As the holiday season continues to provide myriad selections in the performing arts, none is more welcomed than the return of Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer at Milwaukee’s First Stage, one of the nation’s leading theaters for children.
Based on the popular TV cartoon (now 60 years old!), Rudolph is full of wonder and delight for all ages. It was first performed here in 2012, and has been revived many times since then. Although the running time (90 minutes, with one intermission) may be a bit long for some of the tiniest theatergoers, Rudolph is so action-packed that you’ll hear nary a whimper from a theater filled with children, their parents and grandparents.
The whole experience works like a charm to recreate the world of Christmas Town (set design by Brandon Kirkham). The stylized pine trees look luscious, adorned with dollops of snow on their branches. The wintry wonderland is soon filled with Santa (David Flores), Mrs. Santa (Karen Estrada) and the welcome appearance of dozens of elves. (First Stage doubles the children’s cast, and the Gold Cast performed when the show was seen by this reviewer.)
Children in the audience perk up whenever these pint-sized players (and some who are not-so-pint-sized) rush in at Santa’s bidding. Under the direction of Boss Elf (JT Backes), the elves sing and dance, much to the audience’s delight (music direction by Tim Rebers; choreography by Ami Majeskie). Lighting (by Jason Fassl) casts Santa’s toy workshop in a rosy glow.
All of the well-known songs from the TV cartoon are here, including, “Jolly Holly Christmas,” etc. Many of the songs are led by the show’s narrator, Sam the Snowman (James Carrington), who bustles about in a cleverly hidden cart that is propelled by a white-covered member of the backstage crew.
The action throughout is nonstop, thanks to the musical interludes as well as the frequent introduction of new characters. Among the cutest scenes is when Santa’s lead reindeer, Donner (Tim Rebers), and his wife (Jamie Mercado), try to hide Rudolph’s gleaming red nose behind a fake “normal” nose, so that Rudolph won’t create a distraction during reindeer training. Under the direction of the reindeer Coach (Zach Woods, who also doubles as Yukon Cornelious), the young bucks test their flying skills. Although the “flying” is simulated here in a very low-tech way, it still gives the impression of airborne youngsters trying to impress their parents.
At the flying skills test, Rudolph (a very talented Silvia Stoeger) also meets a young doe, Clarice (Amelia Sajdak). Although friendship is their goal, it’s clear that romantic sparks also are kindled. As Rudolph, Stoeger is especially impressive at changing her voice while hampered by the “fake” nose (she sounds like she has a cold).
Other prominent characters include Hermey, the “misfit” elf who yearns to become a dentist (Maryn Davis), Yukon Cornelius, a goofy gold prospector, and an array of puppets stranded on the Island of Misfit Toys. Of course, one cannot forget Bumble (Timothy J. Linn), the gigantic snow monster who towers at least 20 feet above the stage. A contingent of white-coated handlers is required to keep the animated Bumble on his toes.
Of course, there’s an audience sing-along before the final curtain comes down.
This fun holiday frolic conveys a timeless message: the things that make us different also make us special. Whether it’s Rudolph’s shiny red nose, the career aspirations of a misfit elf or a toy train built with square wheels, there’s always a place for finding love and acceptance. And that may be Rudolph’s greatest gift of all.
