playbill vip

A Christmas Story centers around the traditional Christmas celebration. It shows the holiday as a blend of stress and joy for a typical American family in the 1940s, showcasing small conflicts between parents, children's dreams of specific gifts, and other lively chaos that comes with the holidays.

Though the show primarily centers on Ralphie, it tells the story of a family celebrating Christmas. As the narrative unfolds, each family member becomes more nuanced, allowing viewers to connect with at least one character. Despite the aggravations that the holiday brings, Adult Ralphie cherishes Christmas due to not only his favorite gift, but its importance of the lasting memories and bonds that were created with his family.

While all viewers are likely to connect with this depiction of Christmas, those of a certain age may find certain details especially relatable, such as the endless trail of bills, the father’s struggle with his old car, and the overwhelming stress that Christmas can bring. However, what I find so beautiful about this show is that we get to see it from Ralphie’s perspective. For a few hours, we can forget about daily worries and be transported into the mind of a child. His unique perspective enriches the world around us and brings joy, laughter, and love to all of the absurd situations.

This play is especially special to me because it reminds me of my own family during the holiday season. Growing up we didn’t always have the nicest things or the picture-perfect Christmas. I remember despite all of the things that went awry, Christmas was always filled with love and magic because of my family and my friends. Ralphie reminded me of how much I cherish those moments with the people I love and I won’t take any of them for granted. Including the cast and crew of this show, each actor in this show did a tremendous job bringing this story to life. They brought a unique depth to their characters, which transformed the script into something truly magical. Their willingness to collaborate, explore new ideas, and push boundaries not only enriched the story but also created an atmosphere of camaraderie and inspiration. It takes a village and seeing the vast amount of talent and dedication that this team held made me excited to come into work every day. This show is a testament to the power of collective creativity that it took to bring this story to life and I’m proud to have worked on this production.

So as you watch, I invite you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the family, the friends, and the wild imaginations of Ralphie Parker as we experience A Christmas Story in all its glory.

Katelyn Zeller

Director, A Christmas Story