Irving Berlin’s White Christmas

Reviewed by Holly Bartges

Bravo to Denver Center Attractions and Denver Center Theatre Company for bringing Irving Berlin’s classic White Christmas to the Buell Theatre!

Benjie Randall and Andrew Samonsky as Phil Davis and Bob Wallace in Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.

Bravo to Kent Thompson for his innate direction, Patti Columbo for her breath-taking choreography, and Paulette Haupt for her magnificent musical direction and conducting of the lively 27 piece orchestra.

Bravo! Nothing more need be said. Well, maybe a few things.

It takes audacity to transfer, after 62 years, a prized 1942 Bing Crosby movie Holiday Inn that translated to a run away hit in 1954 as White Christmas with Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney. White Christmas captured the heart of America when Crosby introduced it on the radio in 1941. I have to confess, as a child growing up in Sacramento, it never made sense to me why anyone in their right mind would dream of a white Christmas. Between you, the gatepost, and me it still doesn’t. I have long conceded there are skillions who do, and I honor their dreams as long as they honor mine once in a while with warm sun. The melody, the lyrics of White Christmas contain everything magical related to Christmas with sleigh bells, Christmas cards, dreams, children listening, tree tops glistening. Implications are warm fuzzy happy celebrations. And we can use more warm fuzzy happy celebrations than anyone dare admit.

Amusing to know Berlin started to write White Christmas tongue-in-cheek while basking under an Arizona hot sun. Fortunately, he took it seriously, crafting the words to a universal flavor (well, almost universal).

The movie White Christmas captured the heart of the song with other songs that became classic, humor, honoring the troops of WWII, and romance at its finest.

Replayed every year on PBS, the movie continues to stir the heart with thrilled joy walking hand in hand with the Holiday spirit.

Who would have the audacity to covert such a treasure into a stage production and hope for a success? David Ives and Paul Blake in 2004 that’s who.

Thank you Ives and Blake for translating a beloved movie into a thrilling heart rending beloved stage production.

There are several reasons why this production works. One of the main reasons is the strong talented cast makes the story, and the characters their own. Ghosts may be hovering near by, but all of the actors and dancers grab the reindeer by the antlers, saying, “This is mine”. That, all by itself, is a major artistic accomplishment.

It’s a simple story wrapped in soul, conflict, misunderstandings, desperation, and determination tied together with pure heart.

Andrew Samonsky and Benjie Randall slip into the army duds of Bob Wallace and Phil Davis in 1944 with the song Happy Holidays and exciting tap dancing precision for the 151st Division. With strong animated voices, and slapstick hat works for them, it’s Christmas Eve in the middle of the war. They want the 151st Division, represented by the audience, to have some fun, if only for a moment. Samonsky and Randall’s artistic expertise blow their own creative life into Bob and Phil.

General Henry Waverly, wonderfully played by Mike Hartman, announces he is being sent home to get “the German buckshot out of his leg.”

The two-army entertainers go on to become nightclub singers. With a humorous worrywart drift to his loose-as-a-goose personality stance, Phil hammers away at laid back Bob that he needs a girl in his life. Ten years later they are off to Florida for a much needed golfing vacation.

A sister act catches Phil’s eye. Betty and Judy Haynes deliciously portrayed by Amy Bodnar and Kate Marilley catch the eye with gorgeous strong voices and dancing legs that won’t quit. Their blue-feathered Sister song makes an old tune seem like new. The sisters are off to Vermont. The guys are of to Florida until Phil and Judy twist some conniving plans getting Bob on the train to Vermont instead of Florida.

As strongly as Phil and Judy have connected, Bob and Betty rub each other the wrong way. Any possible connection breaks apart by sharp misunderstood electrical sparks.

Michelle Dyer and Brandi Wooten turn Rita and Rhoda into giggling, high-pitched, silly, “dancing songstresses” maintaining their laughable determined comedic personalities throughout the entire show. They create a bright spot whenever they appear.

Vermont holds surprises not only for Bob, but everyone else arriving at the Columbia Inn in Pinetree, Vermont. A heat wave with temperatures in the 70’s crowds out the snow. No snow sends all of the guests running for the next train. No guests, no show, more bills. Dorothy Stanley’s take on employee Martha Watson takes no back seat to any musical star. Stanley fills the shoes of Martha beyond fabulous. Her voice shakes the rafters, and the determined rough-around-the-edges with a soft side personality endears her the moment she appears on stage.

Aha! Bob and Phil discover none other than General Waverly owns the Inn, living in a muddled state of confusion. As a General he was somebody, but no one knows what to do with a General after the army. Martha, Bob, and Phil highlight the predicament with the song What Can You Do With A General?

Chloe Nosan and Desiree Samler share the role of Waverly’s young granddaughter, Susan who plays an integral part in the stage production. Nosan took the stage Opening Night winning the hearts of the entire audience. Susan dearly loves her Grandfather, but because of his rough General-type gruffness, she finds him slightly intimidating.

One of the most priceless scenes in the show comes when Bob discovers Susan sitting on the Inn porch late at night with bright stars twinkling in the sky. Worried about her grandfather and the Inn, Susan can’t sleep. The softer side of Bob emerges comforting the little girl with the song Count Your Blessing (Instead of Sheep), overheard by Betty, which melts her, and overheard by General Waverly. It takes a while for the significance of the moment to sink into General Waverly. Eventually, he gets it. In the meantime, he heeds to do a great deal of chasing after Martha and Susan to find out why the bills haven’t been paid.

Bob and Phil devise a secret plan along with Ralph Sheldrake, staunchly played by Jeffrey Roark. Part of the 151st Division, Ralph now works for the Ed Sullivan Show. Even though the love bug nibbles at the heels of Bob and Betty, she misunderstands an overheard conversation, decides he isn’t who she thought he was, and runs off to New York to do a show on her own. Not before Martha, Betty, and Judy set the stage on fire with the song Falling Out of Love Can Be Fun.

The enormity of the personalities, the humanness of the characters, the comedic timing, the exciting choreography, the gorgeous voices, the down to earth fun filled story, the tantalizing romances, folded into the spectacular setting skyrockets this production into a star-studded winner’s circle. The treatment of old classic beloved songs: The Best Things Happen When You’re Dancing, Blue Skies, Let Me Sing And I’m Happy, How Deep Is The Ocean, and, of course White Christmas, as though they are being sung for the first time, takes something very special from actors, directors, choreographers, crew, which all of the production people own.

The characters become more than characters, they become real and human.

Predicable as the ending is, with everyone, including the General and Martha getting together, the end of the show, with its white Christmas set, and White Christmas song, snow glistening into the audience, and the audience becoming part of the show, the magic of the Christmas Spirit enfolds everyone involved. No one was seen Opening Night leaving the Buell Theatre without a smile creasing their Being.If you haven’t already, go immediately to the phone or computer and get those reservations. Irving Berlin’s White Christmas feeds the Christmas Spirit with emotional, yes, intellectual, and spiritual food. It’s a Holiday Feast no one should want to miss.