Amy Edelstein will play the mother of her real-life son, Cody Simon, in the Gas Lamp Player’s Production of ‘A Christmas Story: The Musical.’
The Gas Lamp Players will present “A Christmas Story: The Musical,” bringing to the stage that classic story of a boy and his dream of owning a BB gun.
The show is based on the popular 1983 movie, which depicts an Indiana family of four during the 1940 holiday season. Central to the plot is the overwhelming desire of Ralphie, the older of two brothers, to receive a BB gun for Christmas despite parental fears that an errant ball bearing could blind him.
The story is presented as a remembrance by Ralphie whose older self narrates. Developed from a series of Jean Shepherd short stories, the show was later fashioned into a musical which had a limited 2012-13 run on Broadway. It is being co-directed by Stephen Buntrock and Erin Dilly.
Adults and children are in this Gas Lamp cast with many of the children’s roles double-cast. The adult role of the narrator is performed by Carlos Valdes-Dapena. Speaking before a recent rehearsal, he said that although he has performed locally at Union Congregational and St. James Episcopal churches, in Montclair, this was his first Gas Lamp production. A friend suggested auditioning.
“I wanted to teach theater in college,” he said, “and although I have an Actors Equity card, my life didn’t work out that way. I tried living the New York actor’s life and knew I couldn’t do that. My wife is a professional actor. I’m a homebody.”
His wife is the actor/singer Janet Aldrich, who in addition to film and television appearances over the years has been a fixture on Broadway since 1980.
Valdes-Dapena said since high school, when an instructor introduced him to Shepherd, he has been a fan and considered himself very fortunate to be cast as the narrator. He had submitted a video audition. Performing Shepherd, he said an actor will discover how clever a writer he really is.
“When you get it right, the words just flow,” he said. “It feels very natural, but it’s elevated. He’ll take an everyday situation and mine it for its universal meaning. He really gets into the character Raphie’s head. Even though it’s a kid’s feelings, it’s expressed as an adult.”
A challenge for the narrator, he said, is timing your words to the music.
“The ending of ‘A Christmas Story’ is very touching,” he added.
Also in the show is Amy Edelstein who plays Ralphie’s mother, a role originated on Broadway by co-director Dilly. Playing Ralphie’s brother Randy will be Cody Simon, who is Edelstein’s son.
“It’s been the most amazing experience being in a show with my kid,” she said. I hadn’t done a show since before he was born, but it’s been my dream to get back on stage.”
Edelstein said she and Cody do not always see things eye-to-eye when performing.
“Sometimes we’ve gotten into tiffs, power struggles giving each other direction,” she said. “Even Stephen (Buntrock) said that if he wasn’t there, Cody
could direct the show.”
Michael Preston portrays Ralphie, a role that has been double-cast along with Holden Ornstein.
Michael said it is a tough part to play because of the singing.
“There’s a lot of singing,” he said. “The pitch is very high in a lot of the songs. It’s tough to get to the notes I need to.”
Michael said the conflict in the story boils down to one thing.
“Ralphie wants a Red Rider, 200-shot Range Model carbine-action BB gun with a compass in the stock and this thing that tells time,” he said. “That’s what I said in the show. That’s the plot, but so many things branch out from that and come together at the end and it’s really beautiful.”
In the movie version, Ralphie is warned that “You’ll shoot your eye out” by his mother, his teacher and even a department store Santa Claus when he mentions wanting a BB gun.
The show’s creative team includes director Stephen Buntrock; guest director Erin Dilly; youth director Heather Ballantyne; costume designers Jeff and Karin Prior; stage manager Kevin Ohlweiler; set designer Alecia Hurst Walton; and producers Rennae Pelayo, Dana Hudon, and Kate Wilson.
The Gas Lamp Players will present “A Christmas Story: The Musical” on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, at 1 and 7 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 7, at 1 p.m.
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