˜The Miracle of Christmas at Pines Dinner Theatre is an uncomplicated and thoroughly engaging holiday show for the entire family, complete with both traditional and unfamiliar Christmas carols, genre appropriate costuming, and fine staging.
Oliver Blatt, director and set/lighting designer makes full use of the small stage and playing area. A transparent curtain is used to add depth to the staging by allowing background scenes to take place simultaneously.
To a child, it must be an unspeakable nightmare these days to be spirited away to a Vermont cabin for the holidays, absent of anything resembling cellular service and internet.
Clara is that traumatized child, played with spunk and petulance by 7th grader, Erisa Sloan.
Her mother, Stephanie, performed with a precise blend of maternal tolerance and cluelessness by Jennie McGuinness, is convinced that this Christmas get-a-way will delight her daughter.
They embark for the remote cabin, belonging to Uncle Nick--- Michael Pizolato---, where Clara is introduced to her relatives. She is visibly under-whelmed, curling up in an armchair and frequently rolling her eyes as her hosts and tormentors reminisce on all sides.
Clara inevitably falls asleep in her chair, and is awakened, in a dream sequence strongly informed by ˜The Wizard of Oz, by her fairy godmother (McGuinness) who asks her what the very best Christmas gift might be. When Clara can't respond, her godmother suggests that she follow the star to the Christmas City and look for the true meaning of Christmas.
Along the way, Clara takes a shortcut through The Forbidden Forest where she meets, dances and sings in a lively Cabaret style with Gemini, charmingly played by Amber Kerestes, who will guide her safely through the woods.
Clara eventually arrives at the Christmas City where she is stopped at the gate by two toy soldiers, laughably played by Ryan Kelly and Jeffrey Mindock, and a kindly Mrs. Claus (Stacey B.Yoder). And, on cue, the ever accommodating Santa Claus shortly arrives, played by Pizolato. He explains to Clara that Christmas is more than just presents, and he swiftly guides her towards the Nativity to show her another, more compelling side of the holiday, and Clara she discovers that the real miracles of Christmas are love and family.
The only sour note was the insistent presence of microphones for the actors, an unfortunate choice for this production as it seemed to drain the fullness and beauty of the singing. Watching actors in front of you while hearing their dialogue and song stream in from the side of the stage contributed nothing to an otherwise fine endeavor.
œThe Miracle of Christmas runs through Dec. 30, except for Dec.24-27. Sundays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, at 2pm, Fridays at 2 and 8pm and Saturdays at 8 p.m.
Pines Dinner Theatre is located at 448 N. 17th St., Allentown, PA, 18104
Tickets are Adults - $48.20; Seniors - $46.20; Children - $18.60, and include lunch or dinner.
Tickets are also available for the show without dinner.
For more information, please call 610.433.2333 or visit their website at www.pinesdinnertheatre.com.