Stream This Forgotten Jerry Herman Holiday Musical in Time for Christmas

With Angela Lansbury’s passing in 2022, the Broadway performer left us a plethora of material to enjoy. From iconic characters like Mrs. Lovett to the beloved Mrs. Potts, her soothing voice and warm presence are as comforting as a cup of hot chocolate.

It's fitting then, that she also feels right at home during the holiday season. Creatives and casting directors must have taken notice of this, as Lansbury was involved in a number of Christmas projects throughout her 80-year career. From the Rankin/Bass special "The First Christmas" to the TV drama "The Gift of Love," where she appeared alongside Anyone Can Whistle co-star Lee Remick, Lansbury was no stranger to holiday material.

In 1996, her Broadway background came to a new life with a TV movie, that, in many ways, seems to be a perfect culmination of everything audiences love about the late performer. "Mrs. Santa Claus," the largely forgotten musical, is a perfect vehicle for Lansbury, who was given the chance to show off multiple facets of her personality in the title role.

The TV movie follows Lansbury's Mrs. Anna Claus who, along with her husband, are getting ready for Christmas. Per usual, Santa stubbornly insists that he do everything himself and, per usual, Anna will spend Christmas Eve alone. However, Anna is feeling particularly sad this year-  and it certainly doesn't help that she is being largely ignored by her husband.

On a whim, she decides to take the reindeer on a little trip. Unfortunately for her, the journey is cut short when they accidentally crashland into New York City. It's 1910, and, though the place is unfamiliar, Anna is quickly taken with the hustle and bustle of the city. Anna begins to befriend locals, both young and old, and this is where the story takes a more political turn.

She teaches others about the value of women's rights (the film is set during the Women's Suffrage movement) and informs young toymakers about their rights as workers. The movie actively incorporates immigrant characters from many backgrounds, highlighting the diversity of New York City. And, though it is undoubtedly a Christmas movie, the musical also touches upon other holiday traditions, such as the Jewish celebration of Hanukkah. 

"Mrs. Santa Claus" reunited Lansbury with frequent collaborator Jerry Herman, who penned "Mame" and "Dear World," two musicals which won the star Tony Awards. Though it was written for television, "Mrs. Santa Claus" also serves as the final "book musical" in Herman's career, with a large portion of its runtime dedicated to the 10+ songs written for the film. The songs vary from rousing group numbers (that are unmistakably Jerry Herman) to romantic duets and sentimental solos from Lansbury.

The movie is chock full of other Tony winners and Broadway alums as well. Stage and screen actor Charles Durning makes for a convincing Santa and lends his voice to a touching rendition of "Dear Mrs. Santa Claus"- a modified take on the title song.

Broadway star Terrance Mann plays the evil toymaker, Mr. Tavish, giving a performance that begs to be put on a stage. Musical theater fans will also be pleased to see "Fiddler on the Roof"'s Rosalind Harris in what is the last of her few onscreen roles. The late Michael Jeter is another standout as Arvo, one of Santa's elves.

A young Rob Marshall provided the choreography- yes, the same Rob Marshall that went on to direct film versions of "Chicago," "Nine," and "Into the Woods." He was nominated for an Emmy for his work here. The movie also reunited Lansbury with director Terry Hughes, who won an Emmy for his direction of the 1982 "Sweeney Todd" film recording.

Admittedly, the ending of the film does tie some of its plot points together somewhat quickly and, perhaps, unconvincingly. But this is a fantasy film, and ultimately, a very satisfactory musical. It's both entertaining and shines a light on real-world problems that, as often is the case, continue to remain relevant.

With Christmas right around the corner, Broadway fans could do a lot worse than streaming this lively musical on Prime Video while baking cookies, opening gifts, or partaking in other holiday traditions.

Next year, the world premiere of a new stage adaptation is coming to Connecticut's Goodspeed Musicals from November 14 through December 28. Featuring a book adapted by Alexis Scheer from Mark Saltzman's screenplay, the musical will incorporate the songs from Jerry Herman. Check out one of the musical numbers below.