Christmastime Origins
Reviewed by Martίn Hernández
Group Repertory Theatre
Through January 15
RECOMMENDED
Welcome to the studios of K-GRT 73, North Hollywood’s home of radio theatre, otherwise known as the upstairs space of the Group Repertory Theatre. Artistic Director Doug Haverty has adapted four works from veteran Los Angeles theater journalist and playwright Julio Martinez’s The Eight Plays of Christmas: A Series of Radio Dramas. While this reviewer falls into the “bah, humbug” camp when it comes to Christmas, the nostalgic production under Kathleen Delaney’s sturdy direction presents some touching backstories of classic holiday songs and stories. We are also treated to a mixed bag of other holiday ditties, which the large and lively ensemble delivers with gusto.
In “One Horse Open Sleigh,” it’s July 1857 and New York theatre producer George Kimebaly (Brad Kahn) has traveled to Savannah, Georgia to meet the Boston-born songwriter James Pierpont (Mark Stancato), a previous collaborator. George is searching for new tunes for his latest minstrel show – yes, minstrel show – and is accompanied by Fanny Bright (Carolyn English), an old acquaintance of James. While sparking some jealousy from Pierpont’s fiancée Eliza (Kay Vermeil), the flamboyant Fanny also sparks James’ creativity, recounting a humorous tale of a snowy Boston sleigh ride with James that ended with a tumble in the snow. Thus James composes “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” which was published in 1857 but retitled as “Jingle Bells” in 1859. Though not a hit under either title in those days, later arrangements helped its popularity, as evidenced in a boisterous rendition by the cast—thankfully not in blackface.
One anomaly about songs about Christmas, the most Christian of all holidays, is that many standards were written by Jewish songwriters. This is the story behind “Christmas in Tinseltown.” In early 1941, Paramount Studios greenlit the musical Holiday Inn with Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby. Irving Berlin (Kahn) is set to write the songs but is stuck on the title and lyrics for the closing number, much to dismay of the film’s director Mark – née Goldstein — Sandrich (Stancato.) Thanks to inspiration from Sandrich’s secretary Millie (Vermeil), Berlin finishes the song. With Pearl Harbor bombed before the movie wraps, however, Berlin and Sandrich are asked to release the song prior to the film’s 1942 release to help calm a panic-stricken nation. They acquiesce and “White Christmas” did the trick, becoming a huge hit for Crosby. It went on to win the Oscar for Best Song in 1943, became one of the most cherished Christmas tunes of all time, and is considered the biggest selling single of all time. Too bad for Berlin there wasn’t much call for Hanukah songs back in the day, but he did okay.
Act Two delivers “All Is Calm, All Is Bright,” in which our narrator (Lareen Faye) relates that in 1818, mice damaged the organ in St. Nicholas church in Oberndorf, Austria, meaning there would be no music for Christmas midnight mass. While he desperately tries to repair it, organist Franz Gruber (Kahn) is forced to stop because his wife Maria (Melissa Strauss) demands he eat dinner with his family. With time running out, Father Joseph Mohr (Shawn Cahill), the new parish priest, offers one of his poems for lyrics, as well as his guitar skills, and he and Gruber set to work on the melody. Soon, “Stille Nacht” is sung in barely passable German by the Grubers’ family friend Peter (Stancato) but happily the rest of the cast deliver a heartfelt “Silent Night” in English.
“Keeping Christmas Well” has Faye returning as the narrator, detailing the sad tale of how 12-year-old Charles Dickens (an amiable Renaud Warwick) was forced to work off part of his father’s debt in 1824. The year of arduous toil left an indelible mark on Dickens as did his cruel employer Mr. Warren (Cahill). The adult Dickens (Stancato) has found great success as a writer but with his wife Catherine (Strauss) and ten children to feed, he finagles a publishing contract with a cut of the profits on his next book instead of a flat fee. Published in 1843, “A Christmas Carol” was a financial boon for Dickens. Adapted as a play in 1844 by actor and playwright Edward Stirling (Cahill), it has had countless adaptations ever since, much to the dismay of a few lowly and cynical theater critics. But sometimes you never know.
Vermeil’s velvet voiced rendering of Berlin’s classic is a highlight, as is the witty opening number by Faye, Ellen Burr, and Cynthia Bryant. Strauss’ vocals as singer Martha Mears, once considered the busiest dubber in Hollywood, on Berlin’s “Be Careful It’s My Heart” is regrettably overwhelmed by the volume of Paul Cady’s keyboards. English accents are to be expected with the Dickens episode but German accents in the “Silent Night” are not necessary – nor authentic. While the format leaves little in the way of characterization, the actors acquit themselves well. This is encapsulated in the song battle finale, pitting “Deck the Halls” with “Jingle Bells,” a testament to the performers’ commitment as they relish in the joy such songs can bring, even to the Scrooge-ist of us. And to all, a good show.
Upstairs at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood; Sat., 4 p.m.; Sun., & p.m. After show talk back with author Julio Martinez 12/25. (The upstairs is not accessible for those with handicaps.) https://thegrouprep.com/ (818) 763-5990. Running time one hour and forty minutes, with a ten-minute intermission. Some roles multi-cast.
