Nov 29

Nov 29 A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas

Bruce Steele: I've loved the ever-evolving A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas since the first iteration, four years ago. But you're a newbie, so I'm curious what you thought of this year's model.

Edwin Arnaudin: It lives up to the hype! Creator Matthew Glover has directed and choreographed a thoroughly entertaining show that kick-started my holiday season a tad earlier than usual — and for that, I’m grateful. It’s a fun mix of music, dance, and comedy, enacted by some familiar FRP faces who are at their best when performing familiar works. How does the 2021 edition compare to previous versions?

Bruce: Certainly it's equally festive, but perhaps more intimate, with a slightly smaller ensemble, just three onstage musicians, and no intermission. Not that it seems smaller, since we still get the full Flat Rock Playhouse Chorus for a few numbers and the marvelous young hoofers from Pat's School of Dance in Hendersonville. The Pat's troupe — nine girls and one boy — always makes me smile, watching their lively synchronized choreography and joyful faces. Was this your first Pat's experience?

Edwin: It was. I’d heard of the school but had yet to see their spirited work. Glover incorporates their skills just the right amount, peppering their numbers throughout the show, though the variety of the musical numbers — featuring various permutations of the seven-person vocal ensemble — keeps the production plenty active. What were some of your favorite selections?

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Bruce: Three early solos set a high bar. After a rousing ensemble opener, Cornelius Davis gets the first individual spotlight for an upbeat “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,” and soon after Katie Emerson establishes her powerful pipes with "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas." She’s followed by Jason Watson's soaring "Ave Maria," which is complemented by a graceful pas de deux from dancers James Du Chateau and Francesca Mancuso. Our host, Scott Treadway, also has some standout numbers. Giving him "You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," was a smart match of familiar song with Treadway's signature dryly comic delivery. And that's all before the halfway point. What else would you highlight?

Edwin: Tauren Hagans gets several moments to shine, both solo (“Who Would Imagine a King”) and in duets with Emerson (“Do You Hear What I Hear”) and Watson (“The First Noel”), and the instrumental features are also memorable. I light up whenever I hear something from Vince Guaraldi’s A Charlie Brown Christmas, so the medley by the talented backing trio of Music Director Nathaniel Beliveau (piano), Paul Babelay (percussion), and Ryan Guerra (guitars and violin) was especially delightful, and comes with the added bonus of Du Chateau and Mancuso doing their best animated Peanuts dance moves. Even more impressive is Babelay’s self-composed vibraphone solo piece, which weaves in several carols. Did anything from the show prove somewhat less successful for you?

Bruce: Not through any fault of Flat Rock Playhouse. I think everyone will have songs that they roll their eyes at a bit, and mine are the silly "Christmas Don't Be Late," aka the Chipmunks song, and "My Favorite Things," a nice Rodgers & Hammerstein number that has nothing to do with Christmas — although I acknowledge that Glover is working hard to add new material each year. On the other hand, some tunes that are must-repeats every season seemed as fresh as ever, particularly "O Holy Night," this year led by Watson. He and the ensemble and chorus give it all the emotional oomph it needs with no hint of bombast.

Edwin: Seeing “Christmas Don’t Be Late” performed live hits home that it truly is just one verse, repeated three times — a shortcoming not even the silliness of Hagans and Treadway acting like impatient children can hide. And the sudden injection of gospel stylings via “Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child” and “Bethlehem Morning” in the home stretch is somewhat ill-fitting. But I’m with you on “O Holy Night,” which gets the show back on track and is one of many numbers that showcase Watson’s pipes. It’s a true team effort, though I did look forward to each time he got to sing.

Bruce: Me too. It's a good ensemble, with each member bringing something a little different. Davis, for example, gives his solo "The Christmas Song" a hint of Nat "King" Cole while putting his own heartfelt spin on it, but he's a generous and sensitive partner as well, whether with Watson on "Angels We Have Heard on High" or just setting the stage for the Pat's troupe on "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town." I'd also like to acknowledge some of the unseen team members, including Ashli Arnold Crump, who designed the three sets of complementary, understated but elegant costumes, and dance creatives Autumn Freeman and Anna Kimmell. Chris Simpson's festive set and C.J. Barnwell's lighting wraps the whole production up in a shimmering holiday package.

Edwin: I’ve generally shied away from FRP’s revues, preferring to focus on the theater's musicals and plays, but I’m glad to have finally seen what these types of shows are all about. They allow performers to show off their gifts in a refreshingly different manner, prioritizing entertainment over drama or straight-up comedy in a way that appears to be as fun for those on stage as it is for the audience. It’s a terrific means of getting in the Christmas spirit with truly something for practically everyone, and a show that I plan to add to my holiday traditions.

A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas runs through December 19. For details and tickets, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org.

(Photos by Scott Treadway/Treadshots, courtesy of Flat Rock Playhouse)