A Christmas Story at the SCERA Center for the Performing Arts 2023

I loved SCERA's production of A Christmas Story so much last year I decided to see it again last night (it might become a new tradition for me because I don't have enough of them). It was just as much fun as I remember! Radio personality Jean Shepherd (Ed Eyestone) narrates a Christmas story from his youth about Ralphie Parker (Mitt Harris) and his quest for an official Red Ryder, carbine action, 200-shot, range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time. First Ralphie tries to convince his Mother (Emily Hawkes) and the Old Man (Mark Buffington), then he hopes to get Miss Shields (Marisol Peterson) on his side by writing the best theme, and he even turns to Santa Claus (Chad Taylor) as a last resort but they all tell him that he'll shoot his eye out! I am a huge fan of the movie and all of my favorite scenes are brought to life on stage including when Randy (Jackson Seaver) eats like a piggy, when Schwartz (Ty Poulson) triple dog dares Flick (Elijah Colledge) to stick his tongue to the flag pole, when the Old Man wins a Major Award, when Ralphie says the F-dash-dash-dash word while helping the Old Man change a tire, when Ralphie gets into a fight with bully Scut Farkus (Elias Kahler), when Ralphie is forced to wear the bunny costume given to him by Aunt Clara, and when the Bumpus hounds eat the turkey forcing the Parkers to have Christmas dinner at the Chop Suey Palace. The large cast (several of whom are reprising their roles from last year) does a great job and I was especially impressed with all of the children and their singing and dancing in "It All Comes Down to Christmas," "When You're a Wimp," "Ralphie to the Rescue," and "Somewhere Hovering Over Indiana." Harris is incredibly endearing as Ralphie (he was Schwartz last year) and I loved his singing in "Ralphie to the Rescue" and his tap dancing in "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out." I always think that the roles for the adults are not as compelling as those for the children (a flaw with the show not the performances) but I enjoyed having Eyestone as part of the action (while wearing the same costume as Ralphie) and Buffington's rendition of "A Major Award" is absolutely hilarious (the kick line with the leg lamps is a showstopper). This year's production makes clever use of projections but it also features some impressive sets including the two-story Parker house (I loved the smoke that comes out of a vent when the furnace acts up), the Santa display at Higbee's department store complete with a slide, and a working Oldsmobile (the best in any production I've seen of this show including the Broadway touring version)! I had a huge smile on my face from beginning to end and I highly recommend it (especially for families). There are four more performances at the SCERA Center for Performing Arts through December 16 (go here for tickets).