Who needs Rudolph when Prancer is in the house? In an inspired twist on classic Christmas stories, the Long Beach Shakespeare Company (LBSC) is presenting a variety of puppets—including a life-size animatronic Prancer—to playfully usher in the holidays.
Artistic Director Brando Cutts adapted three tales with the seasonally appropriate message of giving to those in need—plus one that just has fun with Santa—all involving puppets and Christmas songs staged by three talented puppeteer actors.
Our MC is Prancer (delightfully voiced by Capone Xavier Walker)—a life-sized reindeer who moves his head and mouth while singing and introducing each story. He takes center stage in a magical set featuring a life-size nutcracker, snow and mistletoe.
Garret Martinez and Luna-Breana Alexander feature in “The Elves and the Shoemaker,” in which three hand-puppet elves secretly help out a small-business owner and his family struggling during the pandemic. The elves stitch shoes at night for very generous patrons while cutely singing holiday tunes by Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Marionettes take over in “The Origin of Poinsettia,” in which little Pepita has no gift for the baby Jesus except weeds. But like the little drummer boy of a different story—and with the help of an angel in white floating down from heaven—Pepita learns that any gift given from the heart is beautiful. (It helps, by the way, to get a seat closer to the stage to fully appreciate this story since the marionette set is lower.)
The show takes a more substantial yet somber turn with a shadow-puppet rendition of Oscar Wilde’s “The Happy Prince.” Using a light projector and screen, the troupe perform the voices of a former prince who is now a gold statue and a swallow on his way south for the winter. Beckoned by the prince to help the downtrodden people of the town, the swallow picks off the statue’s riches to distribute to those in need.
The swallow ultimately gives its greatest gift in the service of the prince, who has also given all he can, though neither is recognized by the townspeople, only acknowledged by powers unseen. This amazing story—narrated by the lyrically voiced Alexander—is followed by Martinez singing a melancholy solo while holding a bird in his hands. Even Prancer is moved.
But what would a holiday show be without jolly Santa Claus, and appear he does in the form of a muppet-style hand-puppet in the final skit, “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” As muppet Mom and Dad put the kids to bed—barely refraining from nighttime frivolity of their own—Santa pops out of the chimney, crunches on cookies and dumps a bag of gifts while his reindeer make a racket on the roof. Puppets and crew come together for a final “Feliz Navidad.”
Sweet but not cloying like a candy-cane—more like one of those perfectly balanced and delectable confections dusted with powdered sugar that only appear during the holidays—this magical show will fill you with warmth and good cheer, a heartfelt gift from LBSC’s creative cast and crew.
Long Beach Shakespeare Company’s “Christmas Classics with Puppets” continues through Dec. 12 at the Helen Borgers Theatre, 4250 Atlantic Ave., with performances on Fridays (except Dec. 3) and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Visit LBSC’s website at LBShakespeare.org for tickets and more information. LBSC asks patrons to wear masks during the entire performance due to pandemic health concerns.
