Review: A HARMONY BOYS CHRISTMAS Closed This Past Weekend As Part of the Hollywood Fringe

The evening is set in 1962 when we were at war in Viet Nam. A soldier asks us to rise and sing "The Star Spangled Banner", not once but four times. So, the satire begins right at the top and the Harmony Boys - Billy (Billy Harmon), Bobby (Robert W. Puffman), Barry (Barry Pfister, Jr.) and John (Xian Ling Moon) - parade down the staircase to the tune of "Wonderful, Wonderful Day". Dead serious in their approach they sing a raft of carols like Kay Thompson's delightful "Holiday Season" and "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" and some really offbeat zingers like "Will Santy Come to Shanty Town?", "Requiem" and "Little Christmas Treasures" the latter two written by the boys themselves. They present a sweet, sugar-coated attack on children and the Catholic Church's stand on abortion with the requiem as part of a funeral mass for the fetus. In "...Shanty Town" two little children, who are supposed to be Billy's kids, beg in the streets, as wife Ruth sits home alone and gets drunk.

The whole show is a mock.up 'phone in' charity event to 'force feed the world' and folks call in to decry immigrants, Cuban refugees, queers and perverts. There are assaults on marriage, having children, and there's even a conversion therapy session where a supposed gay man, chosen from the audience, is transformed from homo to hetero lobotomy style and by a trio of pretty girls, scantily dressed as seductive Santa's helpers, the Harmonettes. One of the boys, with his Christmas scarf over his head playing Mary, gives birth and pops out the little Jesus boy...and of course there are guns - we're at war - and the whole show ends with a soldier getting killed, lying face down on the stage despite the children's plea for love, peace and harmony. As we exit, we stare at the body horrified at the memory. The point is made. In fact, it was made right at the top. This was the way things were, but should not have been.

Bobby has written a book called A Gentleman's Guide to Date Rape and reads aloud from it in the style of The Night Before Christmas. Remember 1995 when a book was written by a Trump supporter who dismissed date rape on college campuses as consented sex? Trying to make Trump's sexual behavior seem acceptable? Yes, the show takes place in the 60s but it shows loud and clear that our political system has has gone from bad to ... nightmare over time.

One particularly memorable segment has the boys serenade a gal brought up on stage from the audience to the delicious "Lollipops and Roses." Pure class as they present her with a bouquet of roses!

I like a good satire, but I also love Christmas. It's the one escape from the demons and dehumanization of the world at large. I'm like a little child. I love the traditional songs, games and the pretty lights, decorations, bows and wrapping paper on presents. I don't want to come to the theatre to have the horrors of the world consistently in my face. I want pure escape. So, in spite of the slick presentation and harmonious sound of the Harmony Boys, in December I'll opt for the silliness of Roger Bean's Forever Plaid and Plaid Tidings.

Much talent is on display all around. Thanks as well to the featured cast: Aaron Matijasic, Al Rahn, Gabriel Oliva, Michael Hoy, Will Harris, Nicole Gemma, Camdyn Wren, Autry Jesperson, Jenna Townsend, Natalie Charouhas, Sammy Williams and Jason Currie. Also kudos to the band: Benny 'The Trash Dog" Benton and His Alleycats for their terrific sounds throughout.