Miracle on 34th Street

Postcard Review by Caroline Russell-King

Show – Miracle on 34^th Street

Playwright/s – Adapted by Caleb Marshall with Eric Keating from the story by Valentine Davies

Production Company/Theatre space – (Semiprofessional /academic) Rosebud Theatre School of the Arts; Rosebud, AB

Length – 2 Acts (2 hours 15 minutes, one intermission) plus dinner before the show.

Genre/s – Fantasy

Premise – When a man called Kris Kringle is hired to work as Santa at Macy’s department store, his unconventional style results in him being put on trial where a lawyer has to prove he is the real Santa to impress the woman he is smitten with.

Why this play? Why now? – A well-known show just in time for the holidays.

Curiosities – I wondered if the script could have been trimmed a tad to keep it clipping along for the younger members of the audience.

Notable Moment – There were many. Mortimer, the little kid in the red Seussian toque, was adorable.

Notable writing – This adaptation is faithful to the original movie by the same name.

Notable performances – Tim Dixon reprising his role of Santa from 2016 is as close to perfect as one would want. The romantic subplot is carried out by Aaron Krogman (Education Director for the school) and instructor Cassia Schmidt who dispel the myth that, “those who can’t, teach”. In the mix of this cast of 12 is Rosebud regular Mike Thiessen, and fourth year student Hayley Rosenau, who get their laughs.

Notable design/Production – Narda McCarroll is one of Alberta’s best set designers had the unenviable job of designing a set for a play that has the smash cuts of a movie. Her beautiful set and its many changes is helped by the fast choreo of the Director and the music of Sound Designer Alixandra Cowman.

Notable direction – Rosebud Theatre is in great hands with new Artistic Director Craig Hall who proves himself worthy of heading up an academic institution dedicated to graduating artists ready for the workforce. Co-directing was Heids Machawk.

One reason to see this show – This Christmas curmudgeon laughed and shed a tear which is as close to a Christmas miracle as this non-believer gets to. Plus, the snow falling in this pretty hamlet will get you in the mood for the season as will the turkey buffet and the decorations in the arts and crafts shops.