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The touring musical "White Christmas," which plays at downtown's Eccles Theater through Sunday, wraps up holiday sentimentalism with the flashiest of big, bright red bows.
"Irving Berlin's White Christmas" is a blatant crowd-pleaser, a musical aimed at fans of the beloved 1954 film starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney. The musical's pleasures are particularly spectacular in its candy-colored period costumes and elaborately dramatic tap numbers, as if holiday traditions had been rerouted to "42nd Street."
As fans of the classic movie will remember, "White Christmas" tells the story of Bob Wallace (Sean Montgomery) and Phil Davis (Jeremy Benton), former military buddies transformed into show-biz stars. Ten years after the war, they muster up their former platoon to secretly help out their former general, Henry Waverly (Conrad John Schuck), who owns a failing, weather-dependent but picturesque Vermont inn.
Along the way, Phil plays the angles and develops a romantic understanding with a sister-act singer, Judy (Kelly Sheehan). Together the pair conspire to set up Bob, Phil's show-biz partner, with Judy's cautious sister, Betty (Kerry Conte). And General Waverly's girl Friday, Martha Watson (Lorna Luft), when she isn't eavesdropping on phone calls or steaming open telegrams, is auditioning for a reprise of her show-business career.
First, know this: The iconic songs from the movie — both versions of "Sisters," "Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep" and, of course, "White Christmas" — are lovingly and respectfully staged.
The musical's biggest problem is the script, as David Ives and Paul Blake's book relies on too much period shtick. And director/choreographer Randy Skinner hasn't coaxed any acting subtlety from the talented cast, which makes the musical's emotional moments feel stagey and inauthentic.
But set aside the acting: This is a dancing showcase that spotlights both the stars and the long-legged ensemble of "kids."
Skinner's choreography doesn't miss a trick, from Phil and Judy's (Kelly Sheehan) "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing," a ballroom fantasy complete with knee-high fog, to the rich first-act closer, "Blue Skies," and the second act's eye-popping opener, the feet-tapping ivory plucking of "I Love a Piano."
And then there's the singing on "Snow," a richly staged ensemble number on the train. In fact, the clever staging of scene after scene, unfolding to the sounds of those poignant Berlin songs, almost makes you forgive the dancers' cheesy frozen smiles.
Playing Bob, the Bing Crosby role, Montgomery's arch delivery gets tiresome over several hours, but his voice blends beautifully with Conte's Betty on split-stage duets such as "Love and the Weather" and "How Deep Is the Ocean." And in the Danny Kaye role, Benton's character, Phil, has the depth of a bobblehead doll but displays mesmerizing dance chemistry with Sheehan's Judy.
Luft, the daughter of Judy Garland, delivers her character's big songs with aplomb, while Schuck, a Broadway veteran who might be most familiar from the film "M*A*S*H," offers a heart-warming final speech.
And yes, in the final scene, this 1950s-era musical delivers more snow and charm than a vintage Currier & Ives print.
facebook.com/ellen.weist —
I'm dreaming of a 'White Christmas' tap
Spectacular dance numbers, inventive staging and eye-poppingly colorful period costumes spotlight the talent-laden, but cheesy musical.
When • Reviewed Tuesday, Dec. 6; continues Thursday, 7:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 8 p.m.; matinee Saturday, 2 p.m.; Sunday, Dec. 11, 1 and 6:30 p.m.
Where • Eccles Theater, 131 S. Main St., Salt Lake City
Tickets • $40-$80 (with additional $12 fees), 801-355- ARTS, arttix.org or the Eccles box office
Running time • Two hours and 20 minutes; one intermission
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Breaking in the Eccles Theater
For a future story, we're interested in hearing from theatergoers about their view of the new downtown theater. Send a note with comments — about the sound quality, the comfort of the seats, the accessibility of the bathrooms, the crowd flow or whatever — to ellenf@sltrib.com.