This December the Bluefield College Theatre and Bluefield Youth Theatre will present, “A Christmas Story: The Musical” on December 11, 13, and 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Harman Auditorium on the Bluefield College Campus. Tickets for this family friendly holiday event are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior adults; Bluefield College students, staff, and faculty are free.
Based on the ever-popular Christmas movie from 1983, and the writings of American humorist Jean Shepherd, “A Christmas Story: The Musical” is adapted for the stage by Joseph Robinette with music by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul. The play tells the story of nine-year old Ralphie Parker, living in Hohman, Indiana in 1940. It is December 1, which means Ralphie only has twenty-four days to convince anyone who is interested that the perfect Christmas gift is a Red Ryder carbine-action 200 shot range model BB gun. Regretfully, Ralphie’s requests are always met with the same reply – “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
This stage adaptation features all the best moments from the original movie: Ralphie’s friend Flick sticking his tongue to the flagpole; bullies Scut Farkus and Grover Dill terrorizing the local school children; Ralphie’s old man winning the leg-lamp; Ralphie’s horrifying visit to the department store Santa; and many more. The show is also packed with catchy show tunes written for the show by composer/lyricist team Pasek and Paul (song writers for the popular 2018 film “The Greatest Showman”).
“A Christmas Story: The Musical” features a cast of 23 college and school age children from the two Virginias. Ralphie is played by nine-year old Finn Smith, with Ralphie’s little brother Randy being played by Finn’s younger brother Cannon Smith. The boys’ father, the “old man” is played by Bluefield Youth Theatre regular Brian Fisher while their mother, Mrs. Parker, is played by Adyn Daniels. The narrator, Jean, is played by Bluefield College theatre student Aaron Sudderth. The cast features Mary Jones as the children’s school teacher Miss Shields; Connor Miller as Scut Farkus; AJ Donchetz as Grover Dill; Aiden Stout as Ralphie’s friend Flick; Elias Stout as Schwartz; and Ben Shumate as a grumpy department store Santa. Other cast members include Chloe Bowers, Margaret Rieger, Zach Bowman, Gavin Bolton, Kimberly Turner, Aurora Crews, Ashley Burton, Carrington Shelton, Kat Shumate, Callie Wilkerson, Jack Turner, and Andrew Viskup. The play is directed by BC Theatre faculty members Charles M. Reese and Rebecca McCoy-Reese with choreography by Kat Shumate. “This is a great Christmas show!” said Reese. “If you love the original movie you are going to fall in love with the musical. It’s got all the fun of the movie with show tunes and dancing. How can you go wrong?”
“A Christmas Story: The Musical” will run Tuesday, December 11; Thursday, December 13; and Friday, December 14 at 7:30 pm each night in Harman Auditorium. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for non-BC students and senior adults. Admission is free for BC students, faculty and staff. For more information, contact the Bluefield College Theatre department at 276-326-4244 or write [email protected].