From leg lamps and bunny suits to tongue-magnet flagpoles and daydreams of boyhood grandeur, there are many moments in “A Christmas Story” that years of 24-hour TV marathons have reduced to so much holiday boilerplate.
Introduce music into the equation, however, and those same iconic scenes are revitalized and become – in some cases – more impactful, says George Quick, the director of “A Christmas Story: The Musical,” which begins a two-week run at the Chattanooga Theatre Centre on Friday, Dec. 11.
“I think that the musical version is the best realization of the story that there is. I really do,” says Quick, who served as musical director during 2013 and 2014 productions of the musical. “Everything musicalized is heightened. It’s the perfect musical for that.”
The musical is a dramatization of the 1983 film of the same name based on short stories and anecdotes by storyteller Jean Shepherd. “A Christmas Story” is set in 1940s Indiana and focuses on the slice-of-life hilarity that surrounds the family of 9-year-old Ralphie Parker, a bespectacled day-dreamer whose greatest desire is to find a Red Ryder air rifle under the tree on Christmas morning.
First performed on Broadway in 2012, “A Christmas Story” features more than a dozen songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul that breathe new life into scenes such as the film’s many dream sequences, as well as touching interactions between Ralphie and his mother.
The cast of this year’s production features a 50/50 split between newcomers and veterans of the musical’s previous Theatre Centre runs. Drew Champion stars as Ralphie this year, returning to the stage after his 2014 turn as the leading boy’s best friend, Flick.
“[For Ralphie], you look for someone who can sing the role, for sure, and who has the ability to convey that kid who wants that BB gun, who is kind of a smart kid beyond his years but who is on this quest,” Quick says. “[Drew] has a great voice and is a good actor.”
Even though the musical is an audience favorite and “has become richer” every year during its holiday residency, Quick says this run will be its last for the foreseeable future. It will likely return at some point, Quick says, but no one likes guests who overstay their welcome, even at Christmas.
“When we slated this year, we knew it was probably going to be our last year doing it for a while so we can mix things up going forward,” he says. “But it’s a fun show, and people really seem to enjoy it.”
Contact Casey Phillips at cphillips@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6205. Follow him on Twitter at @PhillipsCTFP.
If you go
What: “A Christmas Story: The Musical”
When: Dec. 11-Dec. 23
Where: Chattanooga Theatre Centre, 400 River St.
Admission: $15-$35 adults, $14-$28 students. Prices vary by performance
Phone: 423-267-8534
Website: www.theatrecentre.com
Performance schedule
Dec. 11: 8 p.m., opening-night gala reception at 7 p.m., free parking
Dec. 12: 8 p.m.
Dec. 17: 7 p.m., featuring real-time captioning for deaf and hard-of-hearing guests
Dec. 18: 8 p.m., Girls Night Out featuring complimentary drinks and snacks at 7 p.m. and a post-show chat with the director and cast
Dec. 19: 2:30/8 p.m., bring your own camera for selfies with the leg lamp after the show
Dec. 20: 2:30 p.m.
Dec. 21: 7 p.m.
Dec. 22: 7 p.m.
Dec. 23: 7 p.m.
Cast
Greg Rambin – Jean Shepherd (the narrator)
Greer Caldwell – Father
Rudy Foster – Mother
Drew Champion – Ralphie
Ben Dewitt – Randy
Beth McClary – Miss Shields
Ensemble members – Christi Barr, Julia Becker, Benjamin Brown, Clayton Carter, Rose Dewitt, Aiden DiChiachio, Nate Garth, Shea Grande, Jeff Hill, Cayci Holt, Zachary Huseman, Brandy Johnson, Douglas May, Olivia Mayes, Tessa Mayes, Alexis Newsom, Grace Partin, Lauren Rayhab, Carson Saunders, Rodney Strong.