**** Highly Recommended **** For the last several years (try 15 or more), one of my favorite holiday treats has been the Towle Theater’s A Fabulous 50’s Christmas. The show, conceived by retiring Towle Artistic Director, Jeff Casey, is modeled on the old Perry Como/Andy Williams Christmas specials our parents/grandparents watched in the 50s. 4 Spotlights
A Fabulous 50’s Christmas features a blend of traditional and contemporary (written before 1960) carols. It’s divided into sets of songs interspersed with clever re-creations of TV commercials from the ‘50s featuring products like Folger’s Instant Coffee, Betty Crocker honey spice cake mix, and more.
The 2024 Fab 50’s cast includes the multi-talented Amanda Donohoe, Declan Durr, Trillium Falotico, Emil Ginter, Hannah Kipp, Z Moore, Sean Rhead and Nora Wragg, each singing solo as well as an ensemble. Piano accompaniment was provided by Music Director, Elizabeth Tuazon. Additional accompaniment was provided by Nora Wragg on flute, Z Moore on violin, and Sean Rhead on guitar.
The show opened with the ensemble singing Christmas Bells are Ringing Medley which flowed right into It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.
You’ll hear traditional carols like Silent Night and O Little town of Bethlehem and old secular carols like God Rest, Ye Merry Gentlemen, the Coventry Carol, Sing We Now of Christmas, and Deck the Halls – with a twist.
You’ll hear favorite oldies like White Christmas, Silver Bells and a Santa Claus Medley, and big band sounds like Boogie Woogie Santa Claus and The Man with the Bag. A new personal favorite, A Marshmallow World, included a tap dancing interlude with Trillium Falotico and the four women in the cast.
Every production of A Fabulous 50’s Christmas since the beginning includes Valerie Webdel’s arrangement of Little Drummer Boy/Do You Hear What I Hear? done specifically for the Towle – this year with variations by Elizabeth Tuazon.
Kudos to Set Designer Kevin Bellamy on the 50’s set. On the left, there’s a snowy outdoor scene – a white picket fence draped with greens and bright colored lights surrounding snow covered evergreen trees. In the center, a 50’s living room with a fireplace and aluminum Christmas tree. On the right side, there’s a tiny kitchen table draped with a holiday tablecloth.
By the way, I was thrilled to see the perfect Christmas boxes from E.C. Minas, Carson's and Marshall Field's that I found in my mom's closet and donated to the Towle were back under the aluminum tree.
This is probably the last Fabulous 50’s Christmas since Jeff Casey and Kevin Bellamy are retiring. I’m sad to see them go but I wish them the best in the future.
A Fabulous 50s Christmas runs through December 15th at the Towle Theater, 5205 Hohman Avenue, Hammond. Parking is available available on Hohman Avenue right in front of the theater. There is also a gravel lot on on Sibley that is available for parking. Street parking available on Hohman Avenue and Fayette Street. Running time is approximately two hours with an intermission. Check with the box office, several performances are sold out. Tickets are $24. FYI (219) 937-8780 or www.towletheater.org.
Next up: The Towle Theater's 2025 Season Preview, January 4th & 5th