‘A Christmas Story’ at 5th Avenue Theatre

Well you can say this about it – it certainly has unbelievable legs – and no, they’re not all in fishnet stockings (as they are in one classic scene.) No, the “legs” I’m taking about has to do with longevity.

Writer Jean Sheperd lived these stories in the 30’s and 40’s, wrote about them in the 60’s, made a movie about them in the 80’s – which turned into a holiday perennial – and now 30 years later, it’s spawned a full blown musical.

For those still unfamiliar with the movie, Ralphie is a boy who dreams of nothing else for Christmas but a Red Ryder BB gun – the one thing every adult says no to because “it’ll put your eye out.” But that doesn’t stop Ralphie from dreaming big …

That’s the incredible Clarke Hallum, an 11-year-old kid from Olympia who beat out hundreds of kids nationwide for the coveted role. What a voice.

The musical hits all the high points of the movie – the double-dog-dare-you tongue sticking to the pole scene, the fishnet-stocking leg lamp scene, the disastrous visit to Santa Claus, and the famous F-word scene.

It’s a very polished and glitzy production and many of the performers are top-notch, especially Clarke and John Bolton as his Dad.

The best question about a new musical is – does the material really need songs, or does the music bring anything new to the material?

The answer is “not really.”

The brand new songs don’t stand out much – they’re catchy but not much else … at least not yet. As with the movie, I’m willing to consider the possibility they might grow on us. That often happens with songs – familiarity can breed appreciation. And if we’ve learned anything about this material, it’s that people can’t seem to get enough it.