| A Christmas Story | |
|---|---|
| The Musical | |
 | |
| Music | |
| Lyrics |
|
| Book | Joseph Robinette |
| Basis |
|
| Productions | 2009Kansas City 2010Seattle 2011 National tour 2012Broadway 2013-2021 National tours 2017Live television |
A Christmas Story: The Musical is a stage musical with music and lyrics written byBenj Pasek and Justin Paul, and a book by Joseph Robinette. It is based on the 1983 filmA Christmas Story, itself based on the 1966 bookIn God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash byJean Shepherd. The musical takes place in the 1940s in Indiana and focuses on a child named Ralphie, who wants aRed Ryder BB Gun for Christmas.
After numerous regional productions, out of town tryouts and national tours, this version of the musical originally officially opened onBroadway in November 2012 at theLunt Fontanne Theatre for a limited engagement that ran through December.
The musical premiered at theKansas City Repertory Theatre,Missouri, in December 2009. The music and lyrics for that version were written by Scott Davenport Richards; the musical was directed by Eric Rosen with the book by Joseph Robinette, and featured John Bolton as "The Old Man" andAnne L. Nathan as Mother.[1] Zachary Sayle appeared as Ralphie Parker and Jake Siegfried as younger brother, Randy Parker. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul were hired to re-do the score after the Kansas City engagement.[2]
AChristmas Story: The Musical opened at the5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington, on December 9, 2010,[3] and ran through December 30. The director was Eric Rosen with choreography by Kelly Devine, and a cast that featuredJohn Bolton and Anne Allgood as The Old Man and Mother.[4] A national tour in 2011 followed, ending at theChicago Theatre.[5]
The musical had a limited run inManhattan in 2012 and 2013. It opened onBroadway at theLunt-Fontanne Theatre on November 19, 2012 (after previews beginning November 7), and closed on December 30. The musical was directed byJohn Rando with choreography byWarren Carlyle. The cast featuredDan Lauria as Jean Shepherd, John Bolton as The Old Man,Caroline O'Connor as Miss Shields,Erin Dilly as Mother, Zac Ballard as Randy, and with Johnny Rabe and Joe West both alternating as lead character Ralphie, who had been played in the 1983 film byPeter Billingsley, one of the show's producers.[6][7] The Broadway producers were Gerald Goehring, Roy Miller, Michael F. Mitri, Pat Flicker Addiss,Peter Billingsley, Timothy Laczynski, Mariano Tolentino, Jr., Louise H. Beard, Michael Filerman, Scott Hart, Alison Eckert, Bob Bartner, Michael Jenkins, Angela Milonas and Bradford W. Smith.[citation needed] The production was represented by long-time Broadway press agency,Keith Sherman & Associates
The production returned to New York for a limited engagement atThe Theater at Madison Square Garden that ran from December 11-29, 2013. The principals included Dan Lauria, John Bolton, Erin Dilly and Caroline O'Conner reprising their roles. The character of "Ralphie" was played byJake Lucas with Eli Tokash at some performances. The role of 'Randy' was played by Noah Baird.[8]
A seasonal national tour of the show began in 2014. Directed by Matt Lenz, the tour is based on the original staging by John Rando with choreography by Warren Carlyle. Sets are by Michael Carnahan, lighting design by Charlie Morrison and costumes by Lisa Zinni. The 2019 tour began in November in Sacramento, California at the Memorial Auditorium. The tour production is again directed by Matt Lenz, staged by Michael Rader with Warren Carlyle's Broadway choreography reset for the tour by Brooke Martino. In the 2021 national tour, Keegan Gulledge and Blake Burnham alternated in the role of Ralphie.[9]The tour relaunched in 2025 with 40 performances in 12 cities. The all new cast included Torben Mularski and McCager Carver on select performances as Ralphie Parker, Mark Stoddard as Jean Shepherd, Kirsten Bleu Kaiser as Mother, Gregory White as The Old Man, and Mason Burnham as Randy.[10]
