REVIEW: A Christmas Story, the Musical

As a big fan of the movie, A Christmas Story, I had high expectations for A Christmas Story, the Musical.  I’m happy to report that the musical is a fantastic holiday treat!  The Ordway is currently decorated to the nines and with Rice Park filled with lights and Winter Skate across the street, I was filled with Christmas cheer before I even sat in my seat.

The show’s success depends heavily on the child actors in the show.  I was impressed with how well these kids carried the show.  Their acting and singing was fantastic.  Jake Goodman, the actor who played Ralphie, has an angelic voice and stayed true to the original Ralphie character.  Another standout performance was from Erin Schwab, who played Miss Shields.  This production features the narrator on stage.  I’m still undecided if I like seeing grown up Ralphie or merely thinking of him as a child, but it wasn’t a deal breaker.

The music is largely forgettable, but it does enough to distinguish the stage version from the movie so that the audience isn’t reminded too much of differences between the musical and the movie version that they know backwards and forwards.  “Ralphie to the Rescue!” was my favorite number, which was a truly entertaining montage of Ralphie’s heroic fantasies along with a fantastically catchy tune.

FUN FACT: Rescue dogs are used in this production.

A Christmas Story, the Musical runs through December 28, 2014 at The Ordway Theater in St. Paul.  Tickets start at $33 for standing room only.  Discount tickets may also be obtained through Goldstar.  Don’t delay in purchasing your tickets, though, as availability is rather limited.

Photo by Christian Brown, courtesy of The Ordway.