Winter Wishes
Reviewed by Steven Leigh Morris
Theatre West
Through Dec. 11
RECOMMENDED
A dozen skilled performers romp through some 30 holiday-themed and mostly traditional ditties in this seasonal cabaret, thoughtfully staged by Victoria Lavan Liberty. I have to admit to a certain squeamishness at hearing Richard Berent’s “A Kids Forever” and “Wihla Hutson and Alfred Burt’s “Some Children See Him.” The former is nicely crooned by Cody Kelepolo; the latter by Amanda Boutaud, Scottie Nevil, Zoe Miner and Alyssa Rupert: These are songs in which children commit to believing in Santa, despite evidence to the contrary. Not sure that in our era of QAnon, that celebrating — almost defiantly — fact-free realities is the best lesson, but that’s probably over-thinking things.
There are several star turns in this show, but the shiniest stars have to be sound designer David P. Johnson, and musical director Paul Cady who leads (on keyboard) a five piece band (Bill van Ravensberg, on bass; Pete Snell on guitar; Jim Varley on bass and Mara Wells on harmonica) with impeccable sensitivity to musical balance and intonation.
The group vocal dynamics are gorgeous. And for the solos, several of the performers open with personal stories (Tessa Bell is credited as writing consultant.) To demonstrate at least some religious diversity, Stella Grimaldi, Boutaud and Nevil serve up a moving rendition of Steve Young and Stephen Schwartz’s “The Chanukah Song (We Are Light),” while the full ensemble bounces through Debbie Friedman’s irredeemably silly “The Latke Song.”
Harleigh Ford brings things down to Earth with a richly-toned interpretation of David Foster and Linda Thompson Jenner’s “Grown Up Christmas List” — world peace and human kindness being on that list. Constance Mellors (with Boutaud, Nevil and Zoe Miner) headlines a sassy rendition of Joan Javits, Philip Springer and Tony Springer’s “Santa Baby.” Luis Anduaga does an effective Travolta-turn in Jose Feliciano’s “Feliz Navidad,” while Van Duzer brings crooner gravitas to Robert Wells’s and Mel Torme’s “The Christmas Song” (”Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”).
Things get more textured in Act 2, with songs about longing and loneliness — particularly with Leonard Cohen’s bittersweet “Hallelujah,” tenderly wrought by Kelepolo, Anduaga, Van Duzer and Robert W. Laur. For me, the show’s high point is Joni Mitchell’s lament, “River,” interpreted by Grimaldi with pinpoint artistry.
That river keeps rolling along — to paraphrase another song — and it would be dishonest to celebrate yet another holiday season without peppering some regret into the otherwise buoyant seasonal nostalgia. It’s an unspoken truth, a kind of pact that this company honors.
Theatre West, 3333 Cahuenga Blvd. West; LA; Fri.-Sat., 8 pm; Sun., 2 pm; thru Dec. 11. https://theatrewest.org. Running time, 2 hours with an intermission.
