Connecticut's Goodspeed Musicals will stage A Christmas Story The Musical as its final production of the 2024 season, bringing a bit of family friend fun to the holiday season. Running November 1 through December 29, opening night is set for November 13.
Directed by Hunter Foster, A Christmas Story The Musical is a musical adaptation of the beloved film centering on little Ralphie, who dreams of a BB gun for Christmas. With a neighborhood bully, a strict school teacher, a distracted father, and a department store Santa standing in his way, he goes through an increasingly zany series of obstacles in order to achieve his Christmas dream.
For the Goodspeed production, Jean Shepard will be played by John Scherer (Sunset Boulevard, LoveMusik, By Jeeves), with Christopher Riley as Ralphie, Jim Stanek as The Old Man, Jenn Gambatese as Mother, Camilo Velasquez Escamilla as Randy, and Rashidra Scott as Miss Shields.
They will be supported by an ensemble consisting of Jenniellen Beattie, Kyle Caress, Jack Casey, Sy Chounchaisit, Marjorie Failoni, Thomas Goldbach V, Laura Guley, Treston J. Henderson, Gavin Holwitt, Addie Jaymes, Ian Knauer, Gabriel Lafazan, Oliver Logue, Izzy Pike, and Jesse Swimm. Swings will be Tommy Betz and Paris Martino.
Foster will lead a creative team consisting of choreographer Mara Newbery Greer, music supervisor Adam Souza, and music director Andrew Smithson.
Featuring a book by Joseph Robinette, and music and lyrics are by EGOT-winning duo Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the musical is based on the motion picture written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown, and Bob Clark, and the original work In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash, written by Jean Shepherd.
Scenic design will be by David Arsenault, costume design by Nicole V. Moody, lighting design by Christopher Wong, sound design by Jay Hilton, wig and hair design by J. Jared Janas, orchestrations by Ryan O’Connell, and animal direction by Bill Berloni. Chris Zaccardi will be the production stage manager. Casting for this production is by Paul Hardt of Hardt Casting.
For more information, visit Goodspeed.org.
