A Christmas Story, The Musical is a gift for the season

Theatre Aquarius’s large and ambitious holiday show flawlessly delivers nostalgia and magic that could melt even the grinchiest of hearts. The nearly sold-out run closes Dec. 22. 

If you can’t find joy in A Christmas Story, The Musical, you should expect to find coal in your stocking.

It’s hard to imagine any more enjoyable way to ramp up the spirit of the season than this enchanting Theatre Aquarius holiday production.

A Christmas Story, The Musical is a big heaping dose of fun, whimsy and nostalgia wrapped up in a song and dance spectacle and topped with a sparkly bow of heart and home. You’ll leave with a smile on your face but also a pang of yearning for the magic of being a child again at Christmas.

Full disclosure: The movie version of A Christmas Story is a personal favourite and it just doesn’t seem like Christmas if I haven’t seen the sweet holiday classic at least once. If you don’t like the movie, the musical version isn’t likely going to move you from your wrong and Scrooge-like opinion. (Kidding – mostly.)

Despite my devotion to the film, this was my first experience with the musical. I hadn’t even heard a song from it before settling in to the sold-out theatre for the Saturday matinee. It was evident the crowd was utterly charmed and delighted by the Broadway-worthy gift that unfolded before them.

This large-scale musical delivers a perfect storm of yuletide warm and fuzzies thanks to wonderful performances, strong and nostalgic music and choreography, and homey sets that beautifully evoke a simpler time.

The Tony-nominated musical is faithful to the film, which was partially filmed in St. Catharines and Toronto, but set in the fictional Hohman, Indiana. Ralphie Parker is a young boy in 1940 who desperately wants a Red Ryder carbine action BB gun.

He fantasizes that with this gun he’ll transform from “wimp” to hero and from schoolboy to cowboy.

All the classic moments and lines from the movie are here: the leg lamp, the tongue stuck to the flagpole, the miserable Santa, the turkey fiasco, “Oh fudge!” and, of course, “You’ll shoot your eye out!”

And just like in the 1983 film, narrator Jean Shepherd – who wrote both the short story and the movie script it inspired – is a constant presence. We get to experience this tale through the eyes of Ralphie as an adult and Mark Crawford is a warm and charismatic Christmas guide.

Finn Kirk as Ralphie and Addison Wagman as adorable little brother Randy shine as natural and veteran triple-threat performers. Finn, a Hamilton schoolkid himself, is a commanding presence on a packed stage that he rarely leaves. Neither kid ever misses a step, and the children’s ensemble is stellar, too.

One theme more fully explored in the musical, which debuted in 2009, is the role of Ralphie’s mother as the heart and hero of the family.

She’s unappreciated, overwhelmed and somewhat melancholy (all things many mothers can relate to at this time of year) and Burlington's Jamie McRoberts does a wonderful job here, beautifully delivering the show’s two poignant solos “What A Mother Does” and “Just Like That.”

Her sweet and heartfelt portrayal made me miss my own mother and her ability to bring joy at Christmas.

The score, written by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul who went on to do the music for The Greatest Showman, Dear Evan Hansen and La La Land, is strong on storytelling and offers plenty of other highlights, including the Wild West hoedown that is “Ralphie to the Rescue,” the jazzy “When You’re a Wimp,” and “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out,” a raucous tap number expertly delivered by Dharma Bizier (Miss Shields), who last took to the Aquarius stage as the title lead in Maggie.

But it’s Adam Brazier as the Old Man who often steals the show. He plays the goofy, self-absorbed and frequently apoplectic father with perfect comedic timing and a great vocal touch in everything from the Broadway-style, high-kicking “A Major Award” to the moving and lovely “A Christmas Story” that closes the show.

Though it’s set in a time of telegrams and triple-dog dares, the universality of childhood dreams, schoolyard traumas and adult disappointments make this story highly relatable today.

CLICK HERE TO READ WHAT PLAYING RALPHIE'S PARENTS MEAN TO VETERAN ACTORS ADAM BRAZIER AND JAMIE MCROBERTS

With a cast of 33, this production is among the biggest Theatre Aquarius has ever staged and it is masterfully directed by artistic director Mary Francis Moore. Also deserving of mention are choreographer Robin Calvert, musical director Patrick Bowman and set and costume designer Brandon Kleiman.

Holiday shows at Aquarius are a multi-generational tradition for many local families and this show brings a beloved story to a new era of children. It’s the rare theatrical experience that offers something for everyone, from kids of Ralphie’s age to folks who were alive when this classic tale is set.

That is the undoubtedly the reason most of the shows are close to sold out, prompting Theatre Aquarius to add two shows to its original run.

So, do whatever is necessary to score a ticket before the closing show on Dec. 22. This is heartwarming Christmas magic that could melt even the grinchiest of hearts.