Irving Berlin’s White Christmas Brings Holiday Cheer Early to Chanhassen Dinner Theatres

I know what you are thinking, and I was thinking the same thing, Christmas already? It’s still Monster Month! Well, when you mount a musical at the Chanhassen Dinner Theaters, even an abbreviated run like this, you have to start a little early and run a little late. And guess what? If you want to see this production before Christmas, you’ll need to purchase tickets for an October performance because a quick perusal through the CDT website shows every show from November 1st through until New Years Eve is sold out already. The kicker is, this production, it’s really really good. The dancing alone is worth the price of admission and it will be just as spectacular in October and January as it is in November and December. Choreographer Tamara Kangas Erickson has created some brilliant dances, many for large groups, but even the duet routines contain showstopping moves. Filled with perfectly synchronized tap, the cast really gives everything and it pays off. Under the musical direction of Andy Kust, the orchestra and vocalists are as is always the case at CDT of the highest level. Long time Artistic Director Michael Brindisi shows that after over 120 productions he knows just how to stage a show for this theater and its audiences. I promise you, even the Scroogiest will come away from Irving Berlin’s White Christmas with the holiday spirit.

Song and dance man Michael Gruber plays Bob Wallace one half of a song and dance team along with Tony Vierling’s Phil Davis. These two sound and act the part of 1950’s wholesome crooners perfectly. After an opening set in 1944 Europe in which Bob and Phil are entertaining their fellow soldiers including General Waverly, whom they all would follow to the ends of the earth, we jump ahead to 1954. Bob and Phil are huge stars and on their way to Florida over the holidays to work on and rehearse a new Broadway revue. When Phil falls for one half of a sister act, who are on their way to Vermont to perform at an Inn, he tricks Bob onto the wrong train so they can tag along. It turns out the Inn is owned by their former commanding officer General Waverly, it is also financially deep in the red. When they arrive the Inn has just lost all of it’s reservation due to a heat wave that makes skiing and other winter activities unavailable. Bob and Phil decide to move their rehearsal to Vermont and mount a show, getting all their old infantry division to come over the Christmas holiday and save the General’s Inn. Of course the two sisters they followed, Betty and Judy played by Ann Michels and Andrea Mislan, are on again off again romantic interests for Bob and Phil. Misunderstandings occur to keep the couples apart until the end of course, but they continue to make beautiful music together throughout the show. Helping the General to run the Inn is Martha Watson played by Michelle Barber, who used to be a performer herself. Barber has a great bickering chemistry with Joenathan Thomas who plays the general, as well as with his Granddaughter played in rotation by Jenalia Valerio and Malee Cenizal.

The main leads all mentioned above are exceptional at recreating the light and wholesome feel of the 1954 film on which the stage musical is based. They get great support, particularly in the dancing department from the ensemble. There are also a couple of character roles that add immensely to the humor of the show. Jon Andrew Hegge plays a few different roles but it’s as the Inn’s handyman Ezekiel, who apparently came with the place when the General bought it, that he gets some of the biggest laughs of the show, all by seemingly to do very little, but very slowly. In his first scene I swear he was cracking up Michelle Barber with the pace at which he was executing his performance. Another standout is Mark King as the harried stage manager Mike Nulty, he adds a bit of comic flair with his exasperated performance throughout the five days of trying to get the show up and running. But, it’s his interactions with Hegge’s Ezekiel that bring out the best in both performers who feed of each other with a perfect comic timing.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas runs through January 25th at Chanhassen Dinner Theatres. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful food that comes included with your tickets. They also have delicious beverages and desserts you can enjoy, I highly recommend indulging in the Tiramisu. For more information about the show, the menu, and to purchase tickets go to https://chanhassendt.com/whitechristmas/

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