Month: January 2024

 

White Christmas opens on Christmas Eve during World War Two, with a soldier’s show to celebrate. General Waverly announces his retirement, amid affectionate cheers from the privates. Captain Bob and Private Phil are great friends. Not long after Waverly’s departure, enemy bombs destroy a wall. Phil pulls Bob out of harm’s way. This gives Phil traction when he needs Bob for his two-man show. Bob isn’t pleased. After the war ends, they are indeed excellent at their craft. Before you know, they are successful television producers. They agree (as a favor) to see Judy and Betty Haynes, an impressive sister act. Judy and Phil hit off almost immediately, but for all Phil’s attempts at matchmaking, Betty’s not thrilled with Mr. Sourpuss.

In the recent past, theaters have taken to appropriating familiar films as the launch pad for stage musicals. Particularly during the holidays it’s been a great relief to enjoy something besides (with all due respect) A Christmas Carol and The Nutcracker. A Christmas Story, Miracle on 34^th Street, It’s A Wonderful Life and (of course) White Christmas. You might be dubious, as the mere invocation of Christmas, fraught with tender and deep emotion, can be so easily botched.

No one wants to feel manipulated, or their buttons carelessly pushed. That being said, White Christmas is a great musical, despite the hazards. Its belief in warmth and coming to the rescue of someone in need. The determination to shake off adversity, and contempt for selfishness. White Christmas captures the spirit of that miraculous birthday, without ringing the bell too loud.

Allen Contemporary Theatre’s production of White Christmas was a salve for the weary soul. The cast was spot on in their comic timing, their upbeat, fizzy energy. Their genuine demeanor. The emotional moments were seamless and earnest. At the end the audience was invited to sing a Christmas Carol together. And of course, we all did. Not bad for an evening at the theatre.

Allen Contemporary Theatre staged White Christmas, December 1st-17th, 2023. 1210 East Mainstreet #300, Allen, Texas (844) 822-8849. allencontemporarytheater.net

 

I remember being a high school sophomore and our German teacher recommending It’s A Wonderful Life to us. You should see it. The Frank Capra film that found actual Pathos in a medium inclined to Melodrama. There’s a special delight in watching a film for the very first time, not knowing where it was going. Surprises and tears. I still remember Clarence turning Bedford Falls to Babylon in a few seconds. Or something like that. I have such respect for  It’s A Wonderful Life because it comes by its emotions legitimately. It doesn’t feel contrived or manipulative.

Every Christmas, or should I say every Christmas Season, Wonderful Life is featured on one network or another, night after night, up until Christmas Eve. It’s synonymous with the spirit of Christmas, in a way that’s accessible, believable and earnest. Which raises the question, would a live radio show (a new genre that’s getting traction) of Capra’s classic, work as well for those don’t know this classic? And could it possibly speak to those of us who know every camera shot, every scene, every bit of dialogue? How is that supposed to work? The Joe Landry play (up until the narrative begins) is all about the talent and technicians and cigarette commercials and jingles and the cast as they arrive, shake the snow off their coats, and find their places.

There’s a single narrator, one techie who does the sound effects, others set the broadcast waves. The expressions of the actors, as they deliver their lines. We follow the story of the good-hearted George Bailey, as he passes up one opportunity after another for the sake of his dear ones. We get to know George, his dad, his brother, his mama, the housekeeper. We grit our teeth when Mr. Potter, the vindictive town millionaire butts in. This is all told, of course, through content and live, spoken drama. A commonplace occurrence in the theatre world is a staged reading. When you’re told it will be actors reading from scripts. No whistles and bells. No costumes or props. Just the script. The dialogue. It sounds terribly dull. And yet, it’s astonishing how completely immersed in the production we become. You forget that it’s bare bones and music stands. The show starts, and before we know it, we’re hooked. We need to believe it, and so we do.

Joe Landry’s humble spectacle works (it seems to me) because it captures the spirit of the story. It’s a “community” effort. Everyone in Bedford Falls prays for George, and glad to do so. Their prayers diffuse like radio waves up to God. The cast is a team, converging to share this poignant account. Each one tells a part of it. Moments like the rescue of George’s brother. The suitcase. George finally understanding Mary is the one for him. George lending money to Violet. Zuzu’s petals. The live radio version of It’s a Wonderful Life connects the performers to the audience, binding us in secular, yet sacred epiphanies. Or perhaps different ways of revealing the same one. We are not alone.

Richardson Theatre Centre staged It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play from December 1st-17th, 2023. 518 West Arapaho Road Suite 118. Richardson, TX 75080. 972-699-1130. RichardsonTheatreCentre.net

Jeremy is a ringing success at the law firm where he works. As so many plays do, Here Lies Jeremy Troy opens on a special day. His diligence has paid off, and tonight his boss will be breaking bread with he and his wife (Kathryn) hoping he’ll  make partner. There’s a problem, though. Jeremy never passed the bar, never took a class in Law School, never seen the inside of a courtroom. He falsified his diploma and other credentials. Starting as a clerk gave him the opportunity to practice the spirit, if not the letter, of the law. Charlie, an artist friend of his, happens to drop in. He notices documents and a photo of Jeremy’s graduation class, which is also his. Strange considering the difference in their ages.

Jack Sharkey has written a smart comedy, exposing the flaws and foibles of the human race. When Charlie discovers that Jeremy is a fraud, he threatens to expose him. Making use of his new found cash cow, Charlie hires a painter’s model (Tina). When she shows up, of course, she’s brainless. No one so fetching and willing to disrobe could be intelligent. Sharkey plays with the characters (and our) expectations. Sometimes the worse the outcome, the better the joke. When a beautiful ingenue shows up in Kathryn’s home, perhaps “professional model” isn’t what comes to mind. That being said, there are genuine surprises along the way. The characters often leap to conclusions, only to be disproved. First this comedy condemns deception, and then (at the end) makes viable use of it.

The cast of Here Lies Jeremy Troy is impeccable. Heather Walker Shin as Kathryn Troy is assured, intuitive and utterly invested. Brian Hoffman, as Jeremy, has a gift for the flabbergasted, the cornered, the sincere. Sean M. Lewis (Charlie Bickle) has a snappish, dry, deprecating wit. He’s surprisingly judgmental: considering his sketchy morals. Anthony Magee as Sven Ivorsen (Jeremy’s boss) is boisterous, sensitive and without guile. You might even say: exhilarating. (Anthony, how do you DO it?) Rashae Boyd (the painter’s model) is quite entertaining as the apprentice muse that’s adorable, even if she can’t cook.

Here Lies Jeremy Troy is an ingenious, brisk comedy of errors, with a cracker jack cast and enough gags to get you through the ferocious winter.

Rover Dramawerks presents: Here Lies Jeremy Troy, playing January 11-27^th, 2024. Cox Playhouse, 1517 H Avenue, Plano, Texas 75074. 972-849-0358 www.roverdramawerks.com