One of the most amazing things about this production is the elaborate sets and costumes. For such a small stage, they made each scene look different and unique. The only bad thing about having all these big sets was that it took a bit to make a scene change, but most times it was under a minute, if that. The amount of costume changes in this show is mind-boggling, I don’t know how they do it. In one of the early songs in the show “Ralphie to the Rescue,” some cast members have 3 or 4 changes, and some change costumes on stage. Honorable mention: costumes look great! Another outstanding feature of this musical was the choreography done by Mrs. Christy. This show featured a few large dance numbers, including a 5-minute tap number!
The leading actors in this show were phenomenal. The narrator of the show, Jean Shepherd, is played by Timothy Addie and Archie Ocampo. I had the privilege of seeing Timothy who has a really great narrating voice. It’s very relaxing to hear him speak while the cast gets ready for the next scene. Charlotte Godin tore the house down as Ralphie and she made a good dorky boy. Emma Sanchez, who played Randy, was a very funny young boy too. Charlotte and Emma’s bond was shown a lot in this show. Especially, during times when other action would be taking place, they continually stayed in character. A lot of good background acting was in this musical. Obviously, Kathryn Ochalek and Shawn Heaton made a fabulous mom and dad duo to top off this family. Shawn’s portrayal of Mr. Parker reminded me of my own dad. Kathryn did a really great job as the mother in this show and I loved getting to take a break from all the crazy numbers and listen to a nice heartwarming song sung by her as she honed in on the meaning of family. There is so much talent in this cast, but a couple of honorable mentions go to Maren Ping (who played a great Schwartz’s mom), Kolten Quillian (who portrayed the hilarious Flick), and Bella Ramirez (who got to play the character of Miss Shields).
Overall, this was a really well-done production and if I could see it again, I 100% would. If you have no plans December 16-18th, I recommend getting a ticket to go see the phenomenal cast of A Christmas Story.