Everybody knows that Santa Claus has a special list for boys and girls who are Nice and Naughty so he knows which deserve toys or lumps of coal. But did you know that there’s one person who is keeping a list on Santa Claus and is judging him definitely not Nice and decidedly Naughty. It seems when Santa stopped on his travels last Christmas to eat the regulatory cookies and milk, he took a big bite of the Gingerbread Man’s leg and now Jimmy, a convincing Ashley DePascale, has to walk with a candy cane cane and Jimmy, also known as Jelly Bean when he gets a job at Santa’s workshop, is out for revenge. He has changed his name to a sweet Jelly Bean but his intention is clear.
Thanks to the Downtown Cabaret of Bridgeport you are invited to witness the shenanigans that Jimmy has plotted to show Santa the errors of his ways in “Santa Story 2” written, directed and choreographed by Carly Jurman who also manages to inhabit Mrs. Kringle too. Jimmy is plotting and scheming to exact his idea of punishment for the Big Man. Weekends until December 29, you can get into the Christmas spirit even if it is a little unnice, as Mr and Mrs. Clause, Andrea Pane and Carly Jurman, go off on a Hawaiian vacation, and Santa’s trusty elves, Jolly and Joy, Josh Devellis and Emily Pisarra, are left in charge of Santa’s workshop and soon find themselves up to their Christmas stockings in Jimmy’s hijinxs, Did I forget to mention there is a winter blizzard ranging at the North Pole and Eddie the Yeti, Karen Hanley, is out to do some damage?
Will the big guy’s Christmas celebration be ruined? Will Santa drive his sleigh that night? Will the distraught cookie enlist his friends to join him in his holiday ruining scheme? What will happen when Jolly and Joy find themselves in New York City trying to save the day? Will Santa or Kris Kringle as he is also known be back at the North Pole to deliver the toys the elves have diligently made for all the good little boys and girls? So many questions and so little time to answer them.
In amazing Technicolor magic, with wonderful projections by Sasha Mishaman to add to the excitement, come dreams of pumpkin pies, tinsel, stockings on the fireplace, candy canes, one important broken gift wrapping machine, wreaths, decorated trees, dancing Rockkettes, a pregnant Mrs. Kringle, gumdrops, laughter, Christmas joy, and a long overdue message of forgiveness. There is definitely something for everyone in the family at this new version of Christmas merriment.
For tickets ($ 33-39), call the Downtown Cabaret, 263 Golden Hill Street, Bridgeport at 203-576-1636 or online at tickets@mycabaret.org. Performances are Saturdays at noon and 2:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m., plus at noon on December 15 and 22. Don’t forget this is cabaret so bring goodies and drinks to enjoy at your table or plan to buy them at the concession stand in the lobby. Bring a dollar or a five or ten to play lucky bucks and win a gift certificate to a future performance. Remember we all “Need a Little Christmas” and this show will deliver it in red, green and gold glory. Come cheer on the elves as they work hard to save the most fun of festivities Christmas from one very angry Gingerbread Man.
