Review: “White Christmas” is Here to Brighten Up Your Holidays

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas @ 5^th Avenue Theatre

Through December 24, 2023

Your Christmas delight on stage is at hand. The 5^th Avenue Theatre has decided to mount White Christmas again, having produced it in 2006 and 2009. The reason is very clear: it’s a chance to sit back, laugh, and relax while a bunch of singers and hoofers sing and dance their tushies off. This talented cast is here to do exactly that for you!

The script is aging, although romances never go out of style, but there are jokes a plenty – some good, some groan-worthy, and almost everyone in the cast gets a little cameo and a lot of applause. 

David Armstrong and James A. Rocco have co-directed this production all three times, so they know what they’re doing cold and recreate their vision pretty exactly. The sets and costumes are absolutely gorgeous (by Anna Louizos and Carrie Robbins), and the orchestra, led by Matt Perri, has the lush 1940s sound needed for all that Irving Berlin music.

If you’ve never seen the movie, it’s a show-biz focused story about a duo who were in the Army together and went on to fame as vaudeville style stars who sing a little, joke a little, and travel around to national venues. Bob Wallace (Ashley Day) and Phil Davis (Phillip Attmore) meet the Haynes Sisters – Betty (Cayman Ilika) and Judy (Taryn Darr – who is reprising the same role from 2009!) and they couple up, uncouple up, and then couple up again. 

They all end up at a Vermont inn owned by the ex-general they served under in the Army and who is now in danger of losing his inn. Bob and Phil determine to try to help the general out by calling together all of the men in the 151^st Division they were in, but they keep it a secret for Christmas. And there’s misunderstanding and heartbreak, and then of course it clears up.

The story is dressing for some amazing music from Berlin, many classic songs you’re bound to recognize, and plenty of big tap numbers with an enthusiastic ensemble. These are the big extravaganzas of that old movie age!

Ilika and Darr were my favorites of the evening, with Ilika’s beautiful alto and Darr’s lovely singing, cute-as-a-button portrayal, and killer dance moves, front and center. Ilika catches everyone’s breath when she appears and sings, “Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me.” Another stand-out solo was from Candice Song Donehoo, the cranky manager of the inn, who busts out a song to prove she used to be a Big singer. And there was the sassy delivery by Gia Pellegrini as the young granddaughter of the general. (She alternates with Beatrice Cramer in the role.)

It’s a big cast, and a lot of energy, and perfect for the holidays. If gifts should be experiences, then by all means, gift everyone a chance to relax and laugh with tickets to this classic musical.

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