage

Thoroughly Modern Silly

by Michael Dresdner

Buttons (Erick Gratton) and Cinderella (Erin Herrick)

Once again, Centerstage has mounted a traditional English Pantomime, an adaptation of Cinderella which debuted in 1804 at Drury Lane Theatre in London. This version, directed by Vince Brady, has all the zany elements you’d expect of Panto, but overlaid with very modern music.

Pantomimes, or Pantos are traditionally performed at Christmas for family audiences, and this one, with lots of audience and child participation, is especially family friendly. Even the music, most of it from the past decade, is aimed at endearing the younger members of the family.

Don’t let the word Pantomime fool you. Originally a dumb show preceded by a spoken section, audiences preferred the noisy part to the silent. Consequently, it morphed into the boisterous romp it is today, but kept the misleading name.

Along with song, dance, and general buffoonery, Panto incorporates a host of common elements. There are always inside jokes, topical and local references, a fairy godmother with unusual powers, and mild sexual innuendo, usually targeted to tickle the adults but go over the heads of the children. And there’s cross dressing; at least one man is played by a young woman costumed to show off her very female attributes, while one or more men dress as female hags.

But most of all, there is audience participation. Audiences cheer heroes, who enter stage right, and boo villains, who enter stage left, loudly warn cast members of trouble, point out which way someone went, and get into arguments with characters (Oh, no you can’t/ Oh, yes I can.) This one has all of that, plus sing-alongs and on stage tasks for volunteer children pulled from the audience, all of whom get rewards for helping out.

An absolutely delightful fairy godmother (Rosalie Hilburn) introduces the play while forcing the audience to join into what will become non-stop vocal interaction. She breaks the ice by sweetly ordering everyone to cheer for her whenever she enters the stage, and repeats her entrance until you get it right. Once caught up in the interactive mood, it’s easy to keep it going.

Cinderella (Erin Herrick) is the sweet songstress you’d expect, but hangs with a clownish friend, Buttons (Erik Gratton) who secretly, and fruitlessly, pines for her. Don’t worry; he eventually finds a girlfriend (Lissa Bak) who sings as well as her rival.

   Dandini (Alex Blouin) and Prince Charming (HIlary Heinz Luthi)

Both Cinderella’s object of affection, Prince Charming (Hilary Heinz Luthi) and “his” sidekick/body guard Dandini (Alex Blouin) are played by women in drag, both showing plenty of leg and dancing up a storm. On the distaff side, played by men in drag, are the very funny and genuinely ugly stepsisters, Kourtney (Roger Curtis) and Khloe (artistic director Alan Bryce.) Baron Hardup (Sam Barker) is Cinderella’s oafish and henpecked father, and they’re all amplified by seven more ensemble cast members who, like the leads, sing, dance and play a variety of roles.

Music is a big part of Panto, and as usual, it was adroitly led by Musical Director David Duvall on keyboards with Andrew Carson on guitar, Larry Leggett on bass, and Troy Lund on percussion. As I said, the music in this one is modern, borrowing songs from Michael Buble, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, Adele and Avril Levigne, and Lady Gaga plus a few chestnuts we old timers will recognize.

For me, the musical highlight was “If I Were Not In Panto Land,” a successive telescoping song. The first actor sings a verse accompanied by hand and body motions illustrating it. The next joins in and sings a new verse, with new motions, and so on down the line. By the end, there’s a long line of actors singing and miming verses simultaneously to the same tune with movements all flawlessly synchronized to interact with one another. It’s hard to describe, but a true delight to watch.

There’s plenty of energetic dance, choreographed by Amy Johnson, a wide range of bright and sometimes silly costumes by Ron Leamon (with wigs by Johnni Whitby), and the usual great sound and lighting design by Amy Silvera. Set designer Sarah Sugarbaker went with very simple and unobtrusive moveable backgrounds, but the one standout was an amazingly elaborate carriage by Stephen Moody that must have eaten up the bulk of the set budget. It was pulled by two actors in a horse costume, another Panto convention.

To be honest, the show I saw on opening night suffered from common first-audience problems and delays. As we say in theatre, it needed a lot of air squeezed out of it, and it ran longer that I felt it should have. As that’s not uncommon for opening night, and typically goes away quickly, odds are very good that the version you see will be crisper and shorter.

Again, make sure you bring the whole family to this one. There were plenty of kids in the audience, even very young ones, and I watched them for their reaction. They were thoroughly entertained, fully involved, and were clearly having a great time.

Cinderella

Nov. 30 to Dec. 23, 2012

Centerstage

http://www.centerstagetheatre.com/

For another take on Cinderella, read Alec Clayton's review at: http://alecclayton.blogspot.com/2012/12/cinderella-rocks-centerstage.html