Theater Review: "Santa Story 2" at Downtown Cabaret Theatre

Review by Nancy Sasso Janis

The holidays have arrived at the Downtown Cabaret Theatre in Bridgeport with a heartwarming production of “Santa Story 2.” The production kicks off the TYA season at the DCT.

This is a festive, fast-moving and wonderfully family-friendly musical written by Carly Jurman that keeps everyone laughing as we go on an adventure with a young Christopher Kringle and his very pregnant wife. This “magical rescue mission to save Christmas” also manages to warm your heart.

The playwright notes that this tale picks up a few years after the first “Santa Story.” In that production audiences met a young Christopher and his wife Margaret, “as they began their incredible journey at the North Pole. Together, they established the workshop and started their path to becoming the Santa and Mrs. Claus we know and love.”

Jurman teases that in this chapter, “Santa and Mrs. Kringle are still young and on their journey to becoming the iconic holiday figures we know today– the bearded, big-bellied Santa and his wise, warm-hearted partner.”

She adds that attendees need not worry if they did not get to see “Santa Story 1,” because this brand-new adventure stands on its own. This script contains well-known and well-loved characters, alongside some new, North Pole-inspired friends. In fact, the set design takes us to scenes in Santa’s workshop, an ice lair, Grand Central Station and Times Square in NYC.

Jurman lovingly directed and choreographed her work so that every second shines. Music direction of the fun musical numbers is by Aron Smith.

There are a host of wonderfully magical costumes designed by Lesley Neilson-Bowman. Lighting design by Sophie Bardos and sound design by Holly Rybrick enhance the performance well, as does the multimedia design by Sasha Mishamen. Luann and Derek Jurman provided their home for the filming of the opening sequence.

UConn grad and wonderful dancer Ashley DePascale embodies the role of the unlikely villain, Jimmy the Gingerbread Man, who is seeking revenge on the young Santa, played by Andrea Pane.

Emily Pisarra plays the elf named Joy and JoJo DeVellis is a delight in the role of Jolly the elf. The two actors recently produced their first educational show in collaboration with Earth Place in Westport.

The playwright reprises her role of Mrs. Kringle, or simply Mrs. K. Because she is a talented dancer, her choreography is charming and well-executed. For the group numbers, some actors accomplish a quick change in order to be dancers.

Karen Hanley takes on the role of only slightly scary Eddie the Yetti in an amazing long coat and pulls it off.

The playwright/director has put together a fun second installment that truly stands alone and will appeal to children of all ages. Don’t miss what young Christopher Kringle and his friends are up to in Santa’s workshop at the Downtown Cabaret on Golden Hill Street in Bridgeport Saturdays and Sundays through Dec. 29. Bring a picnic to enjoy at your table…everyone does. Tickets at dtcab.com. The recommended ages for our Theatre for Young Audiences shows is 3 to 10 years old, although all ages are welcome.

All photos by Downtown Cabaret Theatre

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theater reviews since 2012 as a way to support local venues, and she posts well over 100 reviews each year. She became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle in 2016. Her contributions of theatrical reviews, previews, and audition notices are posted in the Naugatuck Patch as well as the Patch sites closest to the venue. She is also a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper. Her weekly column IN THE WINGS and theater reviews appear in the Thursday Weekend section of the newspaper.
Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and Connecticut Theatre Previews and on Twitter @nancysjanis417 Check out the CCC Facebook page.