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<\/a>The cute little Christmas tree in the lobby, decorated with flannel underwear, to fit the theme of the play. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n
Material like this is far from my usual cup of tea, but I appreciate the holiday atmosphere that the Playhouse is offering. I love<\/em> this theater, especially at the holidays. They make everything feel warm and fuzzy. (Mr. X said, \u201cJust the look of the physical theatre from the street is uplifting. It\u2019s crazy!\u201d)<\/p>\n In case you, also, are not very familiar with the Little House<\/em> stories, they follow the real-life Ingalls family in the Midwest, circa 1870. This particular one takes place at Christmastime. (I believe the story is adapted<\/em> from Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books, rather than being directly from one of them.)<\/p>\n There\u2019s not really much of a plot here; rather, it\u2019s basically just showing us what one old-time Christmas in the Midwest might have been like for this family. There are relatives, guests, boys, girls, singing, live down-home music, some dramatic weather action off-stage, and a Christmas tree. What more could you want?! (Well, actually, I did<\/em> want something more\u2014for that tree to finally get decorated!!!)<\/p>\n The set. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n As usual at SMP, I loved the set, which was designed by Stephen Gifford. It\u2019s also great that the stage is so high up, so that, no matter where you sit in the theatre, you\u2019re able to see over people\u2019s heads.<\/p>\n The show starts out pretty slowly, (and stays that way for awhile,) but both Mr. X and I said separately that it picks-up when \u201cUncle George\u201d starts playing the harmonica. Barry Schwam does a charming portrayal of that sweet, quiet man.<\/p>\n Rachel McLaughlin and Rich Cassone. Photo by Karen Salkin. Photo by Gina Long.<\/p><\/div>\n The entire cast is actually appropriately goony, with a couple of other stand-outs. Rachel McLaughlin, who plays the mother, is an excellent singer and dancer. I really enjoyed her few little musical bits. And, Thomas Colby, as the good friend and neighbor, certainly gives his role his all. That man is a fount of boundless energy!<\/p>\n I think that everyone will appreciate the addition of the live music from that time period. (This is not a musical<\/em>, though; it\u2019s billed as \u201ca play with music,\u201d which is the perfect designation for it.) Rich Cassone, (as \u201cPa,\u201d) plays the fiddle quite a few times, which he learned to do just for this show! Wow. That\u2019s quite an impressive feat. Along with George\u2019s harmonica, they add a welcome richness to the action. And in this very countrified playhouse, with all the wood on stage, it really did take me away from modern times for that little while. I felt like I was a little girl with my family again, watching a play in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, or Narragansett, Rhode Island, (which, to a Brooklyn girl like me, was about as country as one could get!) I love that feeling!<\/p>\n Part of the lobby display. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n They could have easily cut the opening song, though; it added nothing, except a very slow start to the play. But I\u2019m guessing that the powers-that-be at the theatre felt they needed it to set the tone. Or perhaps to lengthen this particular theatre experience. Even with intermission, the show is only ninety minutes long, (which is just the way I like it, by the way. It\u2019s the perfect length of time to be in one place during the busy holiday season.)<\/p>\n Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n I feel that every Hopefully, just perusing the always-interesting lobby display will do the trick for some of them. There are all kinds of fascinating tidbits out there, including what to do on a \u201cslow\u201d holiday, like \u201cwhittle something,\u201d and \u201cthumb wrestle.\u201d (Oysh.) I must admit, though\u2014I\u2019d be more than happy to \u201cplay Old Maid!\u201d Maybe that means I\u2019m more rugged than I thought! (Yeah, right.)<\/p>\n At the start of intermission on the night I saw A Little House Christmas<\/em>, I heard someone say, \u201cI\u2019m hooked.\u201d I think you will be, too.<\/p>\n A Little House Christmas<\/em> running through December 23, 2016<\/strong> A LITTLE HOUSE CHRISTMAS I have never read the Little House on the Prairie books, nor seen the TV series, except to hear a bit of it when my little mother watched it. (Obsessively, I might add.) She really loved those old re-runs! So, this Sierra Madre Playhouse Christmas offering was basically my first real<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>spoiled brat<\/del> child in Los Angeles should see this show so that they realize just how lucky they are. There\u2019s nothing like the realization that one\u2019s counterparts had to fetch their own firewood back in the day, if they wanted to be warm, to make someone appreciate all their modern conveniences. (Actually, sadly, in many areas of this country, people still<\/em> have to do that, or similar chores, today!) I\u2019d venture a guess that most LA kids never heard of such a thing. Maybe the play should be interactive, with every child or young adult who sees it having to do some labor. (I would pay extra to see that!)<\/p>\n
\n Sierra Madre Playhouse \u00a087 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. \u00a0Sierra Madre \u00a0 626-355-4318 \u00a0 www.sierramadreplayhouse.org<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"