About the Production

“Nostalgia. That’s the best way I can describe it. As an adult, I sat there feeling the flood of memories come back of not only watching the movie as a kid, but also BEING a kid on Christmas. Thank you. I needed that this year.”

— Audience Member

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After many years of tackling “A Christmas CAROL” I felt it was time to explore the other famous Christmas tale - “A Christmas STORY.” When I announced I was directing the show, that was what I wrote. That is only part of the story. While it is true that I have spent most. years working on productions of A Christmas Carol and that didn’t leave a lot of time to explore other Christmas shows, I will say A Christmas Story has always been floating in the back of my mind as show that I knew I needed to work on.

As a coach, I actually made a name for myself early on in my career working with kids auditioning for the various touring productions of the musical version of the show. I can’t tell you how many times I have coached the song “Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun.” I have had many kids come through my studio who have either played or auditioned for the role of Ralphie Parker. Even though we would be doing the play version, I was so excited to work on this production and find my own Ralphie.

I was so lucky to get to work again with the young man I have worked with just a few months before when he played the title role in Oliver! Actually, many of the boys from Oliver! came back to work with me on A Christmas Story. The actor who played Dodger played Scut Fakas, the actor who played Charley Bates played Flick, and one of the members of Fagin’s Gang played Randy. It was so much fun to see how much they learned during Oliver! and how much they had grown! Adult actors from Oliver! came back to join the cast of A Christmas Story too. It was so much fun working on this special holiday piece with so many people who have met doing shows and have become a family. This is a show that I know we plan to do as a holiday tradition and I look forward to exploring it again in the years to come.