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'A CHRISTMAS STORY' REVIEW

‘A Christmas Story’: gold stars all around

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Las Cruces Community Theatre has a long history of great Christmas shows. Their current production of “A Christmas Story: The Musical” is right up there among the best-ever.

I went to final dress rehearsal and loved everything about this show. It includes the most amazing group of kids you can imagine – acting, singing and dancing (with world-class choreography).

Carter Chamberlin was an outstanding Ralphie Parker. I wasn’t sure he could top his performance in last year’s LCCT production of “Mary Poppins,” but he did. I knew from that show that Carter could sing and act with the best of them, but he proved in this show that he’s also a great dancer. And, he’s only a sixth grader! A huge gold star.

Carter’s supporting cast of kids is also amazing. Waylon Yerxa as Ralphie’s little brother, Randy, blew me away. How can a fifth grader have that much stage presence and be so fearless and so good? Ezequiel Wyatt (a fourth grader) and Santiago Garzon (a sixth grader) were also excellent as Ralphie’s friends, Schwartz and Flick. Santiago may get the biggest gold star of all for the way he delivered the line after his tongue was unfrozen from a light pole. This foursome was fab.

There were many other great performances by this show’s young cast members, all Las Cruces elementary, middle and high school students, including Mia Berkson, Maya Bradford, Kayla Bradford, Jada Bryant, Heidi Brown, Tara Gandy, Piper Gandy, Tatiana Garzon (Heidi and Tatiana were most excellent bullies), Rebekkah Kuhn, Bella Placencio and Ezequiel “Zeke” Wyatt. I wish I had space to give them all the praise they are due.

And let’s not forget the adults. The always brilliant Cindy Pitts was such a great Miss Shields. (I loved her use of the south wall as a classroom chalkboard.) Cindy led the tap-dance routine that nearly brought the house down during “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out.” Brandon Brown and Lennie Brown (married in real life) were the quintessential Mr. and Mrs. Parker. Their dance routine at the end made me cry. These three are among the best performers in Las Cruces, and that’s saying a lot.

Gale Fulte was a grand Santa Claus, and who knew Santa was such a good singer? His most able elf was Jason Wyatt, and Bianca Marie Castro was a great Mrs. Claus. Monte Womble put the star atop the tree with his work as the narrator, author Jean Shepherd. I wish there was room to praise all the adults who gave so much to this show.

Kudos to Janet Beatty-Payne for her direction, choreography and set design (a gold star to Doug Roby for the car), Sarah Sayles for excellent costumes, Amanda Bradford as musical director and accompanists Mark Klett and Cassie Galban.

Almost two-thirds of the seats for “A Christmas Story” were already sold before opening night, so make your reservations ASAP so you don’t miss this outstanding holiday show.

Additional performances are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 12-13-14 and 19-20-21, and 2 p.m. Sundays, Dec. 15 and 22. There is also a 2 p.m. matinee Saturday, Dec. 21. Tickets are $17 for adults, $14 for seniors, students and military, $10 for groups of 10 or more and for children under age 12. Tickets are available at lcctnm.org. LCCT is located at 313 N. Main St. downtown.

A Christmas Story, Las Cruces Community Theatre, Musical, LCCT, Carter Chamberlin, Waylon Yerxa, Brandon Brown, review

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