Theater Review: 'Miracle on 34th Street The Play' by Landmark Community Theatre

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

Landmark Community Theatre’s holiday show is “Miracle on 34th Street The Play,” adapted from the novel by Valentine Davies by Mountain Community Theater in California and based upon the Twentieth Century Fox 1947 film. Performances continue on the stage of the Thomaston Opera House through Dec. 21.

The film version, a long-time holiday favorite, is set in New York City and tells the story of a department store Santa Claus, named Kris Kringle, who claims to be the real Santa. He has a lasting impact on the lives of Doris, a divorced working mother, and her young daughter Susan.

Director Gary Kingsbury writes in the printed program about miracles. “For many in our world…the miracles of innocence, trust, faith, and optimism are shattered by harsh realities. We can’t choose the life events that occur around us, but we may have some choice as to how we let them impact our outlook on life. Susan and Doris embraced experience, mistrust, doubt, and reality. Kris Kringle restored their innocence, trust, faith and optimism.”

It is a bit of an old-fashioned tale with a Christmas theme, which includes Kris being admitted to Bellevue and undergoing a trial. Thankfully, there are some comedic touches added to lighten the performance and the Landmark production includes a few excellent performances in the leading roles.

Chris Guertin makes his directorial debut, having stepped into the role of co-director with Kingsbury. The directors worked with Ian Jones as technical director, and Morgan Griffin as stage manager. Because there was a bit of music performed by a young choir, Brianna Ortiz served as music director and Shelby Griffin designed some choreography for the elves. Some of the chosen music is a bit more contemporary than the forties, but the costumes designed by Production Manager Andrea Bingham are firmly based in the era. Doris and her daughter appear in many beautiful ensembles that evoke the forties.

Director Guertin worked with Ian Jones and Chris Ryan to design and construct a set that covers all of the necessary locations and always looks great. Doris’ living room features striped wallpaper and a clever Christmas tree and Santa’s dais is charmingly decorated. Katherine A. Griffin and Tabitha Langer worked as the set painters. Theresa Guertin collected the vintage props, including a View Master and Slinky for the judicial clerk Finley (Justin Gagnon) to play with outside the judge’s chambers.

The cherub Timothy Cleary reprises the role of Kris Kringle in his first Landmark production, a role that he was born to play. Cleary has performed as Kris Kringle in the musical version of “Miracle” at Seven Angels in Waterbury.

In his third LCT production, Daniel Tortora embodies well the role of Fred Gayley, the lawyer who is a neighbor of Doris (Priscilla Arcamone.) Gayley has a special affection for Doris’ daughter Susan, who is portrayed by Tortora’s real life daughter, the very talented Kinsley Tortora. I got to share the stage with Kinsley when she played Becky Thatcher in “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” at Seven Angels, one of the impressive twelve shows in which this young actress has appeared.

Ana Michaela Roderiguez, who has been performing for 45 years, brings out the comedy in the role of the Macy’s toy department head Mrs. Shellhammer in a fabulous pair of red eyeglasses. Usually performed as Mr. Shellhammer, “Shelly” lights up all of her scenes. Veteran actor John Fabiani is so much fun to watch as Albert Sawyer, the pompous vocational counselor at Macy’s. Gianni Perugini does really well in the role of Dr. Pierce, a doctor in need of an x-ray machine.

Theresa Guertin gives a fine performance in the role of prosecuting attorney Mara. Spencer Parrish (“The Gift of Peace” with Shakesperience) takes on the role of judge’s political advisor Charlie Halloran. Bill Starr (“Our Town” with LCT) plays Mr. Macy and David Sirois (Becky’s father in “Tom Sawyer) shares a scene with Macy as Mr. Bloomingdale.

There were some line issues on opening night that will no doubt improve. Many of the supporting roles are well-played, including five year old Ellie Commendatore as Janet, Renae Saftler as a bag lady and the court stenographer, Dante Coviello as the drunk Santa and a mail carrier, Alexander Lee as the zookeeper, and William Knight of Torrington as a newscaster, as well as Offsite CT Theatre’s Artistic Director T. Craft and Patty Roosa Nagle at postal workers.

Ensemble members play those dancing elves with unwavering loyalty to Kris Kringle, pedestrians, and parents. There is also an adorable children’s ensemble, with some marking their first time onstage, and a talented children’s choir of young ladies. There is also some inter-scene music that is overseen well by Sound Designer Michael “Gonzo” Gonsalves. The lighting design by Craig Gehr and Larry Lee also worked well.

“Miracle” is presented with an intermission and runs two and half hours, with evening performances beginning at 7 p.m. Opera house organist Juan Cardona, Jr. performs holiday music on the magnificent theater organ as the audience members find their seats. Tickets at landmarkcommunitytheatre.org or call the box office. The Thomaston Opera House is located at 158 Main Street in Thomaston.

Up next at Landmark is “Puffs or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic,” which opens on Feb. 21 of next year.

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. 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.