BWW Reviews: A LITTLE HOUSE CHRISTMAS Decorates Sierra Madre Playhouse

A Little House Christmas/based on the book Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder/'adapted for the stage by James DeVita/directed by Emily Chase/Sierra Madre Playhouse/through December 23.

Laura Ingalls Wilder's classic book Little House on the Prairie (1932) became famous as an hour-long TV drama in the 70s (1974-1983) starring Michael Landon and featuring Melissa Gilbert in her acting debut as Laura. The books, as well as the TV show, are forever popular. As part of their focus on America season, Sierra Madre Playhouse and its artistic director Christian Lebano have chosen James DeVita's stage adaptation of the stories as its holiday presentation A Little House Christmas beautifully directed by Emily Chase and featuring a superb cast of 10, now onstage in its West Coast premiere, through December 23.

I myself have been and still am a fan of the TV show through reruns on Hallmark. I must admit, I need to read the books upon which it is based, as the stories are delightfully homespun and an integral part of our heritage. How did folks survive the harsh storms and other inclement elements on the Great Plains of the Midwest in the 1870s? How was it possible for them to live from day to day without radio, TV, computers and cell phones...and to travel on foot and by horse and wagon? Well, they did it, and found happiness in the simplest of places, in just being together. The message is simple: love your family and abundant riches will follow. It's something youngsters need to hear today, as so many have lost contact with their roots.

There's little drama in this short story, divided into two short acts with an intermission. The Ingalls, Charles and Caroline (Eric Charles Jorgensen, Pamela Day) and their two daughters Mary (Valerie Lohman) and Laura (Hannah Victoria Stock) welcome neighbors Mr. Edwards (Jeff Doba), Uncle George (Jim Harnagel), boys Nick and Peter (Andrew Stock, Fletcher Kamal) and Mrs, Oleson (Amy Tolsky) and daughter Nellie (Jolie Adamson) to their newly built cabin as part of a housewarming party a week or so before Christmas. They all sing, dance and make merriment until calamity forces them to leave in the form of a storm which threatens to wash out the adjacent bridge to the town. Rain falls for a week preventing Charles or Caroline from getting into town to buy Christmas presents, forcing everyone to rethink their priorities, make handmade gifts for one another and celebrate the joy of what they have.

Apart from Emily Chase's loving guidance as director and a handsome set by Stephen Gifford, musical director Rebecca Lord has assembled some lovely period country songs for the ensemble to sing and choreographer Cheryl Baxter has provided some zippy moves to the country dances. Uncle George and Charles play the fiddle and even Mrs. Oleson gets in time by strumming the washboard. Simple but enjoyable living during hard times!

The ensemble are a dream team. Jorgensen and Daly make Charles and Caroline Ingalls strong, caring parents who put family at the top of their list. Jorgensen tells a delicious story about his boyhood experience of sledding with a squealing pig and Doba has a terrific turn in the spotlight with his anecdote about meeting Santa and his pack mules. Stock and Lohman are sheer joy as Laura and Mary who learn to use their imagination in creating happy moments. Tolsky makes her obsessive and needling Mrs. Oleson consistently charming, fun and spirited - some fabulous subtle moments here, and Adamson has a ball with the prudish, stuck-up Nellie. Stock and Kamal are fun-loving and boisterous as the two young boys. Harnagel makes shy Uncle George a curious and interesting character to watch.

A Little House Christmas may be low on drama but is surely high on heart. It takes you back to a time when daily living truly was survival. How did our ancestors get through the heartaches and bad times? Little House will light the way and make you cheerful this holiday season. Go, go, go!

http://sierramadreplayhouse.org/playhouse/

(on the lobby wall of Sierra Madre Playhouse)

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