[NEohioPAL]Berko review: A CHRISTMAS STORY ON STAGE (Cleveland Play House)

Thu Dec 1 20:20:34 PST 2005

CPH’s ‘A Christmas Story On Stage” Is Worth Seeing

Roy Berko

(Member, American Theatre Critics Association)

--THE TIMES NEWSPAPERS--
LORAIN COUNTY TIMES--WESTLAKER TIMES--LAKEWOOD NEWS
TIMES--OLMSTED-FAIRVIEW TIMES

Ask Clevelanders where the movie “A Christmas Story”
takes place and they’ll probably answer, “here.”  Ask
where the movie was filmed and they’ll probably state
“the west side of Cleveland and on Public Square in
front of what used to be Higbee’s and May Company.”  

In reality, the movie does not take place in
Cleveland.  The setting for the movie and the play,
which is now on stage at the Cleveland Play House, is
Hohman, Indiana, the home of Jean Shepherd, the writer
of the story on which the productions are based.  And,
though part of the movie was filmed in Cleveland, the
production had to be moved to Toronto, because in the
Winter of 1982, when the film was made, it didn’t snow
much in the Best Location in the Nation.  The downtown
scenes were filmed with fake snow.   But, take heart
Cleveland banner wavers, the house at 3159 W. 11th
Street, which was used for the exterior shots of the
film, has recently been bought and is being refabed
into “A ‘CHRISTMAS STORY’ museum.  

Set during a Christmas season in the 1940's,
nine-year-old Ralphie longs for the ideal Christmas
gift--a “Red Rider 200-Shot, Range-Model Air Rifle
with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells
time.” When his mother, teacher, and even Santa warns,
"You'll shoot your eye out!" Ralphie mounts a
full-scale campaign that is a combination of innocence
and calculation.

But this is more than a story about Ralphie and the BB
gun.  It is about the trials and tribulations of kids
growing up in that safe and secure era which included
being confronted by a bully with "yellow eyes,” and 
how a “Triple-Dog-Dare” leads to a tongue  getting
attached to a frozen lamp post.  It highlights the
tale of how Ralphie’s Old Man wins a "Major Award,"
which turns out to be a lamp in the shape of a woman's
leg.  And, how Ralphie blurts out swear words and gets
his mouth washed out with Lifebuoy soap. It gives a
glimpse of how Ralphie’s younger brother, who
constantly has to go “wee-wee,” gets Santa to lose his
cool. In reality, it’s a story of innocence,
wonderment and the reality of being a kid.

When the movie was released in 1983  it did not become
an instant hit.  It wasn’t until it was released on
video that it achieved cult status.

The film is big business.  Leg Lamps sell on-line for
$129.95.  T-Shirts emblazoned with the film’s favorite
lines including, "I  Triple Dog-Dare You!", "You'll 
shoot out your eye,” and "Oh  Fudge!" are available
for $15.95.  And Lifebuoy Soap is available for #3.95
a bar.  

In 2000, an authorized stage play adaptation was
written by Philip Grecian.  It sticks very closely to
the movie story line.  It is that script which is
being staged here.

The CPH production is directed by Seth Gordon.  The
play is generally delightful, though the pacing, at
least on opening night, was somewhat slow and some of
the characterizations could have been more on key. 

Christopher McHale is marvelous as grown-up Ralph, who
narrates the play.  He is totally natural and
completely believable.  Charles Kartali as Ralphie’s
Old Man and Elizabeth Ann Townsend as his mother are
stereotype perfect.   Angela Holecko, is a total
delight as Esther Jane, the girl who has a crush on
Ralphie.  

Louie Rosenbaum (Flick) pulls off the best performance
among the boys.  He lights up a stage, especially when
he gets his tongue stuck on the telephone pole and is
being victimized by Alex Mayes (Scut Farkas, the
bully).    

Billy Lawrence creates the right image as Ralphie’s
younger brother.  The scene where he finds himself
unable to move because of the amount of winter
clothing he donned, is hysterical.  The fact that he
towers over Cody Swanson (Ralphie) creates a hard-to
accept illusion for his required childish behavior.

Though acceptable in the role, Cody Swanson lacks the
charisma, the delightfulness, to completely pull off
the role of Ralphie.  At times he says lines rather
than creating images.   For example, when he opens the
box on Christmas Day and finds his long desired BB
gun, there should have been unbridled delight.  That
quality just wasn’t present in that scene and in some
others.

Michael Ganio’s fine scenic design consists of a
snow-flaked filled sky, hanging over Ralphie’s
multi-leveled house, a backyard, a school room, and a
Santa’s mountain that would have made Higbee’s proud.

