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<\/a>The stage before the show beigns. Photo by Karen Salkin, as is the big one at the top of the page.<\/p><\/div>\n
The mounting of the play version of this now-classic film is one of the most gargantuan theatre undertakings I can ever imagine, especially for a smaller theatre like this one! I could not for the life of me figure-out how they were going to do it. I had no idea that this had been a play, and even a Broadway musical, in the past, so I guess there is<\/em> a bit of a blueprint, albeit for much bigger theatres.<\/p>\n So I\u2019m happy to report that director Christian Lebano\u2019s production is a delight. I really hope that everyone reading this anywhere near Southern California will make time to see this show. The many surprises alone are worth the visit. Mr. X was smiling the entire time, (outside of when he was laughing<\/em>.) And admitted<\/em> it! He usually grumbles about seeing shows with me, but not only did he really enjoy this<\/em> one, he went willingly<\/em>, based on SMP\u2019s past productions.<\/p>\n Even though we\u2019ve seen the movie version of A Christmas Story<\/em> so many times that we know it by heart, we got giddy over so many of the production surprises here. I don\u2019t want to spoil any of them for you, but I am<\/em> bursting to tell you that when some holiday lights came on over the audience on opening night, it brought big \u201coohs\u201d and \u201cahhs.\u201d<\/p>\n The main set. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n If you\u2019ve never seen the film, (which I can’t even imagine!,) you should be charmed by this discovery. And if you have<\/em>, you will be happy to follow along; we were impressed with how they pulled-off the different locations and scenes on just a small-ish stage. It\u2019s all very clever. They even do the fantasy bits from the film, that are my least liked parts of it to begin with. But here they actually amused me.<\/p>\n The set itself, designed by Charles Erven, could not be more perfect. It\u2019s wonderful, on every level. Even the proscenium arch is painted appropriately for the occasion! And all the old-school appointments really made my mouth water. I also love the old-school wardrobe.<\/p>\n One end of the festive lobby. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n The festive atmosphere is set from the moment you enter the lobby of Sierra Madre Playhouse. All real-world thoughts should melt away as soon as you step inside this winter wonderland. Holiday music is playing, and there\u2019s a Christmas tree at one end, with a seat for Santa, should he choose to visit. One wall is lined with the entries from the \u201cUgly Lamp Contest.\u201d (I think a winner has already been chosen, but you can see them all for the duration.) And the other has a display of popular holiday toys through the years, complete with an original Barbie, and a Shirley Temple doll! (I had one myself, but this one is from 1934<\/em>! Oh my.)<\/p>\n The “Parker Family”: (Clockwise from top) Richard Van Slyke, Griffin Sanford, Andrea Stradling, and Kevin Ying. Photo by John Dlugolecki.<\/p><\/div>\n Now to my thoughts on the play itself. In case you\u2019re not aware of the film, it\u2019s really a series of colorful anecdotes about nine-year-old Ralphie Parker and his family leading up to Christmas, as opposed to one cohesive storyline. It\u2019s all charming and humorous and familiar. For example, the little brother\u2019s snow<\/em> outfit is exactly how my mother dressed\u2026all the time<\/em>! It always makes me laugh in the movie and is even funnier in this play. Young Kevin Ying, as \u201cRandy,\u201d really sells it without overplaying it. And Henderson Nguyen as \u201cFlick\u201d does the tongue-stuck-to-the-pole bit perfectly!<\/p>\n By the way, the children and teacher are double-cast. We saw the \u201cMistletoe Cast,\u201d so I highly recommend you do the same since I can\u2019t vouch for the other one. [Note: Griffin Sanford, the \u201cRalphie\u201d we saw, looks to be closer to fifteen than to nine, so just assume he\u2019s younger and go with it. But I have a feeling he\u2019ll be playing college kids before we know it!] Shockingly, (since my only prejudices in life are against Hari Krishna, Scientologists, and child actors<\/em>!,) I liked all the kids in this show. The girls are adorable! (Yes, you read that right\u2014there are girls<\/em> in this one. They added some parts that aren\u2019t in the film, but are<\/em> in the book that the movie is based on. For example, the little girls, including a love interest, of sorts, and more scenes for the teacher. But where was the Toadie? I missed him!)