White Christmas, with D'Arcy James, Barzee, Denman & Patterson, Plays LA Nov. 28-Jan. 1

By: Oct. 12, 2005
AVENUE Q
Click Here for More on AVENUE Q
Get Access To Every Broadway Story

Unlock access to every one of the hundreds of articles published daily on BroadwayWorld by logging in with one click.




Existing user? Just click login.

An all-new stage adaptation of the beloved classic film White Christmas will be mounted at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, CA this holiday season. This new holiday tradition begins performances on November 22, 2005 and runs through January 1, 2006. The official opening night is Monday, November 28 at 7PM, following 8 lower-priced previews.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas made its stage debut during the 2004 holiday season in San Francisco. "The musical tells the story of two showbiz buddies putting on a show in a picturesque Vermont inn, and finding their perfect mates in the bargain," according to press notes.

Tony Award-nominee brian d'Arcy James (Sweet Smell of Success, Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party) will star as Bob Wallace in the show, while Anastasia Barzee (Henry IV, Urinetown) has been cast as Betty Haynes. Rounding out the cast are Jeffry Denman (The Producers, Cats) and Meredith Patterson (42nd Street) as Phil Davis and Judy Haynes, respectively.

The show will be directed by Tony Award-winner Walter Bobbie (Chicago). It will feature a book by David Ives and Paul Blake, choreography by Randy Skinner (42nd Street), 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. It will be presented as the third show in the Broadway/L.A. 2005-2006 season.

Many Irving Berlin classics are showcased in this new production, including "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep," " Sisters," "How Deep is the Ocean" and the beloved title song.

"Irving Berlin was always proud of the movie White Christmas, and we are thrilled that it has now become a stage musical," stated Ted Chapin, President of the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization which administers the Irving Berlin copyrights. "He wrote a song about Christmas that became more than a song – it became the highlight of one film, the title song of another, and a worldwide phenomenon. We have been working with Paramount Pictures for several years to make this stage version a reality, and all of us – including the family – are looking forward to seeing the show that this great creative team is bringing to life on stage."

White Christmas will be produced by The Producing Office, Paul Blake, Dan Markley, and Sonny Everett in association with Paramount Pictures. The stage production is based on the Paramount Pictures film, written for the screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama, and Melvin Frank.

Tickets, which range in price from $20 - $87, will go on sale to the general public on Sunday September 11th at 10am, and they will be available for purchase online at www.BroadwayLA.org , by phone at 213-365-3500 or 714-740-7878, or in person at the Pantages Theatre Box Office, or at any Ticketmaster outlet. Located at 6233 Hollywood Blvd, 1Ž2 block east of Vine Street, the box office is open daily from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM, or until 30 minutes after curtain goes up on the day of a performance.

Performances of White Christmas are Tuesday through Friday at 8:00 PM, Saturday at 2:00pm and 8:00 PM and Sunday at 1:00 PM & 6:30 PM. There are no evening performances on 11/24, 11/27, 11/29, 12/24, 12/31, and 1/1. There are no matinee performances on 12/25. There are additional 2pm matinee performances on 11/23, 11/25, 12/22, 12/23, 12/28, and 12/29. There is a performance on Monday 11/28 at 8:00pm.




Videos