Irving Berlin’s White Christmas the Musical
Directed by Robyn Mead and Chris Berthelot
Produced by Allen Contemporary Theatre
Most of us have wonderful memories of the Holidays, spent with family and friends. If you are from Texas, most of them have not been white. But, for those of us who celebrate Christmas, it is hard to not think of this season without thinking of snow and hot cocoa, snuggled around a fire with Holiday tunes playing in the background or watching your favorite Christmas movie. It is a magical time…dare I say the most wonderful time of the year.
For many, one of the most iconic Christmas classics is White Christmas. It is a heartwarming story that will make you laugh and touch your heart at the same time. Adapted for the stage, this musical brings all the elements of this timeless story with colorful characters and lots of beautiful music and dance. Allen Contemporary Theatre, under the direction of Robyn Mead and Chris Berthelot, has assembled the perfect cast to bring this musical to life!
This show is filled with multiple scene changes, gorgeous costumes, amazing vocal performances, and high-energy dance and tap numbers. Mead and Berthelot orchestrated a production team that flawlessly executed on all fronts. Set design by Dale Moon was perfect for this stage. He, along with scenic artist Kasey Bush, and set builder Bill Wash created large, multi-use set pieces that would effortlessly appear and disappear with the assistance of Stage Manager Kristina Rosette and her crew. Costumes by Shana Threlkeld were exquisite for the time and adorned the cast beautifully against the neutral set coloring. Lighting and sound by Melinda and Greg Cotton were very well done.
Music director Jared Duncan crafted well-blended cast numbers and strong solo and duet performances. He has a superb skillset for creating angelic sounds that give you goosebumps. The super talented Becca Tischer choreographed impeccable dance numbers that perfectly accompanied each song. She had an exceptionally talented ensemble to work with who delivered some very impressive tap. I was very entertained and impressed by the ensemble, who had multiple roles throughout the show.
Where do I start with this cast? Juan Perez (as Bob Wallace) was charming with his innocent stylings, beautiful vocal tone, and infectious grin. Perez gave Bob heart and a softness that was truly enjoyable to watch. He was a perfect match to his counterpart Phil Davis, played superbly by the debonair Christian Black. Black is smooth and clever in his delivery, also blessed with a grin that will make you smile and adore him. Together, this team of Wallace and Davis look and sound great together, and their chemistry is spot on. I especially loved a very special moment when Perez sings Count Your Blessings to a sleepy Makayla Mead (as Susan). So sweet.
Then there are the sisters, Betty and Judy, played stunningly by Audrey Reidling and Erin Gayan, respectively. These young ladies have it all! And their voices and chemistry are amazing, both individually and together. Reidling delivers a splendidly jazz-style Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me that is just dreamy. Gayan also has a gorgeous dance duet with Black that is a show stopper.
Brian Hokanson plays the very rigid and aging General Waverly with heart. He, alongside Martha Watson, played by Eileen Halbrooks, run the inn like an old married couple. Halbrooks has a wonderful voice and is a joy to watch. Makayla Mead plays the young niece Susan and is adorable. Aaron Adair plays the perfect Ralph Sheldrake, as well as, a member of the ensemble. Look for him in the train scene. So funny!
I mentioned the ensemble earlier in this review. Comprised of Marissa Nelson, Ashley Kay, Meghan Stewart, Catherine Hesse, and Kim Alldredge, this group of triple-threats elevated the scenes they were in and did exactly what a great ensemble should do. I really enjoyed watching the individual characters they each developed and how well synced they were in their dance numbers. Very well done.
And last, but certainly not least, I would be remiss if I didn’t highlight the amazing work of Heath Bromley (as Mike McNutty) and Jared Duncan (Ezekiel Foster). The note of a really fine actor is the ability to take a seemingly unimportant role and create a memorable character that makes the audience laugh and applaud every time they appear on stage. That is what these two brilliant gentlemen did. Bravo to them both!
White Christmas at Allen Contemporary Theatre is a beautiful production. It will put a smile on your face and you will leave the theatre in the Christmas spirit. Unfortunately, the entire run of the show is sold out, but a wait list is available for seats that may be released at the last minute. Get on that wait list! You don’t want to miss this show! Visit www.allencontemporarytheatre.net for details.
Happy Holidays to all!
Audience Rating: PG
Running Time: 2 hours plus a 15-minute intermission
Accessible Seating: Available
Hearing Devices: Not available
Sensory-friendly Showing: Not available
ASL Showing: Not available
Noises and Visuals to Prepare For: Full-volume singing, tap dancing, kissing
Production Sound/Lighting Level: Comfortable
Go See the Show!
Eddy Herring
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