By Sandi Masori
SAN DIEGO— As a non-Jewish songwriter once said “it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” around San Diego. In addition to reminding our kids not to ruin Santa for the Christian girls and boys, it also means that many of the local theaters are doing Christmas shows. San Diego Musical Theater is no different. They have reprised their hit production from last year Plaid Tidings.
This fun show is the sequel to Forever Plaid. In this version, written by Stuart Ross to uplift the nation after 9/11, a 1950s-style boys quartet who died in a car crash finds themselves sent back to earth to perform a show, but they don’t know what they’re supposed to do and have to figure it out as they go. From the decorations they find out that it’s holiday time, and from the audience they learn the year. Rosemary Clooney, from somewhere in heaven, sends them clues to help them figure out what they’re supposed to be doing.
While it sounds preposterous, in the expert hands of Drew Bradford, Xavier J. Bush, Matt Ignacio, and Jonathan Sangster (who is also the director) it just works. All of this is moved along by the comedic antics of the group who use physical, slapstick, and prop comedy to bring the show to life.
The comedic bits are done both during and between the songs. In various medley arrangements the boys go through most of the popular Christmas songs, including many of the ones written by Jews. And as a nod to us Jews, of course the dreidel song is worked in there as well, though the screen showed a funny dreidel with a Santa face and a reindeer instead of the Hebrew symbols we usually think of. There were also a few other mentions in song of their Jewish brethren. Since they seem to think that Jewish Christmas is Hanukkah, and not Chinese food and a movie, I’m thinking that the writer may not have been Jewish, but I digress.
There is, of course, a sing-along portion that the audience loved. There’s also a bit where an audience member gets pulled up on stage to help with the bells.
All four actors are reprising the roles from last year, so the show was tight. The harmonies were perfect, the choreography on point, the jokes all landed, and the actors seem as though the roles were written for them. Matt Ignacio as Smudge really showcases his incredible vocal range with a surprisingly deep baritone floor. He shows that he knows that his deep baritone is a surprise as his rubber face telegraphs the glee at surprising the audience so.
All in all, the show was fun and uplifting as it was designed to be. The show runs through December 24 at 4650 Mercury Street in the Kearny Mesa area. It’s a good one to bring the kids to, even though other than the dreidel nod, it’s definitely a Christmas show. But fear not, their next production starting February 9 will be Fiddler on the Roof.
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Sandi Masori is a food and theatre reviewer for San Diego Jewish World. When she’s not covering food or theatre, she helps authors self-publish, hangs out with her kids, and searches for the best sushi in town.