WHITE CHRISTMAS

Before I got to Columbia, Daughter called and asked if I would like to go to the Town Theater and see White Christmas while I was visiting?  Does a one legged duck swim in circles?  Who wouldn't want to go see White Christmas?

It was a long tradition in my house that one night between Thanksgiving and Christmas, our family would watch White Christmas together.  We didn't just watch White Christmas.  We put on our pajamas, made/drank hot chocolate, lit the fireplace (many times with the a/c running in the house), turned down the lights in the family room and watched White Christmas. When Daughter and Son got old enough to date, there was a "test" for the boyfriend/girlfriend.  If they didn't want to come over and participate in the White Christmas experience or made fun of our family tradition, they probably would not be dating Son or Daughter much longer. :)

So, Daughter bought the tickets and found a babysitter for Curly and Popcorn so we could go on a double date to the theater. Friday night was the night. The Town Theater is located in historic downtown Columbia.

A stage society has been organized in Columbia for the purpose of encouraging and developing musical, vocal, and dramatic talent in this city and to furnish entertainment to those who enjoy these things but do not care to take an active part in them.”

Letter dated Jun 25, 1919 by John D. Neal
First Secretary of The Columbia Stage Society

Thus began a run of family-oriented entertainment at Town Theatre that continues to thrive today. The founders of the Town Theatre were not professional producers, directors or actors. They were a group of families who dreamed of a new concept for Columbia: a theatre where they and their families could not only watch plays, but also take part in them for fun and learn from the experience.

This commitment to presenting plays and musicals of wide general appeal has earned Town Theatre the largest regular audience of any cultural performing organization in Columbia. In fact, each season brings in close to 30,000 theatre patrons of all ages.

The actual Town Theatre building was constructed in 1924. (See pic above) It is the oldest community theatre building in continuous use in the United States and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Town Theatre has one of the largest auditoriums of any Columbia theatre group.

Every performance has open auditions, with all community members being encouraged to attend. There is also ample opportunity for members of the community to get involved behind the scenes. The Columbia Stage Society offers opportunity and experience in theatre to its members, many of whom participate not only as actors but as costumers, set and backstage crew, as well as helping in the box office, or as ushers and house managers.

It may not be at the caliber of the shows at the Hobby Center in H-town, but it was very entertaining.  The storyline of 2 war buddies going into show business together and meeting 2 sisters and falling in love while trying to save the inn of their former army general stayed the same.  There were a few liberties taken with scenes occurring at different times than when they occurred in the original movie. Scenes were shortened and changed somewhat.  I'm sure scenes had to be shortened and presented a little differently due to it being a live performance and due to scene changes and this is not Hollywood. When the actors said lines that were from the original movie, the audience would laugh or clap or acknowledge in some way that they recognized the line and appreciated it.

There were a lot of tap dancers in this production.  Have I mentioned that Daughter loves to tap dance?  She started dance when she was 4 years old.  She took ballet, tap, and jazz until sometime in middle school.  When she reached high school, she joined the drill team (which was a dance team) and participated all 4 years of high school in performing at football games and competing in competitions.  Actually, she and 2 of her friends did a tap routine for competition season one year. The girl LOVES to dance, even to this day.  After watching the dancers on stage, I told her that she should have auditioned.  She was thinking the same thing and said she was going to keep watch on dancing auditions for other shows. She and I both think that would be SO MUCH FUN!

There was a group of kids standing along the 2nd floor bannister when we arrived.  They were singing Christmas carols to everyone as they came in.  They did an awesome job.

We had a great time on our double date and had fun going to the theater.  But, I told Mr. W, just because we went to the theater to see White Christmas did not mean that he was getting out of putting on his pajamas, drinking hot chocolate, turning the lights down and watching the DVD of White Christmas with me!  He kind of already knew that.

The playbill

Young people caroling as people entered the theater

Kind of shows you the size of the theater and the stage

One of the scenes not in the original movie

The classic scene where the guys use the props and sing the "Sisters" song.  It was in a different sequence than the movie.

The ending and sure enough, it started snowing!