With the opening this week of It’s a Wonderful Life at her Baltimore location and now with Here’s Love: The Miracle on 34th Street Musical at her Columbia location, Toby has created the perfect holiday double feature – family-friendly and guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit. Both shows have much in common: both are based on beloved film classics, both have been musicalized, and both have terrific casts, including some very talented, genuine child actors. In the case of Here’s Love, the Toby’s crew have created a triumph of style over substance.
Written by the same genius (Meredith Willson) who brought us the timeless classic, The Music Man, Here’s Love is much less than its more famous brother, but, really, what can beat The Music Man? While the book contains all of the classic film story – a little girl doesn’t believe in Santa Claus until he is arrested at Macy’s and put on trial – some of the musical numbers sound suspiciously similar to those found in The Music Man (“She Hadda Go Back” is a dead ringer for “Ya Got Trouble”), while others feel shoe-horned in, like Willson HAD to include a song (the blatantly pointless “My State, My Kansas”, for example). The good news is that even second-rate Meredith Willson is at least enjoyable. And despite the creaky book and derivitive music, this charming little jewel, directed by Shawn Kettering, choreographed by Amanda Tschirgi and designed by Drew Dedrick (sets), Lynn Joslin (lights), and Georgette Feldman (costumes), is a must-see treat, especially for families with children (and a few Scrooges) who doubt that Santa Claus is real.
Mr. Kettering has directed a smoothly paced, light-hearted evening that has the vigor of a modern musical and the quaint easiness of old school shows. He and Ms. Tschirgi get things off to a dazzling start as they recreate an old-fashioned Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, the kind that happened in the days before the giant, corporate sponsored balloons and poorly lip-synched renditions of pop tunes. In what must be a backstage logistical nightmare, the mid-sized cast creates a rather lengthy parade, rotating in and out as spectators, a marching band, clowns, Mother Goose and family, Noah’s ark and animals, and even a human Christmas tree. Not only do they change costumes quickly, but there is never a pause, and the choreography remains sharp. Naturally, Santa himself ends the parade. In act two, Kettering is saddled with a lengthy courtroom scene, and an almost unnoticeable ending. Undeterred, he and his choreographer have created an interesting scene, with natural reasons for movement and even some creative dancing! Well done! Scenically, it always amazes me how they find room for all of the set pieces, and Here’s Love is no exception. Mr. Dedrick has decorated the interior of the theatre with city lights and Macy’s signs (we are in New York, after all) and also with quaint Christmas tableaus that would make Currier and Ives proud. Color and light, designed by Ms. Joslin create a warm holiday mood, and Ms. Feldman’s costumes are equally colorful and creative, and nicely of the time in which the play takes place. (Contrary to the program, which says the time is the present, the whole show has the feel of the 40’s/50’s, a time when no one would blink an eye at an 8-year old girl taking up with a complete stranger, a male, no less.)
Of course, any show can be directed well and designed nicely, but with out the right cast, things could be horribly wrong. Happily, and not too surprisingly, the cast here is really very good, particularly in the leading and major supporting roles. Particular kudos go to Buddy Piccolino, as Kris Kringle, as convincing a Santa as you’ll ever see. He looks the part, and gives off a sincere heart-warming vibe, and still manages to create a real person without resorting to stereotypes – not a “ho, ho, ho” is uttered, not even once. He is particularly at ease dealing with the Children in the company – one wonders if he ever did time as an actual department store Santa! Russell Sunday gives a funny, blustery performance as R.H. Macy, who eventually comes around to the “Here’s Love” method of holiday sales. He sings well, swaggers like a pro, and still gives of a warm teddy-bear feeling. Mr. Sunday is well-versed in this type of role having previously played Gaston in Beauty and the Beast and Fred in Kiss Me, Kate, and yet here, he plays a completely fresh variation on that theme. As the resistant-to-love-you-know-from-their-first-meeting-they’ll-fall-in-love couple, Debra Buonaccorsi and Jeffrey Shankle as Doris and Fred are dead on acting in that period style that this type of show demands. Both clearly believe in what they are doing, and infuse just enough modern backbone to their performances to offset any of the sickening sweetness their “aw, shucks” roles call for. Mr. Shankle of late seems to be making a career of this type of role, having recently pulled similar duty in Thoroughly Modern Millie and Kiss Me, Kate. But like his colleague, Mr. Sunday, Shankle adds nuance and variety making each role unique and interesting. Plus, his dashing good looks and powerful voice make him the ideal for such roles. Ms. Buonaccorsi, though, shows remarkable range in this role compared to her last outing as the scene-stealing second banana Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate. Seeing her here makes me appreciate even more her gifts as an actress.
