Full disclosure: A member of the cast gave me a comp ticket
for this show. So assume I am horribly biased and all that. Of course, I always
blog about whatever the heck I want, and don’t claim to any sort of
objectivity. So take this review with the usual block of salt.
***
I’m not sure how many of my readers are American Idol fans.
I never really got into it, mostly because I just don’t watch much television.
(If you want to know how I read over a book a week, it’s because I decompress
that way, not with the tube…) But, at least for the first few seasons, I knew
enough people who cared, so I kind of at least kept up with what was happening.
For those of us from Bakersfield, California, it was season
three that mattered the most, because one of our own, Amy Adams, was a
legitimate contestant. Bakersfield
is an interesting place. Outside of California,
it would qualify as a pretty dang big city. The metro area has over 800,000
people, making it number 62 in the US. (By comparison, the city itself
is twice as big as Salt Lake City,
and the metro area nearly as large.) But, despite its size, it feels very much
like a small town. For example, both the legal community and the music/arts
community are close knit and mutually supportive.
Amy Adams on American Idol
And, relevant to this post, we really tend to embrace our
own. Look at Buck Owens, who drew a crowd at his nightclub up until his death.
(I had the honor of playing with him as part of a joint Buckaroos/Bakersfield
Symphony concert back in the day.) If you are from Bakersfield, and embrace us, we will embrace
you. It’s a thing I like about this town. Bakersfield’s
Amy Adams should not be confused with the more famous actor, Amy Adams. After
some success in Vegas and on tour, our own Adams came back to Bakersfield, had
a couple of kids, and got involved in our local scene, teaching and working
with youth. Which I think is pretty cool.
Amy Adams, more recently, with a bit less pink, but still with all the spunk.
I’ve reviewed a few shows at Stars
Dinner Theater before - it’s one of the longstanding local institutions
that tends to focus on the “usual suspects”: the standards of music theater.
Nothing wrong with this, and it has been a fun way for the kids to see some of
these live. I tend to be intrigued by the more offbeat productions, and it is
nice to see that they have branched out a bit lately.
This particular production was a double bill. The first half
was a one act adaptation of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol by Ed Hopkins, followed by a musical review put
together by Amy Adams.
Let me start with the Dickens. I have been a Dickens fan
ever since my mother read David
Copperfield to me and my siblings when I was about 9 years old. Since that
time, I have read ten of the major novels, all five Christmas novellas, and a
bunch of the short stories. For a decade or so, I read a Christmas novel every
year. Although I have a soft spot for The
Haunted Man, there is no doubt that A
Christmas Carol is in the pantheon of greatest stories of all time. The
kids and I watch the Muppet version every year, and it never gets old. (I am
also partial to the old Alistair Sim black and white movie. So classic.)
The fun, of course, for the writer and director, is how to
stage this story. Dickens is pretty long on description, which is better show
than told on stage. On the other hand, there are some amazing zingers in his
dialogue, which really should be preserved if possible.
I am happy to say that Ed Hopkins did a fine job of striking
a balance between drama and the original. All the lines I was hoping to hear
were preserved intact, and the occasional narration by Bob Cratchit was
likewise drawn from the original. As a one act adaptation, it was quite
enjoyable.
The key to any version of A Christmas Carol, is, of course, Scrooge. In this case, Kevin
McDonald played that part. I have mentioned his fine
work
in previous
posts. I was not disappointed in this production. McDonald captured the many
moods of Scrooge, from vicious cruelty, to fear, to irrational exuberance in a
memorable and riveting manner. I would be hard pressed to imagine a better
choice for this role. (Disclosure: Kevin comped my ticket, and is hilarious on
facebook, so I am undoubtedly biased. But I did like his work before I actually
met him online or in person.)
Amy Adams (The Ghost of Christmas Present) and Kevin McDonald (Ebenezer Scrooge)
I’ll also note the work of another online friend of mine,
Norman Colwell, who played the ghost of Jacob Marley. Norman spent several decades in radio and TV,
but really got into the stage late in life. Of his 77 total stage appearances,
71 have come since he turned 70. That is badass. And I loved his portrayal of
Marley, with a combination of deadly (or is that undead) seriousness and
slapstick humor.
