BWW Reviews: 'TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS Warms Up the Fulton Stage Family Series

"T'was the night before Christmas" is the start of a poem about the arrival of Santa Claus and his reindeer at the author's home. It's "Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus" that discusses his existence. And indeed, parents go through more torture trying to keep children believing in Santa than children themselves go through concluding that there is no Santa, except the metaphorical one of the famed "Yes, Virginia" essay - though some reject even that Santa. As we all know... wait until they have their own kids.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is also the name of the new children's theatre play at the Fulton Theatre, written by Artistic Director Marc Robin and Curt Dale Clark (who's also directed), and starring, for the first time at the Fulton, Marc Robin as Rudolph - or maybe as a shy, bullied guy named Will.

Because Toyland, where Santa works and prepares for Christmas every year, has been taken over from within, and the prime movers and shakers have been persuaded by an evil spell that they're not who they are. Rudolph thinks he's Will. Jack Frost thinks he's Elvis. Yes, that Elvis. He rocks out "Deck the Halls" in new and original ways, which is cool, but still, why does the Snow Queen think she's Glinda the Good? Has Toyland become Oz, or, more likely, the infamous Island of Misfit Toys? Why does Santa think he's Farmer Dale, whose biggest ambition is to paint his fence - and when did Mrs. Claus become a diva, Samaria, Queen of the Broadway Stage, awaiting a contract for her own Broadway show?

Into the mess comes Charlotte, a young lady who tells her father she's not too sure about Santa, when Dad decides to change her mind by showing her the secret key to Toyland that Santa gave him when he was a boy. When she comes in and sees the chaos, sans Santa, who's busy with farm repairs, she discovers that maybe she does believe, at least enough to help everyone remember who they really are. She believes in them, and that's enough to make everyone, including her, believe in Christmas. And she's going to take Rudolph and convince Santa to get back on that sleigh where he belongs.

Charlotte, played by Stephanie Jo Wise, manages to bring an amazing innocence to her part, rough when an adult is playing a child's role, yet vitally necessary to portray that child who's at the age where she's sure Santa doesn't exist... unless he does? Her father is Randall Frizado, who's sweatered enough for MR. Rogers and understanding enough for any parent out there. Bryon Thomas Smith, as the befuddled Santa, is a delight to watch, especially for the young children in the audience who want to help straighten out his confusion. Buddy Reeder is both a spectacularly tap-dancing Frosty and one of the backup dancers for Samaria, who also plays the bewitched Snow Queen, who in real life is Missy Dowse. Missy Dowse can be a diva any time she wants, please - she's charming, funny, and over the top in just the right ways.

Andrew Kindig as the Mouse King and Steve Calzaretta as the Christmas Gremlin are hilariously evil villains, their aim in bewitching the residents of Toyland from Santa on down being the perfectly reasonable fiendish aim of keeping all the toys for themselves. Adults will recognize the same behavior and goals in grownups named Bernie Madoff and the like. Once Charlotte arrives, they panic and have to set a plan in motion to keep her from helping the locals realize who they really are and that it's almost Christmas.

The show is funny enough for everyone, both for children and for adults, who shouldn't find themselves bored or insulted by the content. Like such classics as "The Jetsons" and some moments on "Sesame Street" there's enough for adults to get and to enjoy that they'll stay awake and interested, even as the children in the audience thrill to Willie realizing that his nose really does glow red, and that he really, really can fly. There's original music in the show (including Samaria's star turn) as well as one or two recognized carols, so it's by no means just a holiday revue of well-worn songs. It's short, at one act, so the younger children won't squirm in their seats at the end of short attention spans, and parents won't spend half the show trying to keep them well-behaved; it's a fine piece for a young children's introduction to the theatre.

The sets are based on the set of MARY POPPINS that's currently on the Fulton stage, especially Jane and Michael's nursery, while adding a few other places, like Santa's farm (which doubles as Samaria's venue for entertaining her devoted fans). And even Mary Poppins' flying rigging comes into play, when Rudolph gets his mojo back and Christmas is saved thanks to Charlotte's belief and her ingenuity.

The show is a homegrown Fulton piece, starring a number of Fulton regulars and staff, and even playing on their names. The elvish barbershop quartet bears the names of Fulton administrators, and Frosty the Snowman, when he's under the Mouse King's and Gremlin's spell, believes he's the Magonigable (not Abominable) Snowman - that last riffing off the name of Bryan Magonigal, the crew chief. "Charlotte" is even the planned name of set designer William Mohney's impending Christmas arrival, who's starring on the Fulton stage even before she stars for her parents.

Short enough for the youngest, amusing enough for parents and other adults, cute enough for the younger cute-lovers without causing choking among those (like grownup grinches) with limited tolerance for the adorable, bearing a fine holiday message without preaching or insipidity? It may be a Christmas miracle of sorts. Even if it isn't, it's a sure-fire child-pleaser that isn't one more round of "The Nutcracker" or the fifty-seventh time you've seen Holiday Special X (fill in the blank with the one you're most tired of) on television. As an in-house tribute to the Fulton's staff, it's a Christmas present to them, as well, and one they undoubtedly deserve.

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS is on at the Fulton on Saturday mornings through December 28. Visit thefulton.org for tickets and for information. Especially keep your eye on information for the Sensory Friendly Program that is being launched with this production, which aims to prepare children with sensitivity issues to handle the excitement and stimulus of being in a theatre. The December 14 production will have a session beforehand with coaching and activities to help equip children for audience participation. The price for this show, part of the Family Series, is also family-friendly, making it easier for an entire family to experience Live Theatre.

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