A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas

Edwin Arnaudin: Much gratitude to you for bringing me into the Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas fold last year. It was just the right holiday spectacular to get me in the seasonal spirit and I looked forward to it from the moment I became yuletide conscious in 2022.

Bruce Steele: It’s a great way to start the season or to take a break from the craziness of the holidays for a couple hours of supremely entertaining Christmas music, performed by a charming cast. I think this was my fifth visit — it’s a completely new show every year — and it never gets old. I was very happy to be back here from Los Angeles for the 2022 kickoff.

Edwin: What did it feel like being back at Western North Carolina’s top theater for the first time in a year, Mr. La La Land?

Bruce: Terrific. I’ve seen a lot of professional theater since taking a job in L.A. a year ago, but none of it has the intimacy and homeyness of Flat Rock Playhouse, where, as host Scott Treadway notes right off the bat, we’re all part of the same family. And the talent level is equal to anything I’ve seen in La La Land.

Edwin: Since 2021 was my first time seeing this show, how does the current incarnation compare with past versions?

Bruce: I felt like this was a “core Christmas” production, really focused on the holiday’s most beloved music, with a few new additions to keep things fresh. I did not know the song “One Voice,” for example, and it was soaringly delivered by Jason Watson, a Flat Rock regular, who also has an impressive bilingual duet with his talented wife, Kathleen Watson, in “The Prayer.” Speaking of returning favorites, as anyone who has read our coverage of previous incarnations knows, nothing brings a smile to my face more readily than the youthful hoofers from Pat’s School of Dance in Hendersonville, and they appeared more than ever before during the production, which was a treat. Who were you most happy to see?

Edwin: It was a blast to watch the three male leads from this year’s excellent FRP production of West Side Story on stage: Eddie Maldonado (Bernardo), J. Taylor Wright (Riff), and Brandon Keith Rogers (Tony). Not having had that advantage, Mr. Hollywood, how did each performer strike you in his FRP holiday debut?

Bruce: Very sorry to have missed so many great shows at FRP this season! I’ll have to plan my trips home more carefully in 2023. But I really appreciated Treadway’s introductions of the performers from the stage, which gave everyone a little story to underpin their performances. The guys you mention were all terrific, and each brought something a little different to the mix. Maldonado’s solo on “The Christmas Song” was a show highlight of warmth and immediacy, and his teaming with Rogers on “Do You Hear What I Hear?” gave that hymn a real jolt of joy. Wright’s many featured moments dancing with Kaitlyn Harington were all spirited and graceful. They were especially romantic on “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?,” longingly sung by Maddie Franke.

Edwin: I know we’ve both been fans of Franke since she guided us out of a parking lot traffic jam after seeing Mamma Mia! in 2018. Her jazzy rendition of “Jingle Bells,” complete with many an amusing facial reaction, quickly drew me in.

Bruce: That was another song with a fun pas de deux from our featured dancers! And we mustn’t forget the excellent band, who were amazing accompanists throughout but also had some spotlight moments.

Edwin: Paul Babelay’s annual solo on his — in Treadway’s words — “pet vibraphone Eunice” was again a joy to experience. Unlike the evening’s other selections, his jazzy stylings made me think, and even though I recognized “I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas” early in the performance, I assumed it was part of a medley. Were you similarly entranced?

Bruce: It was suitably silly and skillful, and really the show’s only novelty tune (if you don’t count Treadway’s solo, which we’ll get to). I also loved Ryan Guerra’s showcase moments on guitar and fiddle — among his many instruments. And music director Ethan Anderson got some opportunities to show off nicely on piano as well.

Edwin: Did Ashli Arnold Crump truly design every costume? Down to each individual Pat’s School of Dance “Flat Rockettes”’ uniform? If so, we may need a new separate review section for each of her forthcoming accomplishments.

Bruce: Indeed! I lost count of the costume changes, but all the outfits were seasonal and festive without being garish. I was especially taken by Crump’s mid-20th-century winterwear look at the beginning of Act 2.

Edwin: At “halftime,” our party was cheering the first act and, not to jinx things, wondered if the second act could possibly live up to it — especially after last year’s edition got increasingly gospel-y and moved away from the more sentimental, secular tunes. How did post-intermission play out for you?

Bruce: There wasn’t really a gospel section this year, perhaps because as fine as all the voices were, none was in the gospel sweet spot, but that was fine. You’re right that the Act 1 finale set a high bar, but the four numbers that closed out the show — I’ll not spoil the titles, in case audiences, like me, prefer to be surprised — were quite a build-up. They took us through a fine male trio, a spectacular solo-with-ensemble featuring the incredible operatic voice of Claire Griffin, and a two-part all-hands finale that was both supremely celebratory and heartwarming. I especially liked that the show returned at the end to where it began. Director, creator, and choreographer Matthew Glover has been doing this show for years now and doesn’t seem to run out of ideas.

Edwin: I found the second half not nearly as strong as the first, though I’m glad we didn’t leave early or I would have missed Treadway’s recap of the season that was via “What a Year!” which was a comic delight and a feat of memory — though if anyone on The Rock could pull off such a string of information, it’s him.

Bruce: He also provided some background for a couple songs, such as “Belleau Wood.”

Edwin: The 1914 “Christmas truce” between British and German lines is a great story, but makes for a pretty hokey song despite Rogers’ and acoustic guitarist Ryan Guerrera’s best efforts. Did that number do much for you, or did your mind likewise wander to War Horse and other WWI films?

Bruce: For those wanting the full story, a bit dramatized, I’d recommend the Ethan Hawke film A Midnight Clear. As for “Belleau Wood,” I like the song, but it does require the historical context for it to make sense.

Edwin: Were you also a bit confused by the decision to bring out an unnamed member of the chorus to sign for “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel” when no other tune featured ASL assistance? It’s an admirable choice, but really should have been done throughout the show or not at all.

Bruce: It was a nice gesture, but yes, providing ASL for just one song seems odd. Before we close, I’m trying to think of what highlights we haven’t talked about — such as the wonderful Amanda Tong, who has a lot of fun with “Man With a Bag.” And we all really liked the projections on the backdrop, which were lovely and festive and animated just enough to be interesting but not distracting. Have I mentioned the Pat’s School of Dance ensemble enough? It was great to see a couple young men join the female-dominated team this year. OK, so back to Act 2. You had some reservations, but how did you feel about the finale?

Edwin: Whatever qualms exist from the preceding numbers, it’s difficult not to become fully enamored with Christmas after the big, full company finale of “White Christmas” with the artificial snow blowing and everyone knowing that the holiday of the year is around the corner.

Bruce: Agreed. Anyone who hasn’t made A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas a regular part of their holiday season needs to get with the program. I already can’t wait for next year!

A Flat Rock Playhouse Christmas runs through Thursday, Dec. 22. For details and tickets, visit FlatRockPlayhouse.org.

(Photos by Treadshots)