Amy Adams took the part of the first two ghosts. Two
real-life couples played the central couples in this work: Peter and Gianna De
Keles as the Crachits, and Patrick and Karri McNeal as the Fezziwigs. I find it
fun when casting is done this way. The real life chemistry often bleeds into
the drama. I’ll also mention stage veteran Paula Einstein and Lindi Pellett as
the charitable organization representatives, and Brent
Starrh and Elizabeth Mackay as Fred and wife. I am not sure whether it was
Peter Antongiovanni or Evan Clason who played Tiny Tim on the night we went,
but he got the biggest applause of the night - and deserved it.
I am sure I am missing a number of other fine actors, but
such is the nature of a blogging hobby. I enjoyed it, and can’t think of any
sour note.
After the intermission, we got what was basically a musical
Christmas revue, with Amy Adams’ eccentric family as the subject. It is my
understanding that Adams co-wrote and directed
this portion of the production. My favorite part of this segment of the evening
was the music. With a cast of 20+, the arrangements were much more
sophisticated and interesting than a standard SATB pulled off the shelf. It
wasn’t clear if Adams did these herself, or
just found the arrangements and made them happen, but either way, I was
impressed. Stars generally has good quality vocal work (see Caley Mayhall
in Ragtime), but the ensemble
work was particularly impressive in this case. Adams
appears to have a knack for raising the level of performance. Both pitch and
ensemble were outstanding - as a musician myself, I noticed.
Let me also mention the fine work of the three piece live
band. Piano, bass, and drums. I know musicians are expensive and take up space,
but there is nothing like live music. Well done, guys, and thanks for your
commitment to art.
In any event, an enjoyable night.
Turning from the specifics of this performance, I want to
look a bit at Dickens and a theme that really stood out to me this time.
Anyone who has read Dickens extensively knows that behind
all the good humor and optimism lies a deep hurt. Even A Christmas Carol turns out to be a really dark story, if you think
about it. But for a bit of supernatural intervention, Tiny Tim dies, Scrooge
dies forgotten at best, and the Victorian economic machine continues to grind
the poor into dust.
There is a real life reason for this. There is a singular
event in Dickens’ childhood which he never really got over, and which keeps
appearing throughout his fiction. When Dickens was age 12, his father was
arrested and imprisoned for debt, ending Dickens’ education, and forcing him
into grinding child labor. In essence, this event broke apart their family, and
terminated Dickens’ childhood. Yeah, no surprise he never got over it. His dad
was just an expendable cog in the economic machine - never mind he was working.
His family was destroyed and his wife and kids thrown on the mercies of a
heartless society. Sure, Dickens survived and became a famous novelist. But
many more died as children, forgotten, and unmourned.
I was reminded of this at several points in the evening
entertainment. The first was when Scrooge himself spoke of his own trauma: his
mother died giving birth to him, and he likewise rejected his nephew Fred,
because Scrooge’s beloved sister Fan died giving birth to Fred. (One of those
mundane commonalities of the Victorian Era we tend to forget…) Soon afterward,
Scrooge turns a homeless boy out, scorning his carolling. Even in a Christmas
story, the menace of cruel fate and crueler humanity is front and center. (Of
his five Christmas novels, I think only The
Cricket on the Hearth is mostly good cheer, and even it has an undercurrent
of poverty. And damn, The Chimes is
so dark.)
Both the left and right have tried to claim A Christmas Carol as proof of their
particular politics. I rather used to think both had a point once upon a time.
Of course, that was back before the GOP went full social darwinist, so it
was... a different time. After more careful readings, though, I realized that
the heart of Scrooge isn’t really that of a smug liberal. (Although, to be
sure, there is plenty of approbation due to those who prefer their segregated,
gated neighborhoods while relying on government aid to assuage their personal
consciences.) Scrooge actually is the modern social darwinist in so many ways.
