Cinema comes to life

The Rep’s A Christmas Story has all of the classic movie scenes and an added twist.

A Christmas Story runs through Dec, 26 at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre.
A Christmas Story runs through Dec, 26 at The Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

— For anyone who has ever wanted an official Red Ryder carbine-action, 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock — and honestly, who hasn't? — the Arkansas Repertory Theatre has a special present to offer this Christmas: a stage production of Jean Shepherd's classic A Christmas Story, made famous by the 1983 Bob Clark movie.

In case you somehow haven't caught any of the 24-hour marathon airings the initially overlooked film perennially gets this time of year nowadays, it tells the story of young Ralphie and his unquenchable desire for this specific BB gun and all the obstacles he must overcome as he awaits the arrival of Christmas, not the least of which is the repeated admonishment that “you'll shoot your eye out.”

Those familiar won't need reminding of the unforgettable sights of this quirky, nostalgic tale. There's the leg-shaped lamp, the frozen pole, the bunny suit and of course that department store Santa booting kids down a slide. Don't worry, says Nicole Capri, who is directing the production. Audiences will find all these and more in the show, which opens this weekend and continues through Dec. 26.

“We went down to Alabama to see a production, and people just ate it up. It has sellouts across the country,” said Capri, who acknowledged that while there are certain challenges to bringing the movie to life on stage — quick location changes among them — this adaptation remains very faithful to the film, and even feels movie-like in other ways. “The whole show is underscored, just like a movie, for that cinematic feel.”

Of course, one potential hurdle for a show like this is that it's cast is largely made up of kids, most notable among them being the central character Ralphie. Only once before has The Rep tread the ground of having its lead role so young, with a production of The Miracle Worker. But Capri, who also directs the Rep's educational programs, including its Young Artist program, had no trouble finding the talent in her ranks from “75 to 80” auditions.

“These kids are professionals. They know their stuff” she said. “Nine times out of 10, they know it better than I do ... They're not just cute kids. They've got great technique and great instincts.”

Of course, it helps to be cute, too. And Capri said Cole Ewing, her Ralphie, has “a face that'll sell a million tickets.” A seventh grader at Arkansas Baptist in Little Rock, Ewing will be making his MainStage debut. Despite being significantly younger than the film itself, Ewing said he's nevertheless seen it about a dozen times.

“I love it,” he said. “I'm very excited to try to play the role of Ralphie and even put my own twist on the character.”

The hard part, said Capri, will be keeping the sprouting Ewing from growing for the next month. His mother's suggestion, he said, was to walk around with a brick on his head.

Ewing won't be the only Ralphie on stage, though. In a slight departure from the film, which is narrated by a grown-up version of the character a la The Wonder Years, the stage play makes adult Ralphie a character who interacts with the show, sort of like the fourth wall-breaking stage manager in Thornton Wilder’s Our Town. Playing that role is Jason Harper, who is not an unfamiliar face to Arkansas having hosted KATV’s morning show for eight years. While he did plays in his youth, he said this show, which will be his Rep debut, will be his first in 15 years.

“I think this role is just right for me,” he said. “It feels very comfortable... [because] you don't just go through the lines you hear in the movie.”

But even more than that, Harper said he's encouraged by his co-star on stage.

“I looked just like Cole when I was that age,” he laughed, noting the similarities don't end there. At one of their first meetings together, they were both listening to Capri and found they leaned forward and folded their hands together in the same way and at the same time.

So maybe it's kismet. Or maybe it's just that the story — a holiday disaster that turned out to be the best Christmas ever — draws out something that everyone can relate to.

“This movie, it reminds me of my youth. And so does Cole,” Harper said.

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