"You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!": A Christmas Story, The Musical! Begins World Premiere Run

"You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!": A Christmas Story, The Musical! Begins World Premiere Run

By Adam Hetrick
20 Nov 2009

John Bolton in rehearsal
John Bolton in rehearsal
photo by Don Ipock

A Christmas Story, The Musical!, conjuring the frosted magic of a classic 1940s holiday, gets its world premiere at the Kansas City Repertory Theatre beginning Nov. 20-Dec. 27.

Scott Davenport Richards penned the score to the musical based on the Jean Shepherd stories and the 1983 MGM film. The libretto is by Joseph Robinette. A Christmas Story, The Musical!, which has already broken box office records at KC Rep, is aiming for a 2010 Broadway debut.

KC Rep artistic director Eric Rosen stages the production. Opening is Nov. 28 at the Spencer Theatre, located within the James C. Olson Performing Arts Center. With numerous performances already sold out, KC Rep has hinted at adding performances to the run.

James Judy (The Scarlet Pimpernel) portrays the story's originator and its narrator Jean Shepherd, with Zachary Carter Sayle (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Ralphie. Broadway veterans John Bolton (Curtains, Spamalot) and Anne L. Nathan (Assassins, Road Show, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Sunday in the Park with George) portray "The Old Man" and "Mother," respectively, and Jake Siegfried is cast as Randy.

Completing the company are Becky Barta (Miss Shields), Aaron Conley (Flick), Troy Doherty (Scut Farcus), Zachary Rand (Grover Dill), Dakota Hoar (Schwartz) and Katherine McNamara (Girl), with chorus members Patrick DuLaney, Karen Errington, Seth Golay, Jennie Greenberry, Katie Kalahurka, Orville Mendoza, Alan Mingo, Jr., Kip Niven and Vanessa Severo.

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The world-premiere tryout is produced by Grammy nominee Gerald Goehring and Michael F. Mitri, both of whom produced Frankenstein Off-Broadway, as well as Robert G. Bartner and Michael A. Jenkins of Bartner/Jenkins Entertainment (Guys and Dolls, Boeing-Boeing on Broadway). Bartner is also the producer of Broadway's Memphis, Superior Donuts and the London productions of La Cage aux Folles and Legally Blonde.

Based on the stories of radio humorist Jean Shepherd, the classic holiday story follows Ralphie Parker, whose holiday wish is a Red Ryder 200 Shot Carbine Action Air Rifle. The 1940s-set comedy follows Ralphie through his holiday campaign for the gift of his dreams, complete with a visit to Santa at Higbee's Department Store, a racy lamp, the family's exploding furnace, an experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost and more.

Songs in the production include "Getting Ready for Christmas," "Take That!," "I Won (A Major Award)," "You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!," "Ho, Ho, Ho!," "I'm Awake," "On Christmas, We Go Eat Chinese" and "There Must Be Something We've Forgotten."

In December 2008, a reading of A Christmas Story was presented in New York featuring Beau Bridges as Jean Shepherd, Gregg Edelman as The Old Man, Liz Larsen as Mother and Annie Golden as Miss Shields.


(front) James Judy, Zachary Carter Sayle, Jake Bennett Siegfried, Anne L. Nathan, John Bolton and cast members in rehearsal for A Christmas Story, The Musical!
photo by Don Ipock