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Kerry Meads usually sets her annual Christmas stories in the past. This year's takes place "somewhere uptown," today. Two old storefronts are being renovated: one to become a coffee house, the other a music studio that "will bring all the voices of the city under one roof."
There's an irony here, because the people in and round the building don't know each other. They're far from what an in-crowd would include and aren't infused with the the play's title, "The Spirit of Christmas."
O.T. Holmes (Rik Ogden) is a Vietnam vet hasn't adjusted to being back in the world; Neville Gadiner (Catie Grady), Julliard grad, is holed up upstairs for reasons obviously sad, but unknown. And outside, homeless Mrs. Riley (Kathi Gibbs Wood) has near magical powers - and a kind of local omniscience, since she knows everyone's story.
J.M. (David Cochran Heath) has renounced investment banking for the coffee shop. His place and Providenza's (Mani Jo John) City Voices become magnets that pull the neighborhood together.
The outcome is never in doubt, and the ending happens of its own accord. But what propels the Colleen Kollar Smith-directed production is the music and how Jon Lorenz and Leonard Patton (as City Voices singers Luke and Cole) will arrange the songs. Also: now many popular tunes Chris O'Byron (Martin) can reference in seconds.
It's hard to pick favorites. The lively rendition of Mariah Carey's 1994 hit, "All I Want for Christmas Is You," captures the spirit. But so do Lorenz's impressive arrangements of Joni Mitchell's "River" ("Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on") and "Some Children See Him," and Leonard Patton's softly sung, spare version of "Ave Maria."
Jeanne Reith decks the cast with costumes ranging from chic (Renee Rebold and Michelle Pereira's Laura and Carmen) to hand-me-down (young Alexis Rae Tenny's Mary Rose) to Mrs. Riley's multi-layered and -colored apparel. Mike Buckley's two-floor, four room set serves the production well. As does Lorenz's musical diretion and its real close to the vest harmonies.
Lamb's Players Theatre, 1042 Orange Avenue, Coronado. Playing through December 30: Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Matinee Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. 619-437-0600.
Kerry Meads usually sets her annual Christmas stories in the past. This year's takes place "somewhere uptown," today. Two old storefronts are being renovated: one to become a coffee house, the other a music studio that "will bring all the voices of the city under one roof."
There's an irony here, because the people in and round the building don't know each other. They're far from what an in-crowd would include and aren't infused with the the play's title, "The Spirit of Christmas."
O.T. Holmes (Rik Ogden) is a Vietnam vet hasn't adjusted to being back in the world; Neville Gadiner (Catie Grady), Julliard grad, is holed up upstairs for reasons obviously sad, but unknown. And outside, homeless Mrs. Riley (Kathi Gibbs Wood) has near magical powers - and a kind of local omniscience, since she knows everyone's story.
J.M. (David Cochran Heath) has renounced investment banking for the coffee shop. His place and Providenza's (Mani Jo John) City Voices become magnets that pull the neighborhood together.
The outcome is never in doubt, and the ending happens of its own accord. But what propels the Colleen Kollar Smith-directed production is the music and how Jon Lorenz and Leonard Patton (as City Voices singers Luke and Cole) will arrange the songs. Also: now many popular tunes Chris O'Byron (Martin) can reference in seconds.
It's hard to pick favorites. The lively rendition of Mariah Carey's 1994 hit, "All I Want for Christmas Is You," captures the spirit. But so do Lorenz's impressive arrangements of Joni Mitchell's "River" ("Oh I wish I had a river I could skate away on") and "Some Children See Him," and Leonard Patton's softly sung, spare version of "Ave Maria."
Jeanne Reith decks the cast with costumes ranging from chic (Renee Rebold and Michelle Pereira's Laura and Carmen) to hand-me-down (young Alexis Rae Tenny's Mary Rose) to Mrs. Riley's multi-layered and -colored apparel. Mike Buckley's two-floor, four room set serves the production well. As does Lorenz's musical diretion and its real close to the vest harmonies.
Lamb's Players Theatre, 1042 Orange Avenue, Coronado. Playing through December 30: Tuesday through Thursday at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Sunday at 6:00 p.m. Matinee Saturday at 4:00 p.m. and Sunday at 2:00 p.m. 619-437-0600.