REVIEW: PAPER MILL PLAYHOUSE'S FIZZY CONFECTION, "IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS," A PERFECT MUSICAL GIFT FOR ENTIRE FAMILY

By Ruth Ross

Hot on the heels of the jukebox musical Jersey Boys comes the uber example of the genre, White Christmas, now onstage at the Paper Mill Playhouse through December 29.

With a score written by Irving Berlin, White Christmas is not so much a musical play as an oeuvre in search of a story—in this case, the plot of a 1942 film entitled Holiday Inn, loosely adapted for the screen in 1954 and then for the stage, retitled as Irving Berlin’s White Christmas, in 2000. 

With 17 songs (many of them reprised) and a huge cast energetically singing and dancing, White Christmas clocks in at two hours, a length bloated by the inclusion of several songs (e.g., “Blue Skies,”  which ends Act I, and “I Love a Piano,” which opens Act II), that have zilch to do with the plot but serve as exuberant examples of Berlin’s craft. Too, the comedy is rather wan, not that the opening night audience noticed, given their loud cheering and clapping for what appeared to be many of their friends and theater colleagues. And finally, the very loud miking filled the auditorium with clamorous noise; you might want to turn down your hearing aids to avoid a headache or hearing loss!

Despite the formulaic plot—let's put on a show to save...whatever; boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl—you know the drill—infectious ensemble tap dancing numbers and first-rate performances by the six leads (and one adorable moppet), The Paper Mill Playhouse's production of White Christmas is a scrumptious holiday bonbon perfect for the entire family.

The plot involves army buddies Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who've made it big as entertainers 10 years after the end of World War II. Entreated by their army buddy "Freckle-faced Haynes, the dog-faced boy" to audition his sisters for their act, the two travel to the downtown club where the Haynes Sisters are appearing (right, Ashley Blanchett and Keely Bierne perform "Sisters"). Enamored of Judy, Phil switches the men's train tickets from Florida to Vermont, where the girls are set to headline at a country inn. Upon their arrival, they're surprised to find the inn, owned by their former commanding general, beset with bills, a heat wave (thus, no snow) and looming foreclosure. To save the inn (and the general's “face”), Wallace and Davis and the Haynes Sisters contact their fellow entertainers with a plan to put on a show; Wallace and Davis send out letters to the members of the 151st Army Division asking them to come to Vermont to support The Old Man. Misunderstandings ensue, romance goes off the rails, but in true Broadway musical form, all turns out well in the end.

The usual stellar Paper Mill Playhouse production values are in full effect in White Christmas, from Anna Louizos’ beautiful set, Carrie Robbins' lush (and of the period) costumes and Charlie Morrison’s atmospheric lighting. Mark S. Hoebee’s facile direction keeps things humming along at a brisk pace, and the ensemble nimbly performs the original Broadway toe-tapping choreography by Randy Skinner, here reproduced by Kristyn Pope. Cynthia Meng’s musical direction provides lush accompaniment to Berlin’s clever lyrics without overpowering the performers (not that it could, given the loud actors’ mikes).

Hoebee certainly has put together a talented cast for this winter extravaganza! Max Clayton may not be as suave as Bing Crosby, but his fine voice puts across a song, most notably "Count Your Blessings" and "How Deep Is the Ocean." In the role originated by Danny Kaye, Casey Garvin displays a nice voice and great agility reminiscent of the hoofer Donald O'Connor, who was originally slated to perform in the film. He's especially smooth in "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing"  and "I Love a Piano." As Judy Haynes, Keely Bierne gets to dance more than sing, but she looks to be having a fine time of it; her grace is on full display in “The Best Things Happen When You’re Dancing” (left, with Garvin). 

Ashley Blanchett’s Betty Haynes is more reserved, but she is in fine voice warbling the smoky, sultry torch song, "Love, You Didn't Do Right by Me" (right). The two have great fun with the quintessential ode to sibling rivalry, “Sisters.” Lance Roberts is all spit, polish and vinegar as General Waverly, innkeeper and former Army commander, and young Savannah Austin (who shares the role with Annie Piper Braverman) as his granddaughter Susan steals the show whenever she is onstage.

Completing the list of main characters is Stacia Fernandez (left) as the brassy former entertainer Martha Watson, now manning the desk at the Columbia Inn. She really lets it rip, belting out an Ethel Merman-reminiscent version of "Let Me Sing and I'll Be Happy." Her comedic timing is spot-on, too, and she sure can dance.

So, the plot of White Christmas is predictable and the characters more two-dimensional than realistic (like many a Hallmark holiday movie), but the Paper Mill Playhouse's version is first-rate. That the most famous holiday song, “White Christmas,” was written by a Jewish immigrant from Russia would not be not lost on today’s audience, coming off a contentious general election where the problem of immigration was first and foremost in the minds of millions. But for those who remember the music of Irving Berlin and who, like me, adore tap dancing, this show is right up your alley. The kids may find it a bit tame, but it wouldn't be a bad idea to introduce them to real musical class. White Christmas is the perfect gift for theatergoers of all ages.

White Christmas will be performed at the venerable Paper Mill Playhouse, 22 Brookside Drive, Millburn, NJ, through December 29, 2024. For information and tickets, call the box office at 973.376.4343 or visit www.PaperMill.org online.