By James V. Ruocco
The catalog of Christmas plays, musicals and panto's is endless - "A Christmas Carol," "The Nativity," "Rudolph, the Red Nosed Reindeer," "It's a Wonderful Life," "A Christmas Story," "Dick Whittington and His Cat," "Holiday Inn," "White Christmas," "A Charlie Brown Christmas," "Miracle on 34th Street," etc., etc., etc.
Every year, these productions and others are dusted off the shelf and replayed over and over again hoping to set your heart a-flutter, put you in a holiday mood and make you anxious for the big day that is December the 25th.
The sad, reality, of course, is that there's nothing new or exciting about any of these productions.
The songs are the same. The stories are the same. The characters are the same. The dialogue is the same. The endings are the same. The reviews are the same.
No so, at Pantochino Productions.
Here, Christmas is celebrated in all its glory with original stories, original songs, original music, original dialogue, original characters, original costumes and very original endings.
There is no Ebenezer Scrooge.
There is no George Bailey.
There is no Charlie Brown.
There is no Ralphie, Tiny Tim or ZuZu.
There is no Bob Wallace or Betty Haynes.
There are no pinecones, holly berries, Christmas goose, Christmas turkey, mince pies or plum pudding.
And that's exactly what makes the annual Pantochino musical - or any musical at Pantochino - so very special.
This year, Artistic Director and Co-Founder Bert Bernardi has written yet another holiday musical well worthy of a viewing or two. A treat of a show for any age, "The Littlest Christmas Tree" is an energetic, incredibly inventive musical that uses its whimsical charm and atmospheric wonders to full effect.
It is timely and clever.
It is cheerful and heart-warming.
It is bright and bouncy.
It is inspiring and truthful.
It is everything a Christmas musical should be...and so much more.
As written by Bernardi, "The Littlest Christmas Tree" journeys to the North Pole where a young elf named Rolio (played to perfection by the charismatic, endearing, full-voiced Rowan Simonelli) has been given the task of finding the perfect holiday tree for the burly man in the shiny red suit, known to children and adults everywhere in the world as Santa Claus.
Of course, it's not as easy as it sounds.
One by one, trees come to life hoping Rolio will choose one of them to become Santa's greatest gift on Christmas Day. They include the Blue Spruce, the Norway Spruce, the White Fir, the Princess Pine, the Dawn Redwood and last, but not least - The Little Tree.
As directed by Bert Bernardi (he staged the theater's thrilling Halloween production of "The Rocky Horror Show" this past October), "The Littlest Christmas Tree" is a big-hearted entertainment that immerses its audience into the inviting elements of the North Pole story with real spirit, real magic and real innocence. A master craftsman who knows exactly what buttons to push - both large and small - Bernardi glides his cast through the merriment of his original holiday story filling the air with catchy, melodic numbers, cleverly orchestrated scenes and dialogue, nostalgic reflections of North Pole life and just the right amount of sweet-tinged sentiment.
This genuinely fresh spin on a uniquely different holiday story gives "The Littlest Christmas Tree" an arresting, cheerful allure that plays out with palpable strength and determination intercut with a dynamic rectitude and assessment that propels the action forward.
It connects. It pockets a certain magic that delivers. It tugs at your heartstrings. It puts a big smile on your face. It gets you excited about the big day that has yet to come. It makes you believe in the traditions of Christmas.
And Bernardi - true to form - leaves no stone unturned - as this two-act musical concludes with a very happy, well-intentioned ending that includes the appearance of Santa Claus himself, played by returning favorite George Spelvin (the nom de plume for BB himself).
With lyrics by Bert Bernardi and music by Justin Rugg, "The Littlest Christmas Tree" comes gift wrapped with 12 original songs. They are: "Christmas at the North Pole," "I Made a List," "The Symbol of Christmas," "I Made a List (reprise)," "Blue Spruce," "I Made a List (second reprise)," "The North Pole Collation," "I'm a Tree," "I'm a Tree (reprise)," "The Artificial Trees," "If You Want to Pick a Tree," "Carolina Sapphire" and "Christmas at the North Pole (finale)." All of the musical numbers are thoughtful, tuneful and story shaking. There's also lots of pulse here, rife with attitude, harmony, dash and inspiration.
As with previous Pantochino musicals, the songs - every one of them a delight - serviceably relay the story with gusto, irony and sparky frivolity. Working alongside Bernardi, Rugg, who also serves as musical director, leads his talented cast through the musical's abundant pleasures, accentuating the "Littlest Tree" score with whoops, reprises, candy-coated gum drop flavor and expositional efforts that reflect the production's potent mix of holiday-themed entertainment. Rugg also takes full control of his big Act 1 solo "Blue Spruce," which he delivers with heart, humor and accelerated rush. It's such fun, you wish there was a "replay" button so that you could watch it again.
No matter what roles she plays, what she sings, what she says or how she interacts with members of the Pantochino ensemble, Shelley Marsh Poggio is a breath of fresh air. She's professional. She's dedicated. She's delightful. She's clever. She's inventive. She's musical. She's inspired. She's magnetic. And she never once gives the same performance twice. Here, she plays a variety of roles, all of which she invests with that sure-fire zest, zeal and showmanship that always puts her at the top of her game.
Jimmy Johansmeyer, a versatile performer fully immersed in whatever role he is asked to play (he was last seen as crazed transvestite scientist Frank-N-Furter in Pantochino's "The Rocky Horror Show") plays a multitude of roles in this production. As with Frank-N-Furter, Johansmeyer goes full tilt, offering a splendid blend of musicality, wit, personality and dimension. This production, like others before it, also finds him acting as costume designer, a plum position that affords him yet another opportunity to create an astonishing array of costuming and clothing with careful attention paid to texture, line, color, stitching, blending, assortment, material and expression. His craftsmanship is truly unique and delivered with a personal touch that cries "bespoke."
Playing the dual roles of Chin Chin and the "Little Tree," as referenced in the musical's title, Hazel Foley is a confident, natural performer oozing plenty of charm, personality and holiday cheer. It's a showstopping performance - musical and theatrical - well worthy of a standing ovation in itself. No matter what part he plays, Justin Rugg, cast in the role of the green-haired Blue Spruce, among other characters, is riotously entertaining and always in full-command of the emotional, playful arc that greets his on-stage characterizations. In his spruce garb, he's also a dead ringer for Danny Dyer who plays the lead role of Mick Carter in BBC One's "Eastenders."
Always afresh to meet new acting challenges, Mary Mannix, once again, plays everything for real and has great fun doing so. As director, Bernardi has given her room to fly with songs, dialogue and characters she invests with surprise, gaiety and conviction. Johansmeyer's beautifully detailed costuming completes the picture. Maria Berte (Mrs. Croquembouche), Sierra DiMartino (Charlotte Streusel) and Valerie Solli (Vatrushka) also add luster and charm to the proceedings, each delivering unique, versatile character portraits that agreeably conjoin with the musical's wondrous ideas, themes and Christmas merriment.
"The Littlest Christmas Tree" is one of the major highlights of the 2021 holiday season. It also reconfirms Bert Bernardi as of the one most creative talents of his generation. Just when you think you've seen it all, he reminds you that you haven't. And that in a nutshell, is what makes any Pantochino musical ever so special.
(Meghan Cormier Photography)
No comments:
Post a Comment