Review: MEREDITH WILLSON'S MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET: THE MUSICAL at Capital One Hall
And mom and dad can hardly wait for school to start again
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The touring production of Meredith Willson's Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical (aka Here's Love) is at its strongest when the uncredited actor in the above photo has the center of the action. A fine singer and a convincing actor, he is billed in a digital program as “Kris Kringle” who plays SC. In the show, the character convinces RH Macy and some of his fellow department storekeepers that customer service matters more than profits; the 1963 show does also have two romantic leads who bicker and insult each other as if that's how people court—these characters are in a galaxy far, far away. But the uncredited actor brings universal good will and supports what Meredith Willson's script wants the audience (and RH Macy) to believe which is that Santa and his mission of generosity could be real. Perhaps the generosity will rub off on the producers as the tour progresses so that the actor obtains credit.
Playing Macy, Greg Kalafatas sings gloriously. And as the judge who throws out the court case against Santa Claus, Jerry Sciarrio cuts a rug like nobody's watching, which is therefore fun to watch. Those two romantics sing very well; Ellie Baker plays Doris, who hires Kringle because her original Santa showed up drunk. Truman Griffin plays Fred, the Jarhead turned attorney who romances Doris with a song called, “Look, Little Girl.” Griffin didn't write it; Willson did. The show could live without it. Fortunately, in 1951 Willson also wrote “It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” which has been interpolated into Miracle on 34th Street and which greatly enhances every scene it's sung in.
Director/Choreographer Antoinette DiPietropolo has devised wonderful action for the hard-working and lively ensemble who all play multiple roles: shoppers, Macy's employees, elves, Marines, court reporters, Macy's parade participants, New York City cops. Scenic Designers Rob Bissinger and Anita LaScala's drops and units blend with Bruce Ha's Video Designs, giving the production considerable physical polish.
The 2.5 hour production runs through December 28.
(photo courtesy of Lisa Boehm)
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