Friday, December 26, 2008

Last weekend to see 5 plays and musicals (Dec. 26-28)

By Shawn Parikh

The last weekend of the year brings in a small amount of theater closings, so while you have the time off make sure to check out a couple:

• The Beulaville Baptist Book Club Presents: A Bur-Less-Q Nutcracker, presented by MBS Productions. Are you tired of the typical Holiday shows? Come check ours out! The women of the Beulaville Baptist Book Club are in dire straits financially, and as a last ditch attempt to save their book club they decide to do a fundraiser and hire the Beaumont Ballet to perform Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker”. Madge’s Piña Colada Casserole unfortunately sickens the entire cast with food poisoning and they are unable to perform. Luckily, there is another dance troop in town. It seems the Velvet Kittens Burlesque Dancers are stuck in Beulaville because their van broke down on their way to New Orleans. Madge has never heard of Burlesque, or as she pronounces it “Bur-less-Q”, and in an act of necessity hires the dance troupe to do “The Nutcracker”. The end result? The most original, unusual, and comical Nutcracker you have ever seen! Purchase tickets ($18-21) online or by calling 214-477-4942.
• The Santaland Diaries, presented by Contemporary Theatre of Dallas. A hilarious, sardonic comedy written by NPR humorist and best-selling author David Sedaris, chronicles his true-life experience as an out of work slacker taking a job as Crumpet the Elf at the SantaLand display in Macy’s Manhattan. Sedaris recounts outrageous tales of encounters with frenzied holiday shoppers during the height of the holiday crunch. This priceless one-man show has become a national cult-classic and will star Dallas’ own Nye Cooper in the lead role. Purchase tickets ($12) online or by calling 214-828-0094.
• A Christmas Carol, presented by Dallas Theater Center. Think of it as the ultimate scary ghost story, but with a happy ending! Charles Dickens’ beloved classic about a mean old man spooked into rediscovering what life’s about jumps across the footlights in this annual DTC revival of a holiday favorite. Set in Victorian London, where the privileged, in their fancy parlors, prosper while the poor struggle to survive, A Christmas Carol speaks to all ages as it tells the tale of the cynical Ebenezer Scrooge. With a heart hardened by a tragic childhood and lost love, Scrooge would rather Christmas never came around to disrupt his money-grubbing ways… until he gets a nightmarish series of wake-up calls from the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. DTC’s much loved production captures A Christmas Carol’s enduring message of hope and redemption. With its evocative songs, sprightly dances, spectacular sets and magical stage effects it’s the perfect holiday season treat for everyone. Purchase tickets ($23-60) online or by calling 214-522-8499.
• Annie, presented by Casa Manana. “Spectacular” is the word used again and again to describe this Broadway smash-hit musical. Annie, Sandy, Daddy Warbucks, Miss Hannigan, FDR, Rooster and all those adorable orphans return to the Bass Performance Hall just in time for the holidays. Annie is a spunky Depression-era orphan determined to find the parents who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City orphanage. Winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book and Best Score, Annie features the classic songs “Tomorrow,” “It’s A Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without A Smile” and “A New Deal For Christmas.” As long as Annie is around, the sun will always come out tomorrow! Call 817-332-2272 for tickets ($30-75).
• Closer Than Ever, presented by Contemporary Theatre of Dallas. Lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. and composer David Shire (the team behind the musicals Big, Baby, and Starting Here, Starting Now) fashioned this delicious musical revue with songs that stand alone - each a mini-musical in itself - but also add up to a unifying theme of growing up, falling in love, and trying to hold on to happiness through life's curves and changes, from the bawdy hilarity of "Miss Byrd" to the poignant longing of "She Loves Me Not." Purchase tickets ($22-32) online or by calling 214-828-0094.

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