The rains came early to the San Francisco Bay Area this year, and so did the holiday spirit, thanks to the new stage adaptation of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas." With great music and lyrics by America's champion tunesmith; a likable, talented cast; terrific dancing and a feel-good story, "White Christmas" is a sure-fire winner for all ages.
This stage version traces its roots back to the 1942 movie musical "Holiday Inn," for which Berlin wrote the song "White Christmas." The 1954 movie, "White Christmas," featured Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, Vera-Ellen and Dean Jagger. It's the basis for the stage musical, which has a book by David Ives and Paul Blake along with those incomparable Berlin songs.
The story is pretty basic: Two World War II Army buddies, Bob Wallace (the smooth-voiced Brian d'Arcy James in the Bing Crosby role) and Phil Davis (the limber-legged Jeffry Denman in the Danny Kaye role), form a popular song-and-dance team. They meet the singing Haynes sisters, Betty (Anastasia Barzee) and Judy (Meredith Patterson) at a nightclub in New York, become smitten and follow them to Vermont, where they have a holiday booking at an inn run by the men's former commanding officer, Gen. Henry Waverly (Bay Area favorite Charles Dean). Unfortunately, Henry isn't much of an innkeeper, and an absence of snow makes its holiday prospects even bleaker.
Bob and Phil save the day by bringing their entire show to Vermont, then going on the Ed Sullivan show to invite their former Army unit to see the show and stay at the inn. There's another complication with a misunderstanding between Betty and Bob, but that's quickly cleared up, too.
So much for the story, but here are some of the songs: "Happy Holiday," "Sisters," "Count Your Blessings," "Love, You Didn't Do Right by Me/How Deep Is the Ocean," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" and of course the title song. Some other hits feature Randy Skinner's inventive choreography: tap extravaganzas "Let Yourself Go" and "I Love a Piano," Phil and Judy's graceful "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing," and "Blue Skies," with a tip of the hat and shrug of the shoulder to Bob Fosse. The latter also epitomizes Anna Louizos' ingenious stage design, in this case a bright blue backdrop; and Carrie Robbins' '50s costumes, all white in this case. Accenting both are Ken Billington's impressive lighting.
All of the leads are first-rate, as are the supporting characters, especially the Ethel Merman-voiced Susan Mansur as Martha Watson, the general's long-suffering, no-nonsense manager; and 9-year-old bundle of talent Raquel Castro as Susan Waverly, the general's granddaughter.
Director Walter Bobbie paces the action well and maintains a light touch, not allowing anything saccharine to creep in. The result of all this talent and care is an evening of sheer pleasure, a must-see.