SCARBOROUGH – With its numerous dance numbers, gentle humor and sweet sentimentality, the musical “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is a perfect show for all generations to enjoy.
At least that’s the hope of the Oak Hill Players at Scarborough High School, which is staging the production during two upcoming weekends. Opening night is set for Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.
Based on the beloved 1954 movie of the same name, “White Christmas” the musical features 17 songs penned by Irving Berlin, including the title number, which is still a favorite holiday song 60 years later.
“Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” premiered in San Francisco in 2004 and since then has enjoyed two limited runs on Broadway, as well as being toured throughout the U.S., Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia.
The play follows World War II veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who become successful producers following the war. As the show opens, the duo is checking out a sister act after being asked to do so by their brother, a fellow veteran.
Wallace and Davis end up following the sisters, Betty and Judy Haynes, to a Vermont lodge where they’ve been engaged to entertain holiday travelers. Unfortunately for the inn’s owner, who just happens to be Wallace and Davis’ former Army commander, there’s no snow and therefore no guests.
Through a series of events, including various misunderstandings, the four performers conspire to fill up the lodge and the show ends with a heart-warming Christmas surprise.
Playing the title characters in the Scarborough High production are junior Spencer Stewart and senior Drew Wells, who play Davis and Wallace respectively.
Stewart said he is thoroughly enjoying playing Davis, whom he described as “loose, wild, energetic and flamboyant,” while Wells said it’s been fun to play the more straight-laced Wallace.
Both said what they’ve most enjoyed about the show is learning the big song and dance numbers.
“We’ve never done a dance show like this before,” Wells said. “It’s pretty impressive with pretty difficult tap moves.”
Both also said the show has a “great cast” that has come together in the short period of time since school started to get the play audience-ready.
Junior Abby Vafiades plays Betty Haynes, the older of the two sisters, and senior Lauren Tudor plays Judy. Tudor called “White Christmas a really fun show, that’s good for all ages,” adding, “it’s a really fun, high-energy show with lots of humor.”
What Tudor most enjoys about Judy is that “in her heart, she’s 5 years old and believes in love at first sight and the magic of theater.”
Vafiades said in contrast to Judy, Betty is more “refined and modest.” While she didn’t know much about the show before rehearsals started, Vafiades is enjoying the “really intense dance numbers.”
Junior Elizabeth Gentile plays Martha, the housekeeper at the inn, and said what she most likes about the character is that she is “loud, sassy, sarcastic and witty.” Gentile said, “White Christmas is a good family show” and said that “anyone would be wowed by the dance numbers.”
Jonathan Miele, who co-owns the Maine State Ballet with his wife, Linda MacArthur Miele, the company’s artistic director, is in the fifth year of directing the fall musical at Scarborough High School.
He chose the show, which he described as “very technically challenging in terms of vocals and dance,” because it’s “a family-friendly, feel-good, tear jerker, and I am an old sentimentalist.”
Miele said he has a rolling list of productions he’d like to do and generally he chooses the show after holding auditions and knowing the talent he has on hand.
This time around, however, he chose the show and then held the auditions. For “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas,” Miele said, “the light bulb just went on.”
He also enjoys “challenging the kids,” and Miele said he couldn’t be more proud of the way his cast has embraced the difficult dance numbers and are “actually learning the skill (of dance).”
The primary difference between the movie and the play, Miele said, is that the play has “more musical numbers and more wonderful Irving Berlin music.”
After losing his set designer, Miele said a volunteer crew has “really stepped up and we are in better shape than usual.” He specifically praised Neal Gregoire, Stewart Axelrod, Debbie Axelrod and Diane Vafiades for all their hard work.
What he most enjoys about directing Scarborough High School’s annual musical, Miele said, is “teaching the kids and providing them with a whole new experience that will hopefully provide life-long memories.”
A CLOSER LOOK
The Oak Hill Players at Scarborough High School will present the musical “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” during two consecutive weekends in early November. Opening night is Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the show, which will be staged at the Winslow Homer Center for the Arts, are $12 for adults and $10 for students. Show times are 7 p.m. on Nov. 6, 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15 and 2 p.m. on Nov. 9 and 16.
Putting on the musical “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” calls for a large ensemble. Here the cast of Scarborough High School’s upcoming production takes a break from rehearsing. Send questions/comments to the editors.
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