New take on old poem for Gallo Center Rep’s Christmas offering

And now for something different ...

Sure, there have been and continue to be plenty of chances this holiday season to catch a traditional Christmas production in the Modesto region – “Nutcracker,” “Christmas Carol,” “Elf” and more. So for its seasonal story this year, Gallo Repertory Theatre decided on an original show from playwright Ken Ludwig that adds some spunk and a wild adventure to the North Pole.

“’Twas the Night Before Christmas” will be staged Friday-Sunday, Dec. 8-10, at the Gallo Center for the Arts by its resident repertory company. It proved popular enough with early ticket buyers that Gallo Rep added a second show Saturday.

The comedic take on the classic Christmas poem centers around 10-year-old Emily and her best friend Amos the mouse, who are both sad and confused that they did not receive a visit from Santa the previous year.

Out of the blue, they are visited by Calliope, an elf from the North Pole investigating how Santa’s Naughty or Nice list has gone missing. Calliope wants Emily and Amos to travel back with her to Santa’s workshop to track down the disappearance.

“Upon arriving at the North Pole there are chases and duels in attempt to recover the list from Sir Guy of Gisbourne, a ‘fallen elf’ who has stolen it for his own nefarious purposes,” production director Kimberly Ogden said in an email interview. “There is also a long-running case of mistaken identity when Amos’ twin brother Amos shows up to help.”

This marks the second Christmas production for Gallo Rep, which last year presented “Too Many Tamales.” The company plans a Christmas production each holiday season, Ogden said.

Trey Augustus plays both Amos and Amos in the production with Miori Kennedy starring as Emily. Other cast members include Dan Ogden, Dave Weltner and Lara Dirks.

“We also have a ‘stage crew’ that doubles as back-up dancers for the musical numbers,” Kimberly Ogden said.

She said she fell in love with the Ludwig script while looking for alternatives to the “tried and true” Christmas productions. “It is fast-paced and energetic but witty enough to entertain an adult audience in the style of a Pixar movie.”

Audiences will find plenty to keep them engaged, she said. “It has breathtaking video footage and a light show and three big musical numbers. It has humor and pathos. In short, the perfect holiday offering.”

This story was originally published November 30, 2017 at 11:24 AM with the headline "New take on old poem for Gallo Center Rep’s Christmas offering."