Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS is a perennial favorite across the country. Based on the 1954 film of the same name, this is a fantastic holiday show for any family to see. Actors’ NET of Bucks County did a wonderful job of making the show look great and feel cozy at the same time.
Jeff Price (Bob Wallace) did a great job as the leading man. His acting was quite superb and his singing voice was great as well, though he was often the softest singer of the cast he still managed to be heard. James Petro (Phil Davis) really shone as the womanizer friend and his singing was good as well. Even though Jaime L. McMillin (Betty Haynes) was a last minute replacement, she still managed to do a great job singing and dancing, however her tattoos, while partially obscured, were still very visible and broke away from her character. Dani Tucci-Juraga (Judy Haynes/Choreographer/Producer) was a very funny Judy and an amazing dancer. The choreography of the show shone very well, no doubt because of her.
The show was extremely well supported by its ensemble and secondary leads. Charlotte Gougher (Susan Waverly) stole the stage and the audience’s heart every time she walked on, and her number got one of the loudest applauses of the night. Matthew Cassidy (Ezekiel Foster) was another favorite of both mine and the rest of the audience. Cassidy did a fantastic job of charming everyone with his comedic facial expressions and speech pattern. Bill Osman (Ralph Sheldrake) gave a terrific performance and was very funny, sang well, but acted far greater and is another man with good timing. Susan Blair (Martha Watson) did an inspiring job as Martha by simultaneously pulling off both the mousey secretary and sassy-wife type. Mort Patterson (General Waverly) was very well cast as the General who was beloved by his men.
The ensemble and smaller character actors all did a great job as well, of special note there was Sasha Saco, John Boccanfuso who both had spot on dancing through the entire show. While everyone else did a good job, the strongest dancing by the ensemble as well as the most reliable was almost always done by these two.
The lighting was well done (Andrena Wishnie) as was the sound operation and musical direction (Matt South). I am personally not a fan of pre-recorded music, however this show still carried its own. Pam Jorgensen (Director) did a fantastic job of making her vision of the show come to light. However even the greatest show would still be terrible without good costumes and both Debbie O’Hara and Ruth Schanbacher (Costumers) did a fantastic job keeping everyone in matching period-style outfits.
If you are looking for a good holiday show to take your friends or family to see, I would definitely make time to see WHITE CHRISTMAS at Actors’ NET, as you will surely count it as a blessing.
WHITE CHRISTMAS
by Irving Berlin’s
Directed by Pam Jorgensen
Musical Director: Matt South
Producer and Choreographer: Dani Tucci-Juraga
December 6 – 22, 2013
The Actors’ NET of Bucks County
at The Heritage Center Theatre
635 North Delmorr Avenue (Route 32),
Morrisville, PA
Reservations at 215-295-3694 or actorsnet@aol.com
http://www.actorsnetbucks.org/
