Review by Jennifer Mustoe, Front Row Reviewers
Be prepared for a jaunty Christmas romp with the Covey Center for the Arts’ Every Christmas Story Ever (and then some!) playing through the holiday season. After attending this, you will experience all the Christmas classic movies and television shows and songs and carols in a new and funnier light.
Every Christmas Story Ever (and then some!) begins with Joel Applegate, dressed in Victorian garb (costumes, hair, and makeup by Jessica Moody) sitting in the corner above the stage in the glow of a single spotlight (lighting design by Gabi Pack) reading Charles Dickens‘ A Christmas Carol from a ginormous book. Applegate intones: “Marley was dead: to begin with”. We heard this sentence over and over again. Why? Because though Applegate is very invested in reading the whole novella aloud, his other two castmates (Brandtly Henderson and Jakob Lau Smith Tice) are not so jazzed about that. They have other more modern stories to perform (and convolute) and finally Applegate acquiesces, reluctantly at first, but then getting into the mash up holiday groove.
The first act puts a manic and hilarious twist on all our favorites, with all three talented actors donning ridiculous iterations of costumes and familiar songs from those shows–picture Whos singing their “Fah who foraze. Dah who doraze” amid crazy comical movement all over the stage. The Grinch bit is especially funny because every other word of dialogue tosses in the word “Who” in front of it. Every Christmas Story Ever (and then some!) doesn’t stop for one moment. There are a few running gags, using familiar Christmas brands like M&Ms and Coke making their appearances and the jokes about them don’t get old.
I am not sure I can explain how quickly everything moves in this show. All three actors are all over the stage all of the time. It’s like a long session at the gym for these fellows, I’m sure. What I loved the most is that all three actors are given the opportunity to be various characters and there isn’t just one type. For instance, Henderson often played a more childlike character in the sketches, but is able to put on his big boy pants, too. Applegate begins as a stuffy “by the book” (pun) Victorian reader of the Dickens’ tale, but once he was encouraged (or one may say forced) to lighten up, he gets into the act. (Another pun. Readers, this show inspires this reviewer to pun far too often. Please forgive me.) The synergy between the actors (who use their own names in the piece) is delightful to behold. It’s clear that hours of rehearsal is evident because shows like this regularly go off script as the players get comfortable with one another and the play itself. I mentioned to the actors after the production, “I would like to see this on closing night because I’m sure it’ll be even more over the top.”
Henderson’s eye are alight the entire performance. He also can belt out those tunes. His physical comedy is top notch and it makes me smile to think of him even as I write this. One of his best gags is him running back and forth behind the opened curtains on the set shouting, “I’m on the wrong side!” He nails it. Smith Tice is slickly hilarious, first playing a sarcastic character and then a riotously silly one. His expressions are one of his strong points and you can see who he is mimicking perfectly. Quite a talent.
It may surprise theater goers that they play a serious part (two puns there!) in a live production. How the audience responds has a lot to do with the energy and deliciousness of a performance. Last night’s audience, filled with kids, tweens, and teens as well as grown ups, was great and I could see the actors leaning into their performances. Well done, actors and audience! It made me happy that there was such a variety of ages in the audience.
Robert Seeley‘s and Spencer Powell’s set decoration is necessarily Christmassy but in a deliberate slapdash not at all fancy type of decorating. You’ve got your tree, you’ve got your fireplace, and so on. Seeley also supplied the sound design and this show puts him through his paces. As usual, he does his perfection best.
Director Skye Cummins is the one who wrassled all this merriment and chaos brilliantly and there is never a lag in the show. Because each actor plays many characters, helping them flesh out each one had to be a challenge, but her Christmas spirit and direction experience clearly kicked in because there was not a misstep by the actors and the audience was laughing and clapping almost nonstop.
The second act is short and brings us remarkably tender (but still funny) scenes from A Christmas Carol and It’s a Wonderful Life. Those two together? you may ask. It is perfection. Applegate plays both George Bailey from IAWL and Scrooge from ACC, two redemption characters that are polar opposites. (Does “polar” count as a pun? I’m saying yes.) I watched with fascination as Applegate swung from the miserly Scrooge, facial expression cruel then redeemed, to the bereft Bailey, who swings from despair to joy. Actions, physicality, facial expression, voices, mannerisms, it was like watching two different actors performing in one body. Fascinating. Cummins had Applegate look to stage right as one character and stage left for the other. It is magical. Brandtly plays ZuZu from IAWL, donning a “lovely” blonde wig and you know what? I bought it. He is also Uncle Billy and smashes that one, too. Smith Tice plays several characters in this bit and creates each one effortlessly and believably.
Every Christmas Story Ever (and then some!) is in the Brinton Black Box Theater upstairs at the Covey Center for the Arts. It is cozy, meaning it’s a perfect space for a fast-paced show. But it also means that there are only so many seats. Last night’s show was almost full, so buy your tickets soon as you don’t want to miss this crazy twist on Christmas entertainment.
The Covey Center for the Arts presents Every Christmas Story Ever (and then some!), written by Michael Carleton, James Fitzgerald, and John K. Alvarez.
The Covey Center for the Arts, 425 W Center St, Provo, UT 84601
December 7-23, 2024, M, Th-Sat 7:30 PM
Tickets: $18-$20
Contact: 801-852-7007
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Every Christmas Story Ever (and then some!) promo reel
Note: Every Christmas Story Ever (and then some!) is double cast and the other players are: Dave Nutter and Tanner Fredericksen.
Ages 6 and up allowed with a ticket. No babies or babes in arms will be allowed.
Due to the intimate nature of this theater, we ask that you plan to be in your seats no later than 7:15 PM. Guests walk on the stage to reach most of the seating so late seating is a distraction to others and is therefore discouraged.
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