I love watching Christmas movies, musicals and concerts. While some are better than others, they lift my spirit and get me into a holiday mood. Maybe it's because these stories unfolding on stage and screen remind me of my childhood -- hot cocoa and snowmen in the Midwest; celebrating snow flurries in the Southwest.
We try to catch some kind of holiday show every year. This year, I was given a chance to review Irving Berlin's "White Christmas," which run through Dec. 11 at ASU Gammage in Tempe. As it started, I thought that I made a mistake bringing my kids. It would be too old fashioned, and too slow. Maybe too much singing and, oh no, tap dancing. They are 11 and 14 and everything we suggest is just so not cool.
But they surprised me. They liked it, even the tap dancing. They also told me in the car that they'd recommend it to friends. What? Guess my kids like to go back to a time when life was simpler and a good tap dance number made people happy. Side note: I did overhear a middle-age couple complain that they were falling asleep during the first half. It wasn't that bad. But it is a slow-moving musical rom-com set in the 50's with a lot of dancing.
The stage show begins on Christmas Eve 1944. Two Army buddies, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, are singing "Happy Holidays" to cheer up the troops serving in World War II. They are hams heading home and their General is retiring. Fast forward 10 years and they are on the Ed Sullivan show, reprising "Happy Holidays" mashed with "Let Yourself Go" with a company of dancers dressed in soft pastels popular in 50's. The guys are hot performers gearing up to take their singing and dancing to sunny Florida. But before they leave for Miami, they check out a sister singing duo, Betty and Judy Haynes. It's love at first sight for flirty Judy and Phil, the lady's man. And it's awkward for Betty and Bob. The guys ask the girls to join their show, but they are on their way to a gig in Vermont. Phil has to stay with Judy, so he tricks Bob into going to Vermont with the girls. Happens, it's not snowing up there, which scares away the tourists wanting a white Christmas. After the guys learn the Inn is owned by their General, they devise a plan to put on a big show attracting a bunch of their company. There are some mixed messages, broken hearts and eventually a happy ending.
It's light and funny at times, with several jokes aimed at adults. My kids especially liked Ezekiel, the barn handyman who gave some comic relief by moving slowly and saying little, and when the guys sang "Sisters," fanning their feathers and one acted like a peacock, during a rehearsal that the girls purposely missed. My daughter sang along to White Christmas and loved watching the faux snow fall on the audience in the front rows.
"White Christmas" was splendid if you like taking a trip down yesteryear. Oh, and if you are a fan of TV show Nip/Tuck, like I am, you'll get to see Ruth Williamson take on the roll of singing and dancing inn manager Martha Watson. Loved her! Williamson played Mrs. Grubman, a plastic surgery loving wealthy socialite fond of Christian (Julian McMahon), on Nip/Tuck. Your tween may remember that she was also on an episode of Hannah Montana.
"White Christmas" is recommended for ages 5 and up, according to ASU Gammage's web site. Some things to know if you take little ones:
-There is some flirty talk, but it's not raunchy.
-Phil's ditzy, flirty friends dress sexy and hang on him, and in a sing/dance scene when the guys say they may be dress too sexy for a family show, they tell they they can be Christmas bells, then flip up their costumes, "for the kids."
-Martha jokes with the General that they are like a married couple, arguing all the time and no sex.
-The show is about 2 1/2 hours long, and there is a short intermission perfect for a bathroom break.
Great discussions topics for the ride home:
-There's a song called "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep." Share some of your blessings.
-Betty got mad at Bob because she thought he was going to do a mean thing to a friend. She thought that because she didn't have the full story. Have you had something similar happen to you. How did it make you feel and how did you deal with it?
-Have you ever tricked someone into doing something, as Phil did to Bob by taking him to Vermont? How did it turn out? Any lessons learned?
-Since the play is set post World War II, you can talk about American life and entertainment post war. Maybe bring up some historical references in the play. U.S. President Eisenhower, the Ed Sullivan Show and Italian dictator/fascist Benito Mussolini (his name is used in a not so nice reference to another) are mentioned and can be great starting points.
-Why not talk about tap dancing?
The list goes on and on... Tickets are still available for the remaining shows, as of early Wednesday morning. Prices start at $23.50.
Cheers!
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