"Judy's Scary Little Christmas" is about as nontraditional as they come, while maintaining the Christmas theme. It's whacked! But, it sports a near perfect cast that does heroic work with a script that takes a nutty-crackers twist.
It's a challenge to present the musical's plot without spoilers - but here we go.
Think a touch of "Christmas Carol" with a teeny bit of "Into the Woods" - thinly - then add a dash of absurd theater. Confused? Well that's the kind of show this is.
Judy Garland (the impeccable Jason Faria/Honey Punch), is broadcasting a TV, Christmas Eve special, live from her home. It's an important comeback vehicle for Garland.
Her drop-in guests include Ethel Merman (a phenomenal Tobin Moss), Bing Crosby (an outstanding Sean Mullaney), Liberace (a terrific Joshua Lapierre), Joan Crawford (a jazz Delaney Lynch), Richard Nixon (a hilarious Jamie Bradley) and others.
The First Act is sort of a variety show, cum ghost story, (that touch of "Carol") with the Second Act taking a metaphoric turn into spooky thickets (a la "Woods,"), only to lose itself, leave viewers bewildered, and yet somehow oddly fascinate.
Act I juxtaposes each celebrity's public face with that of their private selves. It's punchy, sports some interesting tunes and is packed with laughs.
Act II offers a naked version of each, along with revelations. Here, also, is the musical's biggest issues. It's less about its twilight-zone turns and more about how the script handles the concept. It appears the writers are baffled by their own premise, how to handle it and end it.
Still this talented cast valiantly marches on and finds its way with panache, keeping even Act II afloat and the audience curious.
Nearly all the cast imbues their character with recognizable traits and nuances, and offer outstanding performances. In addition it proves an incredible collection of voices; solo and ensemble.
Faria/Honey Punch's Judy leads the show masterfully. The makeup gives him that Judy look, but its his deportment and perceptiveness as an actor that convinces you you're staring into her eyes.
If there's a standout in this group of highlight performances it's Moss as Ethel. It's a powerhouse performance, voice (he sang the hell out of her song), attitude, and mannerisms, it's the whole package making for a throughly gratifying watch.
And so it goes with Mullaney, Lapierre, and Bradley delivering astute, engaging, and hilarious characters.
The talent continues with the four Merry Masters, Judy's backup singers, dancers and house servants. Alyssa Dumas, Ben Hart, Heather Conti-Clark and Robert Fabricio Armstrong bring it all in and lift it all up.
Andy Kowalczewski as the charming Seaman Timothy Russell is another delight. Lynch as Joan, Andrew Cameron as George (the voice), and Alexandra Mullaney as Death all add to the talented collective.
In life, Lillian Hellman was a less distinctive persona than the others - like Merman and Liberace, for example. Perhaps that's why Meryl Galaid never gets a bead on Hellman and appears stiff, at least till her duet with Nixon (Bradley) where she brought the shimmer.
Direction by Ben Hart and Brandon James is on point. The focus is always in the right place, characters well developed and the pace is perfect.
The six-piece orchestra, conducted by Ethan Hackett, is another of the show's stellar elements - full and rich.
The visuals add to the fun. The set, designed by Hart and James (and shared with "A Christmas Story" also currently on the Rep stage) works harmoniously. The costuming really underscores character and period and adds zest to the production.
Kudos also to Faria for choreography, Zachary Ahmad-Kahloon for lighting, and Andrew Cameron for sound.
So, as stated earlier, this show is whacked. But it's also incredibly well done and rather fascinating first its stellar performances, interesting, and funny Act I, and, even for Act II, because you really want to know where the heck this is going to take you; it's about the curiosity and intrigue factor.
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