Every year about this time, theaters around the country trot out the classic holiday plays.
“A Christmas Carol.” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.” “The SantaLand Diaries.” So many.
And every year, we allow them to sweep over us and give us good cheer.
Which is exactly what happens with Live Theatre Workshop’s production of “Miracle on 34th Street: A Radio Play.”
Based on the 1947 movie, and the Lux Radio Theater production of the same year, “Miracle” makes us feel all warm and gooey as Kris Kringle, a man who insists he is Santa Claus, infuses just about everyone with the spirit of the season. Unfortunately, folks thinks he’s nuts because, well, he claims to be the Santa. Eventually, he has to go to court to prove it.
Live Theatre’s stage is transformed into a radio station right out of the ‘40s. Two mics are center stage, and off in a corner is an elaborate set-up for sound effects. In essence, what we’re seeing is a live radio show just as it was performed by Lux those many years ago.
Six actors provide the ingenious sound effects and play multiple characters, using just about every trick in the book to differentiate each. That’s much of the fun in this play — the transformations are swift and convincing as they tell the story.
Stephen Frankenfield directed with an eye toward visual humor and an instinct for pacing. At a little more than 90 minutes without an intermission, the play kept us captivated.
This isn’t an easy piece to mount; it demands the actors give distinction to each character with very little to go on but their voices, and perhaps a change in posture.
But this cast was up to the task.
Bree Boyd bounced with the energy of a 1940s golly-gee actress in her role as Shirley, the little no-nonsense girl who does not believe in Santa because, well, her mother doesn’t cotton to telling kids fibs. She infused that same energy into each of the characters she shaped.
Missie Scheffman is tall and gorgeous and arrogant as the big star in the production and sweet and open as Shirley’s mother, and Shanna Brock proved herself an expert with accents as she brought distinction to her multiple characters.
The men — Michael F. Woodson, Cliff Madison and Josh Parra — kept up with the women. But it was Madison, in the role of Kris Kringle, who won hearts at Saturday’s opening night. He has a twinkle in his eye and a natural presence on stage. We kinda believe he is Santa.
“Miracle” is sweet, sentimental and a fine ending to a bruising year that is ready for some good cheer.
