Judy's Scary Little Christmas: Showmag.com Review

Judy's Scary Little Christmas

Champagne
Photo by Michael Lamont

By Melinda Schupmann

James Webber and David Church's Christmas offering is a nostalgic, albeit spooky, look back at a time when everyone gathered round the televsion to watch the stars in the popular variety show format. True to form, from Television City in Hollywood, we were taken back to a show hosted by Judy Garland with a group of her contemporaries. The only difference now is that we get to see the show and the backstage shenanigans, starting with a festive and bright beginning, slowly taking a bizarre turn as the characters learn that they are in a kind of kinky limbo. It's a funny, nostalgic, and inventive take on the usual holiday fare.
Joining Judy(Connie Champagne) are familiar folks like Bing Crosby (Sean Smith), Liberace (Don Lucas), Ethel Merman (Lauri Johnson), Richard Nixon (Eric Anderson),and Joan Crawford (Joanne O'Brien), among others. How Richard Nixon managed to wangle an invitation is part of the fun.
Johnson and O'Brien take the art of caricature to new depths as Crawford and Merman. Smith is an engaging boo-boo-ing Bing, and Anderson is just hilarious. Champagne does a masterful job of Judy, with all her nervous twinges and later-in-life fragility. And, she is deadpan funny in all of her asides to the crew as she tries to maintain an upbeat, hostessy role as M.C. Her self-deprecating wit , "They tried to make me into the girl next door, but they couldn't find the right house, let alone the right door," is reminscent of the real Judy's funnier days.
This is dark comedy, but it is polished off with some amusing musical numbers by Ovation Award nominee Joe Patrick Ward. Two particular standouts are "Ever Been in Love," done by Lillian Hellman (Jan Sheldrick) and Nixon and "Life of the Party," done by the Ensemble. Kay Cole adds her own special touch to the direction and choreography. Numbers like "Mauna Loa Hula Holiday" and "The Candy Cane Twist" are excruciatingly reminiscent of variety show production numbers.
Other cast members are Jim Hormel as a demented "Punch," Mark A. Cross as "Death," and Dustin Strong as a sailor who is a Judy groupie. Ensemble members who play backup are Charles Herrera, Heather Holland, Terri Hornberg, and Jonathan Neeley.
This is a show apt to be repeated for some holidays to come. Though it gets a bit murky when all the characters emerge in their real personae, it is still, overall, a clever take on the holidays.

The Victory Theatre, 3326 West Victory Blvd.,Burbank. ((818)841-5422. Fri. & Sat. at 8, Sun. at 3. Beginning December 8 there will be additional Sunday performances. $28. Closes Dec. 22.