Jennifer Grasso to Lead Phoenix Productions' A CHRISTMAS STORY

Highlands resident Jennifer Grasso will be playing a lead role in Phoenix Productions' upcoming November revival of A Christmas Story. This show will take place at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank for a two-weekend run beginning November 11th.

Jennifer is a well-known performer in New Jersey, as well as New York City where she made her home and career for 25 years. She is currently a music teacher and business owner. She made her Phoenix debut as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, and was last seen on the Basie stage as Betty in White Christmas. "Reno was my dream role and it introduced me to this great family at Phoenix", says Jen. "Seeing White Christmas, which is my dream show, also in the season that year is part of why I even auditioned for Reno! Every experience at Phoenix has been great, and brought me closer to the NJ theatre community earning me dynamite best pals!"

In A Christmas Story, Jen plays Mother, the vibrant, warm and affable parent to Ralphie and Randy that challenges the 1950s bland wife. "Mother always has her family's best interests at heart and really holds down the fort!," says Jen. "I have a two year old son, and parenting can be ridiculously fun, challenging, rewarding, and even hilarious at times! I think I'm at a point in my life that I can identify with The Mother NOW more than I ever would have been able to in the past!"

A Christmas Story is a new musical version of the classic movie comes to the Count Basie Theatre stage for the holiday season. A Christmas Story takes place in the 1940s in Indiana, and focuses on Ralphie, a daydreamer who spends his days counting down to Christmas and his dream present -- a Red Ryder BB Gun. All of the classic movie's best-loved moments are here, including the Old Man's leg-shaped lamp, the tongue-on-a-flagpole scene, the bunny suit, the Santa slide and, all of Ralphie's extravagant daydreams. Join Ralphie in his quest for his Red Ryder BB Gun at this big Broadway musical, complete with dazzling dance numbers and gorgeous sets -- but be careful not to "shoot your eye out"!

Performances will be on Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm, with its run concluding on November 20th. Tickets are available at the Count Basie Theatre Box Office and can be purchased in person at 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, N.J, by phone at 732-842-9000, or online at www.countbasietheatre.org.

Phoenix Productions is a Red Bank non-profit theatre organization that has produced more than a hundred full-scale revivals of Broadway musicals since 1988. For more information on Phoenix Productions or upcoming shows, visit www.phoenixredbank.com.

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