BENTON — While many may be dreaming of a white Christmas this year, members of The Royal Players community theater troupe hope to make that dream come alive when they present Irving Berlin’s White Christmas.
S. Christopher Boggs of Little Rock, director of the upcoming production, said even though the troupe will not have a “snow machine” on or off stage, “all members of the dance ensemble will be dressed in white, and white confetti will be sprinkling down from the balcony for the closing number, ‘White Christmas.’”
The Royal Players, in partnership with the Jeff Mattingly Foundation and First Security Bank of Benton, will present the holiday musical Thursday through Dec. 6 and Dec. 10-13 at the Royal Theatre, 111 S. Market St. in historic downtown Benton.
Admission is $12 for adults, $10 for military personnel and senior citizens 60 and older, and $5 for students and children.
Seating is limited, so reservations are recommended. To purchase tickets, visit theroyalplayers.com. To reserve a seat — and pay at the door — or for more information, call (501) 315-5483.
The box office will open at 6 p.m., and the curtain will rise at 7 for performances Thursday through Saturday. For Sunday performances, the box office will open at 1 p.m., and the curtain will rise at 2.
Boggs said the local production “is very close to the original storyline” of the movie version of White Christmas, which was released by Paramount Pictures in 1954. The movie featured singers Bing Crosby as Bob Wallace; Danny Kaye as Phil Davis; and Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen playing the sister act of Betty and Judy Haynes, respectfully.
“The main idea of the story is you don’t have to be related to be a family and do nice things for someone else,” Boggs said. “This musical is always a huge hit. It’s family-oriented and tells a wonderful story. This musical adaptation features 17 songs by Irving Berlin and a book by David Ives and Paul Blake.
“I always loved the movie,” said Boggs, who is a member of the information technology department of the Arkansas General Assembly’s Bureau of Legislative Research by day and president of the Community Theater of Little Rock Board of Directors by night. He is also an actor and a playwright.
“My parents sat me down to watch it on TV, and I fell in love with it,” Boggs said. “I have it on DVD and VHS, as well as a digital copy and the script.
“This is a dream come true for me to be able to direct it. We have a wonderful cast, with the youngest being 7 to the oldest, upward of 65. We have a wide variety of people in the cast with everyone hard at work — dancing, singing and acting.”
For those not familiar with the movie, the story features World War II veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who have a successful song-and-dance act. With romance in mind, the two follow the Haynes sisters, who are on their way to a Christmas show at a Vermont lodge, which just happens to be owned by Wallace and Davis’ former Army commander. The veterans find their old general having a hard time making a success of the inn he has purchased there, and the two men devise a way to help him.
Jeremy Clay of Sheridan appears in the local production as Bob Wallace, who is a major singing star and the driving force behind the song-and-dance team of Wallace and Davis. Bing Crosby played this role in the movie version of White Christmas.
Clay has been involved with The Royal Players for several years. He last appeared as Bob Ewell in The Royal Players’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Clay has a degree in theater from the University of Arkansas and is the drama teacher at Bryant High School.
“You could say my vocation is my avocation,” he said with a smile.
“When I found out about the auditions for White Christmas, I thought, ‘Will I get to be Danny Kaye or Bing Crosby?’
“I came out for auditions, did a song and dance and got the Bing Crosby part,” he said.
Two local actors — Tony Clay of Sheridan and Brent Miller of Little Rock — play the part of Phil Davis.
Tony Clay appears as Davis on the first weekend and as Jimmy in the ensemble on the second weekend. Danny Kaye appeared as Davis in the movie version of the story.
Tony Clay is Jeremy Clay’s brother.
“I’ve been involved with the Royal Players before,” Tony Clay said. “My degree is in marketing.
“I sell myself,” he said with a laugh, adding that he is in the insurance business.
“This is one of my all-time favorite shows,” he said. “Right up there with Singing in the Rain — both of which starred Danny Kaye.”
Brent Miller of Little Rock plays the role of Davis on the second weekend, and also of Jimmy in the ensemble on the first weekend.
“This is my first time with the Royal Players,” said Miller, who is the choral director at Sheridan High School. He has a degree in musical theater from the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
“I lived in Houston, Texas, for a while and did musical theater there. I moved back here, and here I am.
“I’ve seen the movie several times,” Miller said. “I am having a blast with this show.”