His cure for poverty?
Wait for it...PRISONS. And workhouses, where the poor are
put to slave labor for long hours in exchange for starvation food and housing.
Seriously, before you compare our modern safety net to Victorian institutions,
take a minute to research them. Socioeconomic status translated into literally
decades of life expectancy. As Scrooge himself said, “If they are going to die
anyway, they should do so quickly and decrease the surplus population.” It was
this idea of much of humanity being “surplus” that led to the imprisonment of
Dickens’ father. It is this idea of “surplus” which leads to the disdain for
impoverished refugees today. And more.
As Dickens points out, we might not really want to
categorize humanity as “surplus,” considering that we don’t really know that it
won’t be us ourselves who are truly the surplus. There is the strong hint that
Scrooge himself is “surplus,” one of those whom nobody will miss.
Two songs in the second half of this production tied in
perfectly with Dickens’ theme. The first was one of my all time favorite
Christmas songs: “Oh Holy Night.” I
wrote about this (and a few other carols) two years ago. Kudos to Amy Adams
and company for including those amazing lines from the second verse: “Chains
shall he break, the slave is our brother / and in His name, all oppression
shall cease.” Let us not forget that, while the American translation was
expressly abolitionist, the French original also focused on the oppression of
the poor by the powerful. Charles Dickens would approve.
The second song was one sung by Gianna De Keles, “My Grown Up Christmas List.” This modern song, written by
Linda Thompson (lyrics) and David Foster (music) was originally recorded by
Natalie Cole, although it didn’t really become at hit. As those of us with an
Evangelical background remember, Amy Grant’s 1992 version is the one which
propelled the song to prominence. Later, Kelly Clarkson (hey, there’s an
American Idol reference again) blew it all open in 2003 with her recording. In
any event, the lyrics are quite good, and speak to the age-old problem of the
way we tend to destroy the families of the poor, then blame them for it. Again,
Charles Dickens would approve.
Call me a sentimental fool, but I still wish for this. I
wish we would stop tearing lives apart in the name of (fill in the blank: mass
incarceration, border “security,” war, hate, racism, you name it.) I wish we
would put aside our ideas of what is “deserved” and start really looking at
what we do to children in particular. Perhaps, this Christmas, more of us can
find some empathy in our hearts and stop building walls - and build a bigger
table instead.
I suspect that the theater audience here in Bakersfield skews toward the “liberal” side,
for lack of a better term. (I’m still struggling with the idea that I somehow
am a Commie because I don’t embrace White Nationalism and Social Darwinism.)
But still, there was a certain political component to this production by its
very nature. You put that pinko Dickens on stage, and sing about Christmas and
the brotherhood of humankind, and, well, before you know it, you push back
against hate. It’s a beautiful thing.
Amy Adams has a fine voice. It definitely has a country girl
twang, so it is definitely a Bakersfield
type. I’m a musical omnivore, so I enjoyed it, but your mileage may vary,
depending on if you love or hate country. I appreciated that she didn’t feel
the need to grab the spotlight, but let everyone else shine, taking advantage
of her moments without acting like a diva. As I mentioned above, it was the
work on ensemble singing that impressed me most.
I’m going to go with the Amy Grant version of the song, just
for the 1990s nostalgia and my own memories. Long live the electric keys of the
era...they take me back whenever I hear them.
***
Do you remember me
I sat upon your knee
I wrote to you with childhood fantasies
Well I'm all grown up now
And still need help somehow
I'm not a child but my heart still can dream
So here's my lifelong wish
My grown up Christmas list
Not for myself but for a world in need
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, no
This is my grown up Christmas list
As children we believe
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely wrapped beneath the tree
But Heaven only knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal a heartached human soul
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, no
This is my grown up Christmas list
What is this illusion called the innocence of youth
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth
No more lives torn apart
That wars would never start
And time would heal all hearts
And everyone would have a friend
And right would always win
And love would never end, no
This is my grown up Christmas list
This is my only lifelong wish
This is my grown up Christmas list
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