Christmas Visits Broadway -- Now and Then

Over the years, the Broadway stage has taken on a number of scenarios, from silly to grim. Some of them have been instrumental to the show, while others have been sidelights. It is in that latter role that the stage-particularly in the realm of musical theater-has featured aspects of Christmas.

I do not intend to focus here on whatever specific holiday extravaganzas have played on Broadway this time of the year. Instead, I want to take a look at how and when the Christmas holiday figured in a number of well-known shows over the years.

Some of the shows I will list will feature the holiday, but attach no particular music to the event. Others will have produced their own music on the theme that, in some cases, has made a lasting contribution to our inventory of what we now consider traditional Christmas songs. That said, let me start with two shows that featured the holiday prominently, but did not add any new music to the Christmas lexicon.

Annie,1977, Music by Strouse and Charnin

This show rates with Li'l Abner as one of the most successful adaptations of a comic strip to the Broadway stage. As many of you, particularly my older readers, know, the show was taken from the comic strip, "Little Orphan Annie," drawn by Harold Gray.

Christmas plays an important part in the show because it is the means by which Annie is able to meet her great benefactor, Oliver Warbucks. Although the show incorporates a number of colorful characters who never appeared in the comic, Daddy Warbucks was an integral part of the long-running strip. By the way, his name was Harold Gray's not-so-subtle way of labeling him as a war profiteer (from World War I, as the story is set to begin in 1933). Still, it seems, he is a war profiteer with a heart.

Being, as he is, a "merchant of death," though, he is a fellow who could use some positive public relations. His faithful assistant in the show, Grace Farrell, hits on the idea of their inviting a token orphan to the splendid Warbucks Christmas bash. Of course, Annie is the one who gets picked, by pure blind luck.

Broadway wouldn't be Broadway if the tycoon took an instant liking to the brat, so, naturally, he did not, being of the mind that his assistant's idea was a bit harebrained in the first place. Broadway would also not be Broadway if the little tyke didn't win his heart over.

Even allowing for the lack of a definitive Christmas song, this is a very amusing musical with a fun plot and some excellent songs.

The 1940's Radio Hour, 1979, Written by Walton Jones

The setting for the show is a Manhattan radio station in 1942. The text consists of the show's final holiday broadcast of the year. As a result, it has somewhat of a Christmas theme, even though it features a panoply of the popular music of the time, including "Boogie-Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B," "Blues in the Night," "I'll be Seeing You" and many more. Even the commercials reflect the era.

While I never had a chance to do Annie (my earliest mainstay theatre group had just done it the season before I started my career), I did get a chance to be in this one. I played Lou Cohn, the somewhat-unpleasant director and sound-effects guy combined. In a commercial for Pepsi Cola, I dropped two Alka-Seltzer tablets into a glass of water to get the required effervescent fizz. In a musical number that featured a "tap-dance" break, I produced the effect by rhythmically rubbing two pieces of sandpaper together. Remember, this was supposed to be a radio broadcast.

Like the first show I listed, this is a fun show to catch if your local community or repertory theater happens to put it on, probably around Christmastime.

Rent, 1996, Written and Composed by Jonathan Larson

Actually, Rent is an opera, rather than a musical, but as with other rock opera productions (such as Tommy) individual songs are easily identifiable. The first act of this wonderful, frenzied show takes place on Christmas Eve. It features the stirring song, "Christmas Bells," which, coupled with the staging, paints a haunting picture of the holiday. The link for this song also provides a good indication of the energy and quality of the overall show. Take a look at Christmas Bells , and see for yourself.

This show might not be everybody's cup of Christmas tea, but it completely blew me away when I saw it.

Meet Me in St. Louis, 1944 (Film)

This film, starring Judy Garland and directed by her future husband, Vincente Minnelli, would later have a short run on Broadway and is still done, now and then, in repertory. It is centered around the St. Louis World's Fair (commemorating the Louisiana Purchase) of 1904. Some of the songs, such as the title song, were reproduced from the popular vaudeville numbers of the time, while others were written for the show.

Let me say, right off the bat, this is a show with a very silly plot, and I don't mean that in a good way, as in zany. I mean as in stupid (Now, now, Mr. Tom, get off your high horse. You've done four different Gilbert and Sullivan shows, so you're hardly in a position to carp about silly plots, are you?).

Even so, the show does feature some excellent music, including "The Trolley Song" and this wonderful song for the season: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas . It almost makes it worth putting up with the rest of the show...well, at least around Christmas.

Mame, 1966, Composed by Jerry Herman

The story embedded in this show spans several decades, let alone seasons, but there is one particular moment, toward the end of the first act, when Mame and her household are at their absolute lowest, when this wonderful Christmas song comes along to inspire them to find a little happiness amidst the gloom. You know which one I mean, don't you ?

All in all, this is a delightful show, from start to finish, but I have to believe that Christmas song the players sing in the depths of their despair is the highlight of the production.

There are probably a number of other Broadway musicals where Christmas plays an important part, but they are just not coming to mind at the moment. Then again, as one who turned 65 earlier this year, your narrator is entitled to have such moments. Feel free to comment if you can think of any more. Otherwise, feel free to enjoy any of these if your local theater company decides to put them on in the future. Felix Natalie.

Sources

YouTube

Wkikpedia

The shows themselves