Jordan Burnett of Conway appears as Betty Haynes, the responsible half of the song-and-dance team The Haynes Sisters. Rosemary Clooney played this part in the movie
Burnett is a pre-kindergarten teacher at Sheridan Elementary School.
“My dad and brother are in the show, too,” she said. “Dad (Clay Burnett) is in the ensemble and my brother, Caleb, is marching in the band in the kids’ ensemble.”
She said her older brother, Matthew, is the reason for her being part of The Royal Players.
“He played Curly in Oklahoma!,” she said. “He’s away at college now. This will be my first show without him.”
This marks the third time Jordan has been in a production with The Royal Players. She appeared in Legally Blonde and South Pacific.
“White Christmas is my family’s favorite Christmas movie,” she said. “My mother gave it to me for Christmas when I was about 12. I wondered why she was giving me that old movie.
“Now I watch it every Christmas, over and over and over,” she said. “Playing Betty is one of my dream roles.”
Moriah Patterson of Little Rock, formerly of Sheridan, plays the part of Judy Haynes, the more ambitious, slightly scheming Haynes sister. Vera Ellen portrayed this character in the movie.
“This is absolutely a dream role for me,” Patterson said. “Vera Ellen was such a beautiful dancer.
“This was one of the five VHS movies my nanna had in her house as I was growing up. This was the Christmas movie we watched as a family. Now I watch it year-round.”
Patterson is a graduate of Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia with a degree in musical theater and secondary education. She has appeared in many productions at the Children’s Theatre at the Arkansas Arts Center and now works full time at the box office of Murry’s Dinner Playhouse in Little Rock.
She also continues to pursue a career in acting.
“I’ll act with whoever will cast me,” she said.
Daniel Lieblong of Alexander appears as General Waverly, who is the retired Army general struggling to run an inn in Vermont. Lieblong appeared most recently in The Royal Players’ production of To Kill a Mockingbird.
Nancy Carlton of Benton appears as Martha Watson, who is a former Broadway star and now the general’s housekeeper at the inn.
Two young actresses from Little Rock play the role of Susan Waverly, the general’s 9-year-old granddaughter. Isabella Nguyen plays Susan on the first weekend, and Brooklyn Courtney-Moore appears as the character on the second weekend.
Members of the ensemble include the following:
• Jeff Brown of Benton appears as Ralph Sheldrake, an Army buddy of Bob and Phil who is a major TV executive with The Ed Sullivan Show. Brown also appears as Mr. Snoring Man.
• Jay Davies of Bauxite portrays Mike, Bob and Phil’s stage manager.
• Randall Earnest of Benton appears as Ezekiel, who helps out at the inn.
• Ersella Hughes of Hot Springs plays Rita, one of the chorus girls. She is also a member of the dance ensemble.
• Abby Jo Windsor of Benton plays Rhoda, another chorus girl. She is also a member of the dance ensemble.
• Sandra Shipe of Bryant portrays the seamstress.
• Charlotte Hammonds of Lonsdale appears as Mrs. Snoring Man.
• Clay Burnett of Prattsville plays the announcer for The Ed Sullivan Show.
• Tierney Earnest of Benton appears as Tessie, who is Bob and Phil’s assistant. Earnest is also a member of the dance ensemble.
• Allison Boggs of Little Rock plays the assistant seamstress and is a member of the dance ensemble.
• Reagan Hammonds of Lonsdale is the dance captain and a cigarette girl.
• Rachel Huntley of White Hall is the stage manager and a member of the ensemble.
• Jack Clay of Sheridan appears as Scooter and Freckle Face Haynes.
Additional members of the ensemble include Nathan Clay of Sheridan and Jacan Earnest of Benton.
Additional members of the dance ensemble include Makayla Shipe of Bryant, Katie McCallister of Benton, Annslee Clay of Sheridan, Izzy Hammonds of Lonsdale, Gretchen Bush of Benton and Amelia Nichols of Bryant.
Members of the kids’ chorus include Berkeley Courtney-Moore and Adelyn Eiler, both of Little Rock, and Caleb Burnett of Prattsville.
Jo Murry of Little Rock serves as music director for White Christmas. Patterson is the choreographer, and Sandra Shipe and Charlotte Hammonds are the producers.