<\/p>\n I have no pix of the teahcer, so enjoy this one of the Ugly Lamp Contest in the lobby. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n The absolute highlight of the show was the performance of Danon Dastague as the teacher, Miss Shields. That woman is a riot! So you should not miss her. (When you order your tickets, just check to see which nights she\u2019s performing, if you have a choice of dates.)<\/p>\n In the film, the narrator, grown-up Ralphie, is never seen. So, at first, I was thrown by seeing him appear here, as an ever-present part of the show. But as time went on, I came to accept it, and then even appreciate him being there.<\/p>\n (L-R) Kevin Ying, Jackson Kendall, (as the grown-up Ralphie,) and Griffin Sanford. (You know that I’m totally against firearms in life, but this one is comedically central to the story.) Photo by John Dlugolecki.<\/p><\/div>\n Mr. X enjoyed A Christmas Story<\/em> so much that I have to share some of his thoughts on it with you. He pointed-out that it\u2019s a \u201cwarm show\u201d that \u201cit grows on you as it goes along.\u201d He lauded the \u201ccreative use of the space, as is always the case at Sierra Madre Playhouse,\u201d along with the \u201cnice, sweet general atmosphere\u201d of the theatre. And he was very impressed with something most audience members don\u2019t give even a thought to when it\u2019s done right–all the tech work! (I.e. The cues being on time, the on-set lights looking like the actors are putting them on and off, the sound effects and music, etc. All of them are absolutely spot-on!)<\/p>\n My only one teensy-tiny issue with this production is that, as always, I\u2019m not a fan of \u201cdiverse casting,\u201d no matter how good an actor may be. In this case, having the little brother be Asian is confusing. If I didn\u2019t know the story already, I would assume that a subplot of the scenario would be that he\u2019s adopted, and in the 1940s, that would be a whole interesting tale unto itself! It\u2019s just distracting. And I learned that Farkas, the big bully who constantly beats-up the other boys, is played in the alternate cast by…a girl! You know how into Girl Power I am, but that\u2019s just wrong! It changes the whole meaning of what the author meant! [Note: Even worse is that in the upcoming TV special of the musical version of A Christmas Story<\/em>, Maya Rudolph, who\u2019s African-American, is playing the mother, who most definitely is supposed to be Caucasian. Why do producers and directors do these things? It seems to be only plays and musicals who specialize in this kind of casting; films and TV series do not, if ethnicity matters to the narrative.]<\/p>\n The “Holiday Wishes Through The Decades” display. Photo by Karen Salkin.<\/p><\/div>\n But outside of that, I\u2019m in love with Sierra Madre Playhouse\u2019s production of A Christmas Story<\/em>! And I have every confidence that you<\/em> will be, too! (Unless you\u2019re a Grinch, but that\u2019s another story. Oh, maybe they can do that one next<\/em> year!)<\/p>\n One last note\u2014they\u2019re even doing a performance on the afternoon of New Year\u2019s Eve! What a fun activity for that day! It\u2019s fun for the whole family, or just with friends, or even alone\u2014it will warm your soul that much. And, no matter where you\u2019re coming from, there won\u2019t be any traffic to fight at that time! If Mr. X and I hadn\u2019t already seen the play, this is exactly how we would have opted to spend our New Year\u2019s Eve.<\/p>\n A Christmas Story<\/em>\u00a0running through December 31, 2017<\/strong> A CHRISTMAS STORY One of Mr. X and my favorite holiday activities in recent years is seeing the Christmas presentations at Sierra Madre Playhouse. And this year, they\u2019ve outdone themselves with A Christmas Story. It\u2019s the perfect holiday entertainment! I cannot tell you how much I loved this production! (And you know that I rarely<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a><\/a>
\n Sierra Madre Playhouse \u00a087 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. \u00a0Sierra Madre \u00a0626-355-4318 \u00a0www.sierramadreplayhouse.org<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"