By Jannalee Hunsaker
The Sugar Factory Playhouse’s Miracle on 34th Street, presented in the cozy Midvale Performing Arts Theatre, is a heartwarming production full of great performances and just the perfect dose of nostalgia to warm the cockles of any heart. The show by George Seaton recreates the classic story set in the postwar 1940s in New York City between Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s a real love story and the ending is what makes the audience true believers.
Miracle on 34th Street is a family treasure that tells the timeless story of a department store Santa who manages to make a believer out of a skeptical little girl named Susan Walker (Brynlee Dalton), whose mother Doris (Jen Bedore) has raised her to disbelieve in fairy tales. The story is about Kris Kringle (Bill Morey) who is accused of being mentally unstable and a fraud, Doris who is a single mother who tries very hard to raise her daughter in a practical, realistic world, has to decide what to do when the miracles start to happen right before her eyes.
Bill Morey portrays Kris Kringle in a lovable and endearing fashion. He may indeed be the genuine jolly old elf and you find yourself silently cheering for him so that Christmas may be saved! Morey as Kris Kringle ties all the different character arcs together, and he’s a very convincing Santa.
Jen Bedore plays Doris, the tough, but lovable, no-nonsense, by-the-book single mom who has taught her daughter not to believe in Santa. Ms. Bedore’s character is endearing as the loving mother of Susan and yet shows the strong will she has to have to make it in the corporate world.
Brynlee Dalton is the spunky and wise beyond her years Susan Walker, Doris’s too-practical daughter. Although Susan is undeniably precocious, Dalton makes this character lovable and entertaining as she tells Santa her wish for a family. Dalton’s rendition of “When Santa Gets Your Letter” was wonderful!
Bob Bedore plays the intelligent and smitten Fred Gailey. Mr. Gailey has had a crush on Doris for some time and lets his feelings be known to Kris Kringle, who of course helps to get things rolling in the romance department. Bedore gives one of the strongest performances of the show as the attorney who defends Kris Kringle in court. He is truly one of the good guys!
The supporting cast and ensemble are terrific. Other notable stand-out performances are from Brienna Michaelis as Mrs. Shellhammer and Rosalie Richards as Miss Sawyer. It’s pretty good when an actor plays a character well enough that the audience boos them. The director noted that the cast is a mix of seasoned professionals, in-betweens, and first timers. They all did a remarkable job! When they all come together at the end and sing “White Christmas”… well, who doesn’t get emotional when that song is sung?
The production has some very memorable features; the show begins with a soldier played by Josh Holladay singing a beautiful solo, “I’ll Be home for Christmas”. This song sets the tone of the production in postwar time and is a chilling rendition of the classic song. The Christmas parade is visualized with a drum major, marching trumpet players, a baton leader, clown, gorilla and the throwing of candy into the audience.
The director, Petronella Oliver, brings to the stage a variety of entertainment values to keep the show flowing. During scene changes, there is music being played by a pianist, Cheryl Nielsen right in the audience. Her playing of Christmas music was one of my favorite things about the show. There are carolers that looked like they just stepped off a Hallmark Christmas card. The costumes by Rosalie Richards are delightful, from the wonderful period clothing of the adults, to the whimsical and playful elf costumes. The set and props by Petronella Oliver are simple for a smaller stage and the use of furniture to give visual representation of rooms tell the audience exactly where each scene is taking place. Other very memorable showstoppers are when MeriLynne Michaelis sings “When You Wish Upon a Star”and the elf/kids ensemble sing “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer” with reindeer puppets. It is very fun and entertaining seeing the kids play out the plot of Rudolph with their puppets on sticks.
Part of the story’s magic is that when audiences walk out of the theater, their minds believe that Kris Kringle is the real Santa Claus. The feel-good moments never seem to grow old — just as the innocent illusions of childhood never fully disappear from our own hearts. This production is a genuine feel-good Christmas play with values that hold true today. Patrons set off into the chilly air with hearts warmed with Christmas magic, knowing that Christmas isn’t about presents, it’s about kindness and joy and love and all the other intangibles.
Family friendly show.
The Sugar Factory Playhouse Presents Miracle on 34th Street, By George Seaton.
Midvale Performing Arts Center, 695 W Center St., Midvale, UT 84047
Dec 5-16, 2019, 7:30 PM, Matinee Dec 14 2:00 PM.
Tickets: $5-12
www.Sugarfactoryplayhouse.com
Sugar Factory Playhouse Facebook Page
Miracle on 34th Street Facebook Event
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