Stage Review - Snowed In (Again) (ArtsWest)
Stage Review - Snowed In (Again)
Presented By: ArtsWest - Seattle, WA
Show Run: November 21 - December 22, 2024
Date Reviewed: Thursday, November 21, 2024 (Opening Night)
Reviewed By: Greg Heilman
It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Yes, I’m talking about that time our local theatre companies roll out their holiday fare, dealing in the currency of nostalgia and heartwarming memories of gathering with friends and family on cold, and in our case damp, late fall and winter nights around the fire with a cup of hot chocolate in brotherhood and sisterhood, a time when we believe that together, and maybe with a little bit of magic, we can accomplish anything. It’s that last gasp before the doldrums of winter, which may be why it’s a time of year that’s looked upon with so much emotion, some with joy and others with despair, by so many. Some Seattle theaters put up shows that harken back to our favorite classic films of the season, like Elf, A Christmas Story, or Miracle on 34th Street, while others skew toward family friendly shows, not holiday-specific, but something that is fun for the whole family. In each case, these companies have tended to build traditions around how they program their holiday shows. In the same vein, ArtsWest has started their own tradition, beginning last year with their original show Snowed In, in which four of Seattle’s most well known musical theatre actors get, yes, snowed in while being sent away to a cabin retreat to create a new Christmas Eve spectacular. The show resonated well with audiences, with its original songs from Rich Gray, Corinne Park-Buffelen (also the co-creator of the show with Mathew Wright), and David Taylor Gomes, and an excellent sense of humor that was meant to harken back to classic television holiday variety shows of the past. The unfortunate thing for me, and a side effect of being a growing entity here at The Sound on Stage, is that I didn’t have a chance to take in the original Snowed In. So, I went into opening night of ArtsWest’s new original Snowed In (Again) without the experience of having seen the original, and I’ll just say, I came away with two conclusions. First off, if last year’s original was even half as fun and entertaining as this year’s sequel, then I’m even more disappointed that I missed it. Secondly, I’d love to see this become a new tradition in West Seattle, keeping the show fresh each year, but moving the storyline forward a bit each time. It’s a concept that can just keep going, and I hope it does.
This year’s edition, Snowed In (Again), is again a Corinne Park-Buffelen creation, and again with musical compositions from Corinne and David Taylor Gomes, and also again directed by Kelly Kitchens, as last year’s show was. Clearly, this team felt comfortable working together on last season’s program, and it shows in the relaxed atmosphere that this year’s exudes. Musically, there are some new songs, some repeated performances from last year’s show by the new group cast in the 2024 production, and some new arrangements of classic holiday tunes. This year’s cast consists of Lauren Drake, Alexander Kilian, Ays Garcia, and Brandon Riel (also the scenic designer), each playing themselves, well sort of, and together answering what would happen if four ego-centric actors were sent away to a cabin in the snowy woods to recreate a wildly successful Christmas Eve extravaganza and add their own spin to it. What transpires is a wholly entertaining 90 minutes of fun and music that is the perfect way to start off any holiday season.
The mood starts even before curtain, as the audience enters the ArtsWest space and is greeted by the sound of a crackling fireplace and the sight of a living room, with a mid-century modern design, piano centerstage, frosted windowpanes providing a view out to the snowy night, a large wreath over the fireplace and garland along the railing by the window. It looks, and feels, like the kind of place friends would gather on a Saturday night, out of the cold, with a cocktail, the sound of music from the piano underscoring conversations taking place among the guests. There’s a familiarity to the scene, a comfort to it that lets the audience know that they’re in for an evening that is welcoming and will be where new memories will be made. When the actors arrive, and the lights come up, those pre-show feelings are most certainly confirmed.
