St. Charles theater stages Christmas classic
Steel Beam Theatre's “It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” will delight both young and old with its holiday message of faith, hope and love in a world overcome by cynicism and despair.
This heartwarming story, based on “Miracle on 34th Street,” is told through the upbeat melodies of Meredith Willson, creator of the acclaimed Broadway musicals “Music Man” and “Unsinkable Molly Brown.”
Disillusioned, divorced mother Doris, Amy Steele of Chicago, and her stoical daughter Susan, alternately Lauren Freas of St. Charles and Christina Zaeske of Aurora, learn to live and love again from Fred, Greg Zawada of Geneva, an optimistic former marine turned attorney, and from a substitute department store Santa, he calls himself “Kriss Kringle,” others just call him “crazy” who spreads love and fellowship throughout New York City, and proves to everyone he meets that the spirit of Santa Claus is no myth.
Jamey McDunn of Schaumburg plays Kriss Kringle; Will Nifong of Chicago appears as Macy's marketing executive Marvin Shellhammer, and Dean Dranias of Aurora is Mr. R.H. Macy.
Steel Beam Theatre's “It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” opens Saturday, Nov. 20, and runs through Sunday, Dec. 19. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays; 8 p.m. Fridays; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays; and 3 p.m. Sundays.
There are a variety of restaurants for pre- and post- theater dining nearby and free parking is available next to the theater, 111 W. Main St., St. Charles. Tickets are $25 for adults, $23 for students/seniors and $22 for groups of 10 and more. For tickets, visit www.steelbeamtheatre.com.
And to celebrate “It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas” opening weekend, California Pizza Kitchen, 1202 Commons Drive, Geneva, will donate 20 percent of your check to Steel Beam Theatre when you eat at CPK Nov. 20 and 21. Contact CPK or Steel Beam for details.
“It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas” is directed by Steel Beam Founder and Artistic Director Donna Steele.
Steele received her MA in theater from Northwestern and her MFA in acting from Southern Methodist University.
Since founding Steel Beam Theatre in 2001, she has directed numerous SBT productions including “A Christmas Carol,” “Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol”, “Proof,” “True West” “Sleuth,” “Wild Goat” and “Rabbit Hole.”
Music Director Jeremy Ramey counts this production as his 10th at Steel Beam Theatre, having just music directed the SBT shows “Fairways” (2010) and “Wild Goat” (2009). Other recent projects include music director for the Jeff-nominated “The Adding Machine” at Next Theatre, “C'est La Vie” at Light Opera Works and “Minister's Wife” at Writers Theatre.
Choreographer Cynthia Hall of Aurora studied with Louise Engstrom of Ballet Russe, Ruth Page, Joel Hall and Lou Conte. Hall has choreographed more than 20 musicals, including SBT's “Fairways “(2010), “Wild Goat” and “A Christmas Carol” (2009).
The “It's Beginning to Look A lot Like Christmas” cast includes: Greg Zawada, Hayleigh Hutchinson, and Kathleen Miulli, all of Geneva; Brian Birch, Dean Dranias and Christina Zaeske, all of Aurora; Lauren Freas, Terry Christianson, and Adoniss Hutcheson, all of St. Charles; Jamey McDunn and Emily Whaley of Schaumburg; Amy Moczygemba, Amy Steele, and Will Nifong, all of Chicago; Andy Kepka of Addison; Katie Meyers of Elmhurst; Gary Patterson of West Chicago; August Anderson of Batavia; Mikey Taylor of South Elgin; and Kara Blasingame of Oswego.