Tony Tuesday: A CHRISTMAS STORY - THE MUSICAL
It may be Summer but this week, we’re going back to 2013 to relive some festive musical theatre joy. This week’s TONY Tuesday is:
‘You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out from A Christmas Story: The Musical at the 2013 TONY Awards Ceremony.
A Christmas Story: The Musical is a musical adaptation of the 1983 film of the same name. The story focuses on a child called Ralphie who desperately wants a Red Ryder BB Gun for Christmas. The story is told from the perspective of older Ralphie, who is now a radio presenter called Jean Shepherd, looking back on his memories of the time. Shepherd was a real-life American storyteller and TV/Radio personality. Shepherd narrated and co-wrote the original movie of A Christmas Story, which was in fact based on his own real-life experiences.
The musical had its premiere engagement at the Kansas City Repertory Theater, Missouri in December 2009. The show had a book written by Joseph Robinette and a score by Scott Davenport Richards. The production was directed by Eric Rosen, and starred John Bolton as The Old Man, and Zachary Sayle as Ralphie Parker. After the Kansas City try-out, the musical was reviewed and decided that fresh eyes were needed on the score. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul were hired to pen an entirely new score before the musical opened a year later at the 5th Avenue Theater in Seattle, Washington. The musical was again helmed by Eric Rosen, with choreography by Kelly Devine and John Bolton reprising his role as The Old Man. This run was succeeded by a National Tour in 2011.
The musical made its Broadway debut playing a limited season at The Lunt-Fontanne Theater over Christmas 2012. The Broadway production was directed by John Rando and choreographed by Warren Carlyle, starting previews on 7 November 2012 and closing on 30 December of the same year. John Bolton again starred as The Old Man, with Dan Lauria as Jean Shepherd, Caroline O’Connor as Miss Shields, and Johnny Rabe and Joe West alternating as Ralphie Parker. The production received three 2013 TONY nominations for book, score and musical, but failed to win any. The production was revived for the 2013 Christmas season, this time produced at The Theater at Madison Square Garden with the principles reprising their roles and the role of Ralphie played by Jake Lucas and Eli Tokash. Since 2014, a national tour has run over the festive season. This incarnation is directed by Matt Lenz, based on Rando’s original staging, with choreography by Warren Carlyle.
In 2017, Fox announced that A Christmas Story: The Musical would be the subject of their musical telecast. For A Christmas Story Live!, Pasek and Paul penned several new songs and cut three from the original song list. The production starred Matthew Broderick as The Narrator, Maya Rudolph as Ralphie’s Mother and Jane Krakowski as Miss Shields, with Andy Walken as Ralphie.
The musical has had several regional productions and celebrated its European premiere at the Waterloo East Theatre for the Christmas season of 2018.
Besties, if you haven’t listened to this beautifully festive gem of a show, I urge you to, it’s super cute.
Cast recording available from streaming services.
FACTS:
Music: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Lyrics: Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
Book: Joseph Robinette
Theatre: The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Run: 7 November 2012 – 30 December 2012 (15 previews and 51 regular performances)
TONYS:
(NOMINATED) Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical –Joseph Robinette, Best Original Score – Benj Pasek and Justin Paul
