Review: ALL IS CALM: THE CHRISTMAS TRUCE OF 1914 At Wildwood Park For The Arts

Riverside Actors Theatre, Praeclara & Wildwood Park for the Arts, 20919 Denny Rd, in Little Rock, transported us to the trenches of World War I during Christmas of 1914, where the British and the Germans took a day off from fighting to have a Merry Christmas together. Based on a true story, ALL IS CALM, presented Dec. 7-10, was a powerful piece of military art that featured twelve amazing voices that told their tale with heart and emotion that moved me to tears.  

Written by Peter Rothstein and Directed by Ben Grimes, the musical tells the story of men ready for an adventure and thinking the war wouldn’t last very long. Soon, they realize the truth of war and the grim days that lay before them. Then, the Pope calls for peace at Christmas, the men put down their guns, and a German soldier ventures out into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” From there, both sides call a truce for the day singing, joking around, playing soccer, taking group pictures, exchanging gifts, helping each other bury the dead, and swapping addresses with each other. One soldier even says they should call a truce at New Years to see how the pictures turn out. This goes on until they are all ordered to retreat into their trenches, and alas, the hostilities resumed.  

Only a little over an hour long, this musical covers 35 songs from Christmas carols sung in various languages, WWI patriotic tunes, Scottish, English, German, French, and Flemish Traditional songs, and other ballads. To lace together the music, the soldiers step out and speak their thoughts that were taken from letters, autobiographies, poetry, gravestone inscriptions, and an old radio broadcast. 

The voices and the unified storytelling of these men were immeasurable. Under musical direction of Bevan Keating and Scott Whitfield, Wildwood always bring out the best singers, and this was a prime showcase for their talented male vocalists. Crooning for us were Ben Barham, Nathan Clay, Ethan Ezell, Kevin Ezell, Rayburn Ezell, Steven Jones, Xavier Jones, Jon Stevenson, Chris Straw, Matthew Tatus, Chris Weaver, and Thomas Williams. Each voice brought a richness to their characters that made us fall in love with every one of them.  

I will say this is the starkest I have ever seen the Wildwood stage. The background resembled a blue sky. There was fog, a few wooden crates, barbed wire, and sacks that indicated the bunkers. It was lit enough for us to know that the performers were there but had an ominous feeling about it, and I assume the costumes were various versions of uniforms from the era. The whole presentation, from set to music to the acting, was truly intense and it brought strong emotions from many audience members.  

I am a big fan of the three entities that came together to display this extraordinary production. Riverside Actors Theatre’s website states that they are a “theatre with a purpose - to heal, to connect, and to serve. We believe theatre can be used to transform lives, to bring attention to social issues, and to make our community better. We are a professional ensemble committed to the central Arkansas community, passionate about development of local artists, and ready to tell stories that do more than entertain.” Merging Riverside Actors Theatre with the voices of Praeclara and the wonderful Wildwood facility was a glorious combination for the holiday season.  

Production Team: Director-Ben Grimes; Music Directors-Bevan Keating and Scott Whitfield; Stage Manager-Zachary D. Rhodes; Assistant Stage Manager-Heather Rookey; Lighting Designer-Dena Kimberling; Scenic Painters-Jessica Riddick and Jeffrey Narrow; Props-Jessica Riddick; Sound Engineer-Dustin Yoder; Social Media-Elizabeth Riddick, Karen Kuralt and Olivia Hicks; Program Designer and Editor-Karen Kuralt. 

Coming up in April, you do not want to miss Wildwood's largest fundraiser: LANTERNS! They will have food, drinks, and entertainment from around the world. Admission price includes a nightly variety stage show as well as activities for kids. For more information, visit their website at wildwoodpark.org.

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