Saint Paul's Ordway Center Has a White Christmas in 2006

By: Dec. 26, 2005
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White Christmas, the new show based on the classic Irving Berlin movie musical, will make its Midwest debut at Saint Paul, Minnesota's Ordway Center for the Performing Arts during the 2006 holiday season.

The musical is already playing three other American cities through the 2005 holidays: San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre, from November 9th through December 31st; Los Angeles' Pantages Theatre from November 22nd through January 1st; and Boston's Wang Center for the Performing Arts from November 25th through December 31. The Minnesota engagement will mark the show's first production in the Midwest, although an earlier developmental version was previously seen at the St. Louis MUNY.

The Ordway's production of White Christmas will basically be the same as the current Boston staging, although casting might be different. The Minnesota performing arts center recently formed a partnership with the Wang Center for the Performing Arts, "through which both centers equally share the expense of the physical properties of the show, including sets and costumes." The two centers will make White Christmas a holiday tradition by alternating annual productions of the show. Since November 21st, Ordway patrons have been able to purchase gift certificates that can later be used to buy White Christmas tickets.

Productions of the musical in other cities (such as Chicago and Atlanta) are also likely, although nothing has been announced yet.

White Christmas, which features a book by David Ives (All in the Timing) and Paul Blake in addition to classic Berlin songs, boasts direction by Tony Award-winner Walter Bobbie (Chicago) and choreography by Randy Skinner (42nd Street) in its three productions. The Producing Office's Jeffrey Seller and Kevin McCollum are two of the producers of the emerging musical theatre franchise; the others are Paul Blake, Dan Markley, and Sonny Everett in association with Paramount Pictures.

White Christmas is based on the beloved 1954 Paramount film that starred Bing Crosby, Rosemary Clooney, Danny Kaye and Vera-Ellen; the original screenplay was by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank. Many Berlin classics are showcased in the new production, including "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep," " Sisters," "How Deep is the Ocean" and the title song.

White Christmas will feature sets by Anna Louizos (Avenue Q), costumes by Carrie Robbins (A Class Act), lighting design by Ken Billington (Annie), sound design by Acme Sound Partners (The Boy From Oz), orchestrations by Larry Blank, vocal and additional arrangements by Bruce Pomahac, and music direction by Rob Berman.

For more information on White Christmas and to purchase tickets to either the Los Angeles, San Francisco or Boston production of the show, visit www.whitechristmasthemusical.com.

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