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Regional Reviews: Washington, D.C. A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical
While the performances are fun and the intention is noble, this 90-minute musical is heavy on the easy laughs as it follows Chava Kanipshin (Samantha Sayah), a snotty internet influencer who has turned her back on her Jewish family's love of the holiday. (The phrase "Hurt people hurt people" appears more than once in the book by Harrison Bryan and Rob Berliner, while Aaron Kenny's music and Berliner's lyrics include frequent call outs to better-known musicals.) Some of the cross-cultural moments are amusing, such as the presence of a Dickensian orphan (Katrina Michaels, who also plays young Chava) in 21st-century New York City, and sometimes a bit disorienting, as when a small group of carolers sings the Hanukkah hymn "Ma'oz Tzur" in Hebrew. Still, the lighthearted presentation does show how this classic Christmastime story can be relevant to audiences who didn't grow up with the specific traditions it celebrates. Director and choreographer Marlo Hunter keeps things moving at a good pace, working with a solidly talented cast. Sayah succeeds in showing how the pain and yearning she has tried to stifle keep peeking through her judgmental online presence, and Bekah Zornosa is a warm-hearted delight as her childhood friend Barb Kratzyt. (The Yiddification of Dickens' character names is amusing: Chava's mentor, played with abundant venom by Kit Krull, is Mimi Marley.) And Tiny Tim does make an appearance in this story, though not one audiences will expect. The physical production is lavish, especially for the relatively small Round House stage. Andrew Cohen's scenic design uses a turntable to shift seamlessly among locations, with character-defining costumes designed by Ivania Stack and suitably otherworldly lighting designed by Max Doolittle. Music director Caleb Hoyer oversees a small but powerful group of musicians. A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical runs through December 29, 2024, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD. For tickets and information, please call 240-644-1100 or visit www.roundhousetheatre.org. Music by Aaron Kenny Cast: |
