'Cinnamon Bear' takes stage in Wheaton
How can there be a world premiere of an 80-year-old holiday classic?
Simple: Wheaton Drama is bringing to the stage a live re-creation of the WGN Christmas radio serial "The Cinnamon Bear."
This departure from familiar fare affords audiences young and old a fresh way to celebrate the holiday season with shows at 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 14-15; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17, at Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale St.
General admission tickets are $15 and can be reserved at www.wheatondrama.org or by calling the box office at (630) 260-1820.
Condensed from nearly six hours of the radio serial that debuted in 1937, this captivating adventure - told in an old-time radio show format, complete with live onstage sound effects - takes children ages 5 to 95 on an adventure through magical Maybeland.
Audience members will join 10-year-old twins Jimmy and Judy as they meet that lovable bear Paddy O'Cinnamon - complete with his signature brogue - and search for their beloved Silver Star.
Along the way, they'll encounter the Crazy Quilt Dragon (who pilfered the shiny ornament), Presto the mail-order magician, Captain Taffy and his sweet-toothed pirates, the cackling Wintergreen Witch and many other characters.
Director Ben Dooley of Elmhurst, who transcribed and adapted the original script, speaks with wonder about the impact the story has had on so many childhoods through the years.
"What's amazing is how endearing this show is to so many people," he says. "Not everyone knows this magical story, but those who do - when I tell them we're doing this on stage - their faces light up and they break into big, happy smiles and even sweet, nostalgic tears."
Pam Turlow, the show's assistant director, adds: "The multigenerational appeal of the piece is so special. It's exciting to be a part of re-creating Chicago radio history."
Here's how it all began:
Husband and wife Glanville and Elisabeth Heisch created "The Cinnamon Bear" in 1937 when he was asked to write a children's serial in 15-minute episodes, each closing with a cliffhanger, to run through the holiday season. The 26-episode production ended up playing on hundreds of radio stations nationwide.
At Wheaton Drama's Playhouse 111, each matinee will be followed by a question-and-answer session with the Heisches' first daughter, Catherine Borchmann, for whom "The Cinnamon Bear" was written.
"Our family is thrilled that Wheaton Drama chose to bring 'The Cinnamon Bear' to life on the stage," Borchmann said. "My parents both had a history in show business on the West Coast, and my mother was a stage actress before becoming a mother to five daughters."
Audiences can expect an array of vocal performers who will re-create the saga's beloved personae.
"We have welcomed new actors to our theater, as well as brought in some solid comedic and character ringers," Dooley says, "and all have blended seamlessly to form a wonderful cast."
In addition, there will be live sound effects (rendered by Teresa Reinalda), just as in a Golden Age of Radio studio.
Live musicians will perform, under the guidance of musical director Peter Engel Storms, as vocalists David Pfenninger and Michael Sitrick join the cast in singing familiar songs from the original serial.
Visually, every character has been captured by artist Jim Martin in vivid, whimsical sketches that will enhance the overall experience.
Also, the lobby will have cinnamon-themed treats at intermission, and audience members can enter raffles for prizes.
If you go
What: "The Cinnamon Bear"
Who: Wheaton Drama production
When: 8 p.m. Thursday and Friday, Dec. 14-15; 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 16; and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 17
Where: Playhouse 111, 111 N. Hale St., Wheaton
Tickets: $15
Info: www.wheatondrama.org or (630) 260-1820