Classic Christmas comedy hits the stage in Kelowna

The show, set in 1940s America, follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker throughout the Christmas season as he tries to convince his parents that he needs a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle with a compass and "this thing which tells time.”

His journey to get the ultimate present is instantly rejected by his mother, his teacher, and Santa Claus at the department store, Higbee’s. A recurring phrase, and a song that I’m still humming, is “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out,” and I’m sure it’s obvious why.

The story is graced with anecdotes that depict the life of school-age children who deal with problems that probably seem like the toughest situations at the time. This included bullies (who Ralphie eventually defeats), difficult writing assignments (waiting for a grade is torture, I get it) and “triple-dog dares,” because you can’t say no to them no matter what.

Ryne Van Vliet-Brown, who played Ralphie, was incredible as the main character, stunning the crowd with amazing vocals, great comic timing and onstage perseverance. No matter what was going on around him, he stayed in character and in the moment (even when a large prop fell).

Dominic Alves, who played Ralphie’s little brother Randy, was super impressive in his role. The 8-year-old added another dose of hilarity in his first-ever mainstage production. Try not to love him (it’s impossible).

Ron Green as Jean Shepard-- the radio announcer, storyteller and narrator--added this booming voice to the production. He kept the story flowing, and made it feel a lot like the movie.

Having attended most of the Kelowna Actors Studio productions this year, I think the sets have gotten better and better. The house, where most of the play was staged, was an intense two-storey design. Santa’s chair was built into an icy throne, with stairs up to the top and a slide for kids to get down quickly- when tipsy Santa was just too much.

Costumes matched the era well, and some elements added to the story. Randy’s very puffy snowsuit left him whining, “I can’t put my arms down.” Ralphie’s white cowboy get-up that he wore while dreaming of the bb gun, which included a hat and tassel velvet chaps, made the scene (and one of my favourite songs of the show, “Ralphie to the Rescue”) all the better.

The singing was, as always, great, and I was happy to see the confidence all the young actors had in their pipes. I’m looking forward to seeing the cast of kids in plenty of more productions to come.

One scene in the production, set in a Chinese restaurant, left me feeling rather uncomfortable. Finishing off an otherwise happy and tastefully-done performance, the final scene poked fun at Chinese culture, and was played out by two Caucasian actors. The way they walked, shuffling slowly, and the way they talked, with apparent ‘Asian accents,’ felt inappropriate. While I understand that the scene was adapted from the movie, which was filmed in the 80s, I think that our society has moved past this type of discourse and being insensitive to other people’s culture isn’t something that needed to be included. I would’ve like to see the scene adapted in a way that reflects societal views in 2016 while still staying true to the movie and play.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the play and I would highly recommend you checking it out this holiday season. The acting, singing, costumes and set design was really well executed. With people as young as 10 and as old as 80 in attendance, I can safely say that the play is enjoyable for people of all ages. Although it tells the story from a kid’s perspective, just like the classic movie, there is plenty of adult humour thrown in to keep the parents laughing as well.

For the full list of performances, check out the Kelowna Actors Studio website.

If you went to opening night of A Christmas Story, let us know what you thought of it in the comments!

Editor's Note: According to director and Kelowna Actors Studio owner Randy Leslie, the Chop Suey Palace scene was in the Broadway musical, written in 2012, and includes the Asian accents in. It must be performed as such according to the Studio's contract with the writers and to change the scene would be an infringement of copyright and therefore couldn’t be adapted in any way. The intent of the scene is not meant to be offensive but more like a Saturday Night Live script, Leslie said.