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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2018)
MUSIC BY K E L S E Y A N N E R A N K I N KEEPING CHRISTMAS MUSICAL Enjoy simple holiday pleasures at The Shedd’s White Christmas T he yearly debate over Starbucks holiday cups and mid-October Christmas displays can make this sea- son a tough pill to swallow — not to mention the stresses that unravel in the dead of winter. Still, something undeniably contagious hangs in the air — something simply gentle. For holiday cheer check out The Shedd Institute’s more or less annual stage produc- tion of a classic 1954 Irving Berlin movie musical. White Christmas revolves around a duo of WWII vet- erans, Bob Wallace and Phil Davis (played by Ward Fair- bairn and Eric Blanchard, respectively) who go from sing- ing in a combat zone to becoming song-slinging celebrities after their return to the states. The boys quickly swoon over two blonde sisters and fellow performers, Betty and Judy Haynes (Lynnea Barry, Cyra Conforth). The plot ping pongs between a tale of young love, catching up with old war pals and singing for a snowy Christmas miracle. At times, it’s a tad overbearing. Between the show tunes and theatrical dance numbers, however, something like a sip of hot cider on a winter night seeps into your soul. Executive producer Jim Ralph says the show’s simplicity is where the holiday magic truly un- folds. “I know in modern times, some people get bored of heart-warming and companionship,” he explains. “There’s a 1950s approach that really got its magic from a gentle, not a tragic, sense of life, but a chuckle with the world.” Ron Daum (director), Caitlin Christopher (choreog- rapher) and Connie Hustin (scenic design and painter) worked with their staff to keep White Christmas nearly true to film, Ralph says, although the team has taken a more in- timate creative approach in order to respect Berlin’s talent of bringing awe to simplicity. “The feeling we want here is much less in your face and really getting the nuance. We allow the magic of the lyric to come out. Irving Berlin was capable, for whatever reason, to express ideas or feelings that wound up being CLUB extremely emotionally resonant for people. It requires an approach that’s much less theatrically brash.” With soft ballads and catchy dance sequences, White Christmas can make the grouchiest of Grinches toe tap — and perhaps less glitz is what this holiday season needs. “We hope and believe that anyone who experiences this show will see a window into the past and into the heart and mind of Irving Berlin,” Ralph says. Let the ice melt off your shoulders and cozy up with an intimate, heartfelt rendition of holiday cheer. ■ White Christmas runs Friday, Nov. 30, through Sunday, Dec. 16, at The Shedd Institute; tickets $28, $34 and $38. 100 YEARS 10PM FRIDAY NOVEMBER 23 SEVEN MILE LANE EP RELEASE WITH BEAST OF EDEN, REAL GONE TRIO, AND JAKE KOOZIE ($5)(ROCK) 10PM SATURDAY NOVEMBER 24TH ALEX PEDRICK, ROSA ROSA, DIABLITO, FILOMENA ($5) (DOOM/PSYCH) 10PM SUNDAY NOVEMBER 25TH LUCKEY’S BROADWAY REVUE BURLESQUE ($5) (VARIETY SHOW) 933 Olive St | 541-687-4643 830 Olive St | 541-343-3204 luckeysclub.com • In the heart of the Barmuda Triangle al nu 6t n h A The Great TAP & GROWLER Beer Fest november 26th - december 2nd 25+ award-winning, nationally-recognized beers from the great america beer festival 207 e. 5th ave eugene tapandgrowler.com 15%-25% OFF* HEMP & NON-HEMP CANNABINOIDS I N N OV E M B E R Nourish Your Innate ECS (Endocannabinoid System) With Phytocannabinoids! Capsules / Liquids / Topicals Help for Anxiety, Stress, Sleep & Pain *25% OFF EMERALD HEALTH BIOCEUTICALS 15% OFF CV SCIENCES, GREEN EARTH MED. & MORE 1653 Willamette Street M-F 9-6 • Sat 10-5 • Sun 11-5 FREE OFF-STREET PARKING 541-485-5100 www.evergreennutrition.com eugeneweekly.com • November 21, 2018 23
