With the Christmas season upon us again, the old holiday traditions come with it. Whether formed back in our formative years or added as we built our lives and families of our own, their memories can stay with us forever. Personally, I enjoy seeking out the best and most elaborately decorated houses that are concentrated in a certain area as well as the annual viewing of “A Christmas Story”. When it hit theaters in 1983, it immediately captivated me and I have embraced it as what may be my favorite holiday film of all time. With a sequel and a stage version that eventually hit Broadway and now a touring company, it makes its way back to the Dallas/Fort Worth area with a quick run at the Winspear Opera House.
The essential elements of the story of the Parker family are all here, as Ralphie (a role shared by Michael Norman and Ian Shaw) prepares for the arrival of Christmas while surviving all of the impending pressures, stress, and strife of growing up hoping that special gift is there for him on Christmas morning, even if it is a BB Gun that his mother (Briana Gantsweg) is simply terrified he will shoot his eye out (a phrase that gets its own musical number) with.
This returning production brings all of the charm and feel-good moments that had the last time it visited our fair burg. While some of the musical numbers still seem to run a bit long, the production itself never loses its entertainment value. A standout for this go-round was the aforementioned “You’ll Shoot Your Eye Out,” with some very impressive footwork that got my blood flowing. “A Christmas Story” will always hold a special place in my heart, and I look forward to revisiting it in any form for years to come.