A Beef & Boards Christmas
Luxurious sets and a whirlwind of costume changes are always hallmark elements of the annual Beef & Boards Christmas production. The variety show style offers up holiday favorites for crowds. There are familiar songs and faces from a quartet of singers that includes, Matt Branic, Peter Scharbrough, Heather Patterson King and Bobbi Bates.
Deb Wims and Kenny Shepard are back as well dancing
across the stage together. There are also no shortage of Christmas icons in the
cast, Frosty, Rudolph and the Grinch all make appearances. The show features
half a dozen high-kicking dancers to jazz up most numbers.
The show mainly stumbles when it tries to do too much.
There are times when Lucas, the quartet, co-hosts Wims and Shepard, Santa and
six dancers are all vying for the audience’s attention on stage at the same
time. The frantic nature of those numbers makes it hard to appreciate any
single element, much less all of them at once. The quieter moments, like
Branic’s rendition of “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” have a deeper impact. A
knock out performance of “O Holy Night” by newcomer Kendra Lynn Lucas was an
also absolute highlight.
Don't Miss the Show
Performances: The show runs until Dec. 23. Doors open for evening performances
at 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. The buffet is served from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
and the show begins at 8 p.m. For Wednesday matinees doors open at 11:30 a.m.
and the buffet is served from 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The show begins at 1
p.m. For Sunday matinees doors open at 12 p.m. and the buffet is served from
12:15 to 1 p.m. The show begins at 1:30 p.m.
Tickets: To purchase tickets call (317) 872-9664 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Prices range from $38.50 to $63.50 and include the show, tax, coffee, tea and the buffet.
Tickets: To purchase tickets call (317) 872-9664 between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Prices range from $38.50 to $63.50 and include the show, tax, coffee, tea and the buffet.
Beef & Boards is also celebrating its 20th
anniversary of its one-hour show A Christmas Carol. The production is on stage
from Dec. 6 through the 22 and tickets range from $$24 to $34.
Photos courtesy of Beef & Boards
A Very Phoenix Xmas 9: Flashing Through the Snow
There are so many good Christmas shows for crowds hoping for a bit of nostalgia, but the Phoenix’ annual holiday tradition takes a different route. The sketch comedy Christmas show is now in its ninth year. Full to the brim of hilarious riffs of beloved Christmas stories, this year’s show also features some incredible a capella singing and even a gasp-inducing aerial dance.
The cast includes Olivia Huntley, Rob Johansen, Carly
Kinkannon, Ryan O’Shea, Dave Ruark, Lincoln Slentz and Arianne Villareal, all
of whom pull their weight in the varies skits and performances and share
memories in monologues between the sketches. Johansen deserves special praise
for his sheer range in the show. He swings from the rafters on a ribbon and
plays everything from a militant “Merry Christmas” enforcer to the overly
zealous miner Yukon Cornelius.
The sketches themselves are strong. We see a family reach
their breaking point when the secret of Santa is revealed and then there’s the
flashback story of how Santa Claus and his wife fell in love. There’s also a
powerful version of “Hallelujah” combining the hymn and the Leonard Cohen
lyrics. “Les Miserabelves” a parody of the famous musical which combines Victor
Hugo’s story with the classic Rudolph tale is particularly brilliant. The whole
show is much-needed alternative to the sometimes saccharine shows produced
around the holidays.
Don't Miss the Show
For more information about the
Phoenix Theatre, visit www.phoenixtheatre.org. The theater is located at 749 N.
Park Ave., Indianapolis, just off Massachusetts Ave.
Performances: The show runs until Dec. 21st and offers five performances
a week. Wednesdays and Thursdays begin at 7 p.m., Friday and Saturdays begin at 8 p.m. and
Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.
Tickets: To purchase tickets, call (317) 635-PLAY (7529). Prices
range from $22 to $35. The play has one intermission and contains adult
language.
Photos courtesy of the Phoenix Theatre.
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