Fox Broadcasting Company aired a live television event based on the Broadway musical version titledA Christmas Story Live!, withPasek and Paul composing several new songs for the live television musical. The live musical was televised on December 17, 2017, with the cast that starredMaya Rudolph as Ralphie's mother,[11]Matthew Broderick as The Narrator/Older Ralphie,[12] 11-year-old Andy Walken as Ralphie,Jane Krakowski as Miss Shields,Chris Diamantopoulos as Ralphie's father,[13] andAna Gasteyer as Mrs. Schwartz, the mother of one of Ralphie's friends. The production added several new songs and cut three of the songs from the original Broadway production.[citation needed]
The musical has had several regional productions, including the more recent productions running at theWalnut Street Theatre inPhiladelphia and at thePaper Mill Playhouse inMillburn, New Jersey, both productions running from November 2015 through January 2016.[14][15]
The5th Avenue Theatre inSeattle had once served as a regional venue for the musical, hosting it from November to December 2014.[16] Additionally, the musical ran during the 2013 season in at the Wang Theatre inBoston, theWoodlawn Theatre inSan Antonio, Texas and the Bushnell Theatre inHartford, Connecticut.[17]
A Christmas Story premiered in Europe at Waterloo East Theatre London SE1 8TG on November 28, 2018.[18]
After passing aSalvation ArmySanta Claus, radio disc jockeyJean Shepherd tells his audience that it reminds him of a highly important Christmas from his childhood in Indiana, told through the eyes of young Ralphie Parker. In December 1940, Ralphie plans to convince his parents to get him his dream present ("It All Comes Down To Christmas"). The family goes to Higbees department store where, in the window, Ralphie sees the present in person, a "Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun".
The next day, while Ralphie's father struggles with his entry in a crossword puzzle contest ("Genius On Cleveland Street"), Ralphie accidentally blurts out what he wants, which his mother promptly shuts down with the classic excuse "You'll shoot your eye out". On the way to school, Ralphie, his brother Randy and his friends are accosted by bully Scut Farkus and his toady Grover Dill ("When You're A Wimp").
In class, Ralphie's teacher, Ms. Shields, assigns a theme on what the class wants for Christmas. This makes Ralphie think he can use his theme to get Ms. Shields to talk his parents into getting the gun for him ("Ralphie To The Rescue"), but he starts to lose heart as the weeks pass without the paper being graded.
One night during dinner ("That's What A Mother Does"), Mr. Parker is informed by telegram that he's won an award in the contest. Soon after, the award arrives: a lamp shaped like a woman's leg. Despite Mrs. Parker's clear disgust, Mr. Parker puts it in the front window for all to see ("A Major Award").
While going to get a tree, the family car gets a flat. Ralphie helps his father change the tire by carrying a hubcap full of the tire's bolts. When it's accidentally knocked out of his hands, he seemingly says, "Oh fudge", though Shepherd clarifies he actually said "the F--- word". He gets in huge trouble for this, and though he claims he heard it from his friend Schwartz - he really heard it from his father - which in turn gets Schwartz in trouble with his mom, he becomes worried that this incident will doom his Christmas ("Act 1 Finale").
Determined to save his Christmas, Ralphie tries to behave the rest of the month, but this is jeopardized on the last day before winter break when Schwartz "triple dog dares" their friend Flick to stick his tongue to a pole to see if it will stick ("Sticky Situation"). It does, and though no one is caught, the fire department is called to free him. Worse, when the themes are finally returned, Ralphie only gets a C+ instead of the expected A and a note repeating the dreaded phrase ("You'll Shoot Your Eye Out").
On the way home, Ralphie is again accosted by Scut and Grover. Finally snapping, he attacks them in a blind rage, spewing curses all the while. His mother eventually pulls him off and takes him home, and though he's frightened of what will happen, she reassures him and lets the matter drop ("Just Like That").
Still with no way to get the gun, Ralphie next tries the Santa working "At Higbees". This is also a failure, as he's once again told, "You'll shoot your eye out" ("Up On Santa's Lap"). On Christmas Eve, Mrs. Parker "accidentally" breaks the lamp, leading to a big argument with her husband, though they soon make up ("Before The Old Man Comes Home"). That night, all the kids struggle to sleep as they anticipate the coming morning ("Somewhere Hovering OverIndiana").
