A Christmas Story - The Musical
"A Christmas Story," the 1983 MGM film that featured Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon, has been adapted for the musical stage, and based on this new recording released by Masterworks Broadway, will provide a welcomed alternative to the interminable productions of Dickens’ "Christmas Carol" for families to enjoy during the holiday season.
The "World Premiere Recording" features the talents of Tom Wopat (as "Jean Shepherd," the narrator of the show, and author of the original story), Liz Callaway as "Mother," John Bolton as "The Old Man," and introduces Clarke Hallum as Ralphie Parker, the protagonist of this humorous tale of a small-town boy who only wants one gift for Christmas: A Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun.
The songs are written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the successful composing team behind the shows "Dogfight" (recently seen at Second Stage Theater), "Edges," and works for "Sesame Street" and "Johnny and the Sprites." Their music achieves a pleasing balance between maturity and family fun, providing catchy melodies without sinking into the predictable lyrics that a story of this nature could have easily provided.
Anyone familiar with the film will chuckle at the songs that bring to life the story’s memorable moments, including "Sticky Situation," which encapsulates the "triple-dog-dare at the flagpole" sequence between Ralphie and his friends Flick and Schwartz; "A Major Award," which tells of The Old Man’s gift for winning a magazine puzzle contest, and the subsequent marital conflict it causes; and "Up On Santa’s Lap," where Ralphie has an encounter with a quasi-demonic shopping mall Santa.
The recording contains a large of amount of the dialogue that is interspersed throughout the musical numbers, so we have an added opportunity to enjoy Joseph Robinette’s book within Pasek & Paul’s songs.
The film has become a classic over the past thirty years, and Pasek & Paul have created a set of songs for the musical version that will contribute to a continued life for the story on the stage.
"A Christmas Story: The Musical (World Premiere Recording)"
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (music and lyrics) / Joseph Robinette (book)
CD and Digital formats
Masterworks Broadway
