Wholesome, nostalgic and full of Christmas cheer — Persephone Theatre’s production of Miracle on 34th Street is a simple and fun story for the holiday season.
The adaptation follows quite closely to the original 1947 classic: Kris Kringle (Hal Kerbes) takes over as Santa Claus for the massive department store Macy’s, meeting the pragmatic Doris (Danielle Spilchen) and her doubting daughter Susan (played Friday night by Charlotte Thomson). But Kris’ stalwart confidence that he is the one and only Santa Claus challenges the belief of Doris, Susan and the entire state of New York.
It’s a tall order to ask anyone to try to replicate the magic of one of the great Christmas movie classics. While the Persephone cast perhaps did not reach the same levels of magic as the original film, they hit all the right notes to get the audience in the holiday spirit.
Kudos to Kerbes for playing a magnificent (and very believable) Kris Kringle. The heart of the show, Kerbes played the part from his costume to his demeanor to his mannerisms. It was so very easy for the audience to believe alongside Kris Kringle that he was absolutely the genuine Santa.
Thomson as Susan also nailed her role with the absolute certainty that only a child can possess. It’s genuinely impressive to see a young performer be able to convey some thought and growth through a show, and Thomson pulls it off.
Let’s be blunt about it — it’s not the most brilliantly-written adaptation. If you’ve seen the movie, there are a couple of moments you’ll be wishing for that don’t pop up. It’s very evident they’re working with a small(ish) cast, which makes the stage feel wide and empty in some instances. And again, it’s a massive challenge to even try to adapt a show with as much history as Miracle on 34th Street.
But everything framing this adaptation is done admirably well by the Persephone team. A slick, well-decorated and agile set helps the show move at a quick pace that only slows during the big court scene in the second act. The costumes are simple and clean, invoking the feeling of the era without being over-the-top. And the group of actors who tackled multiple roles in the show — Leon Willey, Kenn McLeod, Alyssa Billingsley, Kristel Harder and Jonathon Pickrell — were absolutely spectacular, adding gorgeous moments of wit, levity and heart that were more enjoyable on the stage instead of the silver screen.
Willey as the nervous and excitable Mr. Shellhammer, Billingsley as the harried mother shopping with her son and McLeod as Mr. Macy himself were just a few standouts that had the audience cracking up.
Miracle on 34th Street is a story that captures the beauty and wholesomeness of the Christmas spirit, putting an emphasis on family and imagination and belief over capitalism and commercialism. And Persephone Theatre’s production succeeds greatly in bring that spark of wholesomeness to the stage.
You’d have to be a pretty big Scrooge to not love what you’re watching in this production. It’s straightforward, it’s wholesome, it features the best Santa Claus you might ever meet and it captures the magic of what makes the Christmas season bright. This is the perfect show for friends and family this December, and Persephone Theatre has drummed up some wholesome holiday cheer with Miracle on 34th Street.
Miracle on 34th Street will be at Persephone Theatre until Dec. 29, 2024. Tickets can be purchased online at persephonetheatre.org.
