Radio City Christmas Spectacular

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Spectacle is more like it, rather than a Christmas Spectacular.

Maybe Denver has become spoiled in the expectation of outstanding productions commanding the Temple Buell theatre stage.

To have the New York Radio City Rocketts make their initial appearance in Denver, certainly promised a Happy Christmas surprise package, especially for those who have never seen the world-renowned 79-year-old dance troupe. Known for their precision high-kicking dancing, a group of 18 moving and breathing as one entity, the anticipation for Denver ran high.

Something went terribly wrong in the wrapping of this particular package. The ribbon unraveled and the tape wouldn’t stick. The production is as disappointing as getting socks when all one wanted was a puppy. It seemed the days of Broadway touring groups providing second-class productions were over. Evidently not.

The 90-minute show not only features the Rocketts, but Santa and Mrs. Claus, six little people as elves and small animals, ice skaters, ensemble singers, and dancers. Divided into nine scenes, the troupe runs the gambit of a festive Christmas party, Santa’s arrival in Denver, a tribute to the Nutcracker, The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers, Christmas in New York, an extension of The Carol of the Bells, and a drawn out generic sentimental attack on the Nativity. Having the live animals: five sheep, a donkey, and three camels sparked some attention, but the parade seemed inappropriate for the Rocketts. The schmaltzy script trivialized the significance.

For the most part, the costumes designed by Pete Menefee are luscious, charming, fun, and enchanting. The costumes for The Nutcracker: A Little Girl’s Dream features bears from all over the world: polar, panda, Arabian, Russian, and baby doll bears in a score of different sizes. Olivia Paige Gourley and Danielle Miller share the role of Clara. Gourley is adorable in her sea of bears strutting a heap of talent.

The ultimate highlight for the Rocketts was the ever-popular Parade of the Wooden Soldiers. Rightfully so. The precision, timing, and physical control was certainly no disappointment in the execution of this long-time classic.

Scenic designers John Shaffner, Joe Stewart, David Eckert, and Patrick Fahey stood out with the blending of colors, especially in Christmas In New York. The entire back wall rolling with video of New York as Santa flew the Big Apple skies in his sleigh and reindeer. For those who have been to New York, this spells a sense of magical excitement for the city that never sleeps. For those who have never been, the magic may have been slightly blurred. A combination of New York and Denver certainly would have tied that part of the package together.

From there, the Christmas package becomes unwrapped. It would appear, no matter who is responsible for casting, a prerequisite for Santa and Mrs. Claus would be to sing and dance. Maybe not kicking as high as the Rocketts, or with the same precision, but certainly with a professional ambiance.

Denver deserves better than a second-class production. With the many outstanding highly professional theatres in the Denver metropolitan area, including Lend me A Tenor at the Aurora Fox, The Long Christmas Ride Home at the Acoma Center, Cats at Boulder’s Dinner Theatre, Gypsy at Country Dinner Playhouse, and Annie at Littleton’s Town Hall Arts Center, it would behoove theatre patrons to go for these shows to celebrate the Holidays of 2004.

Denver and the Temple Buell deserve a Christmas package wrapped tightly and snugly with brightly flowing ribbons, a professional touch, and an exceptional flair for Holiday Magic. This particular Radio City Christmas Spectacular begs to go back to the drawing board to give Denver the high-quality production for which New York is famous. Denver has had enough of second-class stepchildren masquerading as Exquisite.