Review: Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS at Majestic Theatre in San Antonio

With the holiday season in full swing, it's not surprising that a wonderfully iconic show would come through San Antonio, Texas just in time for Christmas. Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS is everything you would hope to see in this classic movie brought to stage in 2017. As the show began, the music of years gone by played by the orchestra led you straight back to the days that are long gone and long forgotten. WHITE CHRISTMAS was a chance to feel the nostalgia for simpler times and memories of loved ones and celebrated with growing up.

In this particular production of WHITE CHRISTMAS, the performers seemed to step back in time and take the audience with them every step of the way. From the splashy musical numbers to the over-the-top tap dancing, it was as if you were sitting in the theater in the 50's or 60's tapping along with the songs. The musical numbers were beautifully orchestrated and kept with the sound of the original score.

The actors in WHITE CHRISTMAS surely made it their own. Actors Sean Montgomery and Jeremy Benton were perfect in their roles as Bob Wallace and Phil Davis respectively. Their talents became immediately apparent from the first notes they sang to the last dance step on the stage. As a team, they had great timing and precision while belting out "White Christmas." Their dancing was spot on and extremely well done giving the audience a sense of the difficulty of putting on such a major production as WHITE CHRISTMAS. Noteworthy moments with Montgomery and Benton came when they sang "Happy Holiday/Let Yourself Go" and "Sisters."

Equally talented actresses Kerry Conte (Betty) and Kelly Sheehan (Judy) as sisters Betty and Judy Haynes shared their remarkable abilities onstage as well. Their rendition of "Sisters" was enthralling as well as entertaining and you couldn't help but reach back into your memories and think about Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. It was well-done by Conte and Sheehan and their banter as sisters seemed genuine as real sisters would be.

Other extraordinary performances included actor Conrad John Schuck as General Henry Waverly. If the name sounds familiar, his face would be even more recognizable. He has been in many notable films and TV shows over the years including "Mcmillan and Wife" as Sgt. Enright with Rock Hudson and Susan Saint James. Shuck was perfectly cast as the strict yet soft General Waverly. And he showed off his chops more than once with some of the songs. Another hit performance was that of actress Karen Ziemba. As Martha Watson, her singing talents along with her comedic timing made Ziemba perfectly cast in this role.

Do not miss this fun, fabulous, frivolous, fancy, family-friendly show as it's in San Antonio. Irving Berlin's WHITE CHRISTMAS plays at the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio from December 12-17, 2017. Go to majesticempire.com for tickets and showtimes.

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