The actors begin with the opening number “It Won’t Be a Silent Night”, a new song for this year’s show, one which sets the stage for the program, musically upbeat and fun, with great harmonies from the quartet and a lot of movement around Brandon’s set. It also presents the kind of humor that the show deals in, some of it in the lyrics themselves, but even more of it in the delivery from this cast. The number also shows what works so well about Alyza Delpan-Monley’s choreography, it’s loose and fun and it lets the actors inject their own personalities into the steps. The movement further provides a that feeling that the audience is watching four actors naturally working together as friends to try and build a show. Throughout the show, each actor has a chance to feature musically, and they’re all very good. Lauren’s rendition of “I’m Happy Being Hosted”, a number from last year’s program, shows the actor’s range, versatility, and power. She’s soulful and sexy, and she can belt with the best of anyone I’ve seen on stage. It’s a wonderful song, and an even better performance. Lauren is also very good in the duet with Alexander on the traditional “In the Bleak Midwinter”, which again is funny in its over-dramatized delivery, while Alexander himself is hilarious and commanding in “Grampus”. In fact, there is so much humor in this show, and Alexander is so good at delivering his with a straight face, he’s sarcastic, and so funny. “Grampus” is the culmination of his work here, in which he recounts memories of family Christmases where everything came down to some sort of competition. A Christmas Eve extravaganza isn’t all about the music, though, and as the actors do their best in developing holiday related skits, Alexander’s “Hamlet for the Holidays” is a comedic high point.
Each actor brings a unique spin to their characters and yes, they’re “sort of” playing themselves, meaning that they’re each playing characters with their own names, but the personalities have been changed to protect the innocent, or whichever cliche fits. Along with each personality is a brand of humor. Among all of the actors, Lauren is more of the straight, she’s the serious one. Meanwhile, Alexander is on the sarcastic side, Ays is extremely quirky, and Brandon’s delivery feels like a combination of Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, which isn’t to say it isn’t unique, Brandon’s performance is most surely that, especially his singing and dancing. And nobody could handle Olive the Other Reindeer (or Olive the Chainsmoking Reindeer) as well as he does in this show, which is something you need to see to truly appreciate. Brandon comes advertised to the group as a classically trained dancer, and that reputation comes to a head in the “Gingerbread Dance Break” number, just one of so many funny moments in this show. Ays’ chance to shine individually comes early, in the song “Snow”, which starts as a celebration of the frozen white stuff, and shortly thereafter takes a dark, but fun, turn. And together, the group is so good, and as much as they play actors with a bit of ego, they clearly put the group first in their performance as an ensemble. They surely enjoy working with each other, and the fun that they are having on stage delivering these fun tunes and humorous skits is evident and contagious. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention piano player/conductor Aaron Jin. Not only is Aaron responsible for accompaniment on stage, which he is excellent at providing, he also has a few opportunities to participate in the delivery of the humor. And Music Director Riley Brule deserves a lot of credit along with composer and lyricist Corinne Park-Buffelen, and Corrine’s partner in composition David Taylor Gomes. These songs are fresh, fun, and catchy. In fact, “The Perfect Christmas Song”, an ensemble number, is one that if I had a recording of, it would be on repeat, and that’s not the only one.
It’s not just the performances, acting, singing, and dancing, that make Snowed In (Again) so good. They’re what make the show so fun, but what adds the heart to it is the creative design. It starts with the set. Brandon’s set is very well designed, and in partnership with Robin Macartney, the pair have created a setting for this show that feels real. Adem Hayyu’s lighting adds another dimension to the presentation, case in point at the end of the excellent new arrangement of Deck the Halls, during which the group does, in fact, deck the halls, when the quartet transitions into the Gloria in Excelsis Deo chorus and the lights come down on the set, allowing just the garland and wreath lights, along with the fireplace and some softer lighting to illuminate the stage, it’s a beautiful, tender, and heartfelt moment.
If a new tradition was born last season, with ArtsWest’s original holiday show Snowed In, then this year, it has been cemented in the Seattle theatre zeitgeist. This season’s follow-up, Snowed In (Again), features four of Seattle’s top musical theatre talents brought together to develop a Christmas Eve extravaganza, their efforts resulting in a musical menagerie of fun, with songs that are comical and catchy and humor that is delivered expertly by a cast of triple threats under the direction of Kelly Kitchens performing an original work from Corinne Park-Buffelen and David Taylor Gomes. There are going to be a lot of holiday productions in Seattle area theaters over the next month, and if you are looking for the best one to start off your holiday season, Snowed In (Again) is it.
Snowed In (Again), the ArtsWest follow-up to their successful 2023 holiday extravaganza Snowed In, runs on stage in West Seattle through December 22. For more information, including ticket availability and sales, visit https://www.artswest.org/.
Photo credit: John McLellan