A side comment to purists:  Higbee’s was a Cleveland
department store.  It didn’t have national branches. 
How could it be in Hohman, Indiana as the signs and
references indicate?

CAPSULE JUDGMENT:  I have loved ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY’
since I appeared as an extra in the film.  (That’s a
story which won’t be discussed here.)  The Cleveland
Play House production does little to break my
affection though I wish the pacing was faster and some
of the casting could have been different.

For tickets to  ‘A CHRISTMAS STORY ON STAGE’ which
runs through December 23 (several performances have
been added due to the great demand for seats--call the
theatre for information) in the Bolton Theatre  of the
Cleveland Play House call 216-795 7000 or go on-line
to www.clevelandplayhouse.com. 

Roy Berko's web page can be found at www.royberko.info.  His theatre and dance reviews appear on NeOHIOpal, an on-line source.   To subscribe to this free service via the World Wide Web, visit http://lists.fredsternfeld.com/mailman/listinfo/neohiopal.

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>From Joe Cali" <info at joecali.com  Fri Dec  2 05:01:03 2005
From: Joe Cali" <info at joecali.com (Joe Cali)
Date: Fri, 2 Dec 2005 00:01:03 -0500
Subject: [NEohioPAL]Reserve TODAY for Earprompt/Teleprompt Conservatory 12-5
Message-ID: <053c01c5f6fd$65fc00a0$bcb1a845 at clvdoh.adelphia.net>

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Cleveland AFTRA's Freelance Organizing Committee (FLOC) presents the =
next in its series of Conservatory Workshops:

"USING EARPROMPT and TELEPROMPT"

Join us Monday, December 5th from 6:30 - 9 p.m., at the AFTRA Office -- =
1468 West Ninth St., when our session will feature AFTRAN Mike Kraft =
discussing the use of Earprompt, and Lorene Kulis of L-K Prompter =
sharing her knowledge of Teleprompters.  Participants are asked to bring =
a recorder of any kind and an earphone (wired is fine).

Reservations for ALL participants (20 maximum) are a must  -- =
216.781.2255, x12. =20

FEES:  $10 for AFTRA members in good standing (free for paid =
Conservatory members); $30 for non-union talent.

=20

Admission tickets will be emailed (so PLEASE leave your email address =
when making reservations!) and needed to gain entrance to the building.  =
Admission fee (in cash or check) must be submitted before the workshop =
begins Monday evening.

=20

Feel free to contact AFTRA at 216.781.2255, x. 12,  with questions or =
for further information.

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<META http-equiv=3DContent-Type content=3D"text/html; =
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<META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1491" name=3DGENERATOR>
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV>Cleveland AFTRA's Freelance Organizing Committee (FLOC) presents=20
the next in its series of Conservatory Workshops:</DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=3D#ff0000 size=3D5><EM><STRONG>"USING EARPROMPT and=20
TELEPROMPT"</STRONG></EM></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><EM><FONT color=3D#ff0000 =
size=3D5></FONT></EM></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV>Join us <STRONG>Monday, December 5th from 6:30 - 9 =
p.m.,</STRONG>=20
<U>at the AFTRA Office -- 1468 West Ninth St.,</U> when our session =
will=20
feature AFTRAN Mike Kraft discussing the use of Earprompt, and =
Lorene Kulis=20
of L-K Prompter sharing her knowledge of Teleprompters.  =
Participants are=20
asked to bring a recorder of any kind and an earphone (wired is =
fine).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Reservations for <U>ALL</U> participants (20 maximum) are a=20
must  -- <U>216.781.2255, x12</U>.  </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"><FONT=20
size=3D3><STRONG><U>FEES</U></STRONG>:  $10 for AFTRA members in =
good=20
standing (free for paid Conservatory members); $30 for non-union=20
talent.</FONT></SPAN></P>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B=20
style=3D"mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"><FONT=20
size=3D3> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></B></P></DIV>
<DIV>
<P class=3DMsoNormal style=3D"MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Admission tickets will be emailed (<EM><STRONG>so PLEASE leave =
your email=20
address when making reservations!</STRONG></EM>) and needed to gain =

entrance to the building.  Admission fee (in cash or check) must be =

submitted before the workshop begins Monday evening.
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"><FONT=20
size=3D3><o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"><FONT=20
size=3D3> <o:p></o:p>
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"><FONT=20
size=3D3>Feel free to contact AFTRA at =
216.781.2255, x. 12,=20
<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; LAYOUT-GRID-MODE: line; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; =
mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"> <FONT=20
size=3D3>with questions or for further information.<SPAN=20
style=3D"FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; mso-bidi-font-family: =
'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-size: =
10.0pt"><o:p></o:p></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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