Theater Review: 'Miracle on 34th Street' at Connecticut Theatre Company

Review by Connecticut Critics Circle member and Naugatuck Patch Neighbor Nancy Sasso Janis

Connecticut Theatre Company in New Britain is offering a production of the play version of “Miracle on 34th Street.” The play is based upon the Twentieth Century Fox motion picture of the same name and is adapted by Mountain Community Theatre from the novel by Valentine Davies. Duane Campbell, the executive director of the company since its founding in 2013, directs the CTC holiday production.

Campbell notes that bringing this story to the stage has been a labor of love for everyone involved. “In a world that sometimes seems to move too fast, a story like this serves as a gentle reminder to slow down and embrace the simple, magical moments of the holiday season. It’s a play about the power of belief–not just in Santa Claus, but in each other.”

“Faith is believing things when common sense tells you not to.”

“It’s about the joy of imagination, the importance of integrity, and the idea that sometimes, the most logical answer isn’t the one that’s right in front of you,” Campbell adds.

The director’s vision is a contemporary one which effectively focuses on the humor in the script. I heard laughter throughout the two acts and the audience cheered at the end of the court hearing. The matinee audience was fully invested in the tale.

Frederick Goff leads the cast in the role of Kris Kringle, the old man who “knows” that he is Santa Claus. The actor returns to CTC in a role that he says “fits me so perfectly,” and that brings him full circle from the season that he was a mall Santa in college. And this Santa can really sing.

Lilly McIntire plays the role of the divorced working mother Doris Walker, and Max Dittmar is the up-and-coming lawyer Fred Gayley who lives next door and often cares for Doris’ young daughter Susan. The director has cast younger actors in the role of the would-be couple, giving their relationship a slightly more contemporary look. McIntire appears in her first theater production since high school and Dittmar acts in his fifth CTC show.

Sophia Mae Abreu, in her first community theater play, portrays the serious Susan, who has no reason to believe in Santa, until she does.

The supporting cast includes some great performers. Susan Bailey, in her fourth appearance with CTC, is earnest as Dr. Pierce, the resident doctor at the home that recently released Kris Kringle. Bailey is recently retired and enjoys the freedom to indulge her theatre passions. In his CTC debut, Jeffrey Liggett of Chester, CT, plays the role of Albert Sawyer, the persnickety vocations counselor at Macy’s. Liggett brings out all of the delicious comedy in his role. Middletown resident Salvatore Uccello plays up the publicity-hunting nature of W. H. Macy and Christopher Abreu appears as both Mr. Bloomingdale and Judge Harper, doing well with both in his first production as an adult.

In her fifth CTC show, Ginamarie Garabedian takes on the role of Ms. Mara, the lawyer with the New York Attorney General's office who thinks that Kris’ case is a slam dunk for the prosecution. Master James Mara, her son, is played by eight-year-old Josiah Abreu appearing in his first play. I was also impressed with Julian Schranz, who stepped up from the ensemble to play the shop steward of the elves’ union, in addition to other characters. Schranz, who appeared as Prentiss in “Peter and the Starcatcher” at Arkansas State University, makes his CTC debut in this show.

David Nunner gives a strong comedic performance in the role of the judge’s political advisor, Mr. Halloran and others. Nunner, the President of the Board of Directors, marks his ninth show on stage with CTC and delivers a handful of hysterical ad libs in the ensemble. "I want a donut real bad.” At the matinee, the role of Finley was played by Bret Olson.

In the busy ensemble are Kait Adams, Nancy Ferenc (Rich Lady, Sharon’s mother and a newscaster,) Molly Forrest of Wethersfield, Erin Frechette, Rachel Harrington, and high school freshman Tessa Munn. Alexandria Kasten was not able to perform at the matinee I attended.

Erin Frechette choreographed (and appeared in) the tap dancing for the “Elf Theater” and Bret Olson worked as stage manager. The director, choreographer, Dittmar and Zenn Langley are the credited props master, providing a mini recorder for Sawyer, an oversized check presented to Santa and cameras for the press photographing the meeting of the two department store heads. The references to contemporary toys also modernized the time and place.

Campbell designed the set that includes a background that works as both Santa’s area of Macy’s and the courtroom, with added furniture in front of the curtain for other spaces. The director also designed the lighting that shows it all off.

In an inspired tie-in seen during the first act, Santa reads to the children and elves a book published by Ralene K. Goff, the veteran CTC actress (and elementary music teacher) who gives a memorable performance as Shellhammer. “Sofia’s Magical Musical Adventure: The Nutcracker” is the author’s fifth book for children. The program indicates that “this reimagined Nutcracker introduces young readers to the joy of music and the timeless beauty of Tchaikovsky’s famous ballet” and is available on Amazon.com.

The CTC production runs through Dec. 14 at the Repertory Theatre on Norden St. in New Britain. It runs about two and a half hours with one 15-minute intermission. connecticuttheatrecompany.org/miracle-on-34th...

Next up at CTC will be “Sordid Lives,” a play more suited for adult audiences.

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. She was a feature writer and theater reviewer for the Waterbury Republican-American newspaper.

Check out the new website for Nancy Sasso Janis Theater Reviewer at in-the-wings-20.square.site.

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