A Backstage Christmas
City of Fairfax Theatre Company
Photo credits: Alan Price
Let me set the scene of every holiday-loving theatre kid’s dream:
It’s frigid December weather. Carolers are strolling about the streets, and the warm glow of Christmas lights radiates from every corner. You’re waiting in the wings of a cozy theater, doing a last-minute prop check before taking the stage in Bob Cratchit’s Toy Store. The season is busy, but full of joy, cheer, and togetherness.
Meet the spirited setting of City of Fairfax Theatre’s latest production, A Backstage Christmas. This hallmark-movie-come-to-life tied all the warmth of the holiday season together in a festive bow of family. It had everything you’d expect: the sarcastic single mom, the self-proclaimed charmer, a romantic moment on a bridge, plenty of holiday sweets… plus a dash of theatre and show business. Oh, and don’t forget the witty kids! Put it all together, and you’ve got quite the recipe for a holiday show.
A Backstage Christmas
Playwright and director Ellen Dean Price is the mind behind this never-before-seen holiday work. Inspired by a winter season spent backstage in Busch Gardens Holiday Town with her son, Price wrote moments of “A Backstage Christmas” based on the memories they shared. Still, the play itself is fictional, and strikes a skillful balance between the cheer of the holiday season and navigating the loss of a loved one. Peppered with comedy, this story is certainly one to enjoy with the whole family.
I was so excited to see that this show was written by a female playwright/director, and applaud CFTC for continuing to uplift original productions in their seasons! Their slogan, “we put the community in community theatre,” was no doubt exemplified in this production: not only does it feature the work of a local playwright, but the cast was full of families performing together. I can always count on CFTC for featuring a multi-generational cast, and this one did not disappoint.
Without further ado, let’s brave the snowy weather--and shout out some performers along the way!
The Production
When the blue curtains of the Katherine Johnson auditorium parted, they revealed a set of cream colored walls, a couch, a coffee table, and a few chairs--a cozy, soon-to-be-holiday-themed living room. Cross-legged on the couch sat overworked single mother Elise (Courtney Drake), furiously typing out emails to her marketing clients. She and her son Noah (Luke O’Donnell) have been staying at her sister Lori and brother-in-law Bruce’s house (Victoria Jungck and Kevin Siegel). Jungck and Siegel worked incredibly well off of each other, and delivered some of the show’s highlight comedic moments. From Lori threatening to send risky texts on her sister's phone, to Bruce interrupting a sweet moment with a demand to turn on the football game, the pair infused every scene with a little family mischief--balanced, of course, with love for Elise and Noah.
From stage left entered Calderon “Cal” Myles (Michael Bass), professional actor extraordinaire. With a warm smile, he’d come to inquire about the status of Noah’s audition for Tiny Tim in Silver Ridge Park’s upcoming holiday production, Bob Cratchit’s Toy Store. In ran Noah Garland (Luke O’Donnell), who sheepishly admitted to sending in an audition tape on his own… without anyone else knowing.
While his mom was initially skeptical, Noah wanted nothing more than to spend Christmas on the stage. O’Donnell perfectly exuded the excitement of a wide-eyed kid during the holiday season, and brought a fresh sense of wonder to every moment of the show. The playful conversations with his cousins, Page (Ryleigh Brixius) and Jake (Shane Siegel), were incredibly well-timed and made for some of the show’s wittiest moments.
While we’re at it, a shout-out goes to every kid involved in this production! I have to admit, That Teen on the Scene doesn’t cover nearly enough shows with performers younger than 13, so I’d like to emphasize the adult-caliber work these junior performers were putting on. Whether it was child star Olive (Lucy Toskovich), disgruntled Owen (Ryan Siegel), or the ensemble of carolers between each scene, every kid crafted a distinct character for the show.
Now, back to Lori’s house, and Noah’s determination to play the role of Tiny Tim in Bob Cratchit’s Toy Store.
Amid the Christmas craziness, Drake kept the story grounded in the reality of the season. Determined to make Noah happy and do the best for her family, she grabbed her Macbook and headed to the theater… all she had to do was find some place backstage without distraction. That distraction was named Calderon “Cal” Myles: the guy determined to open her heart to the holiday season.
Bass radiated with Christmas spirit in the role of Cal, and fostered a genuine connection with Drake’s Elise. While Drake began the show disinterested--too buried in her work to contribute to the whimsy of the holiday season--Bass was able to melt her icy demeanor with a warm smile.
One of the trickiest challenges for the performers of Bob Cratchit’s Toy Store was navigating their split-second quick changes, and the set team (Peter Marsh, Katrina Smith, Joshua Smith, Stephanie Nah) and run crew (Brandon Foster) of A Backstage Christmas were met with an equally sizable task. Luckily, their clever set design made transitions fly by in the blink of an eye.
I think I’ll leave the rest to the imagination… I can’t spoil all the magic!
Who is it for?
With the holidays just around the corner, CFTC’s A Backstage Christmas hit all the classic notes of a heartwarming Christmas movie. You know, the type that you snuggle up on the couch to watch with your family in a set of matching pajamas. Not only did it cater to all ages (and featured an all-ages cast!), but there were moments to stir holiday memories for every audience member: secret santa, gift-wrapping, plenty of treats, and family celebration.
A Backstage Christmas runs for just three more performances: December 20th at 2pm and 7:30pm, and December 21st at 3pm. Visit fairfaxcitytheatre.org for tickets and more information.