On Christmas morning, the family receives gifts of varying quality, including a humiliating pair of pink bunny pajamas for Ralphie. At the last moment, Mr. Parker reveals he got Ralphie the gun, but when he goes outside, the first shot ricochets and hits his glasses, breaking them. Luckily, he makes up a story about a fallen icicle and his mother doesn't learn the truth.
When the neighbor's dogs eat the family's Christmas turkey, they go to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Despite the setbacks, they and other families have a great Christmas, and that night, Ralphie falls asleep with his cherished gun in his arms ("A Christmas Story").
| Characters | Original Tour (2011)[citation needed] | Original Broadway cast (2012)[citation needed] | Original U.S. Tour cast (2014)[19] | Live Broadcast Cast (2017)[citation needed] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ralphie Parker | Clarke Hallum | Johnny Rabe Joe West | Evan Gray Colton Maurer | Andy Walken |
| Randy Parker | Matthew Lewis | Zac Ballard | Cal Alexander | Tyler Wladis |
| Jean Shepherd | Gene Weygandt | Dan Lauria | Max Thayer | Matthew Broderick (as Ralphie as an Adult) |
| Mother | Rachel Bay Jones | Erin Dilly | Susannah Jones | Maya Rudolph |
| The Old Man | John Bolton | John Bolton | Christopher Swan | Chris Diamantopoulos |
| Miss Shields | Karen Mason | Caroline O'Connor | Avital Asuleen | Jane Krakowski |
| Schwartz | Jake Bennett Siegfried | J.D. Rodriguez | Seth Black-Diamond | Sammy Ramirez |
| Flick | Nicholas Daniel Gonzalez | Jeremy Shinder | JJ Batteast | |
| Scut Farkus | Charlie Plummer | Jack Mastrianni | Sacha Carlson | |
| Grover Dill | John Francis Babbo | John Francis Babbo | ||
| Santa | Adam Pelty | Eddie Korbich | Adam Pelty | David Alan Grier |
| Mrs. Schwartz | Kirsten Wyatt | Kirsten Wyatt | Ana Gasteyer | |
| Restaurant Waiter | Andrew Cristi | Andrew Cristi | Ken Jeong | |
| Elves at Higbee's | Andrew Cristi andKirsten Wyatt | Andrew Cristi andKirsten Wyatt | Fred Armisen |
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In the Broadway soundtrack, songs may be different.
The reviewer of the Seattle production wrote:
Just about every nostalgic, humorous vignette, celebrating a kind of quirky childhood innocence enshrined in America's past, gets an up-tempo romp in the polished, very busy score.... performed with vigor by an admirable cast of 33.... But overall,A Christmas Story looks spiffy, with Walt Spangler's snow-cave design brightened by giant Christmas packages and trees and Howell Binkley's twinkly-tastic lighting. If it's too long a haul, there's a lot here to please kids.[20]
Charles Isherwood, in his review of the Broadway production forThe New York Times, wrote:
[T]he stage version lightens up a little on the cute, smart-alecky asides... making room for the music and allowing the story mostly to speak for itself.... Mr. Pasek and Mr. Paul have provided a likable, perky score that duly translates all of the major episodes in the story into appropriate musical numbers.[21]
The production received twoOuter Critics Circle Award nominations but did not win: Outstanding New Broadway Musical and Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Lauria).[22]
The musical received sixDrama Desk Award nominations (58th Drama Desk Awards),[23] as well as threeTony Award nominations (Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, and Best Original Score (Music and/or Lyrics) Written for the Theatre) for the67th Tony Awards,[24] but did not win any.
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding New Broadway Musical | Nominated | |
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Dan Lauria | Nominated | ||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Musical | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | John Bolton | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Choreography | Warren Carlyle | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Music | Pasek & Paul | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Book of a Musical | Joseph Robinette | Nominated | ||
| Outstanding Orchestrations | Larry Blank | Nominated | ||
| Tony Award (67th) | Best Musical | Nominated | ||
| Best Book of a Musical | Joseph Robinette | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Score | Pasek & Paul | Nominated | ||