Westside Stage’s winter performance, A Christmas Story, premiered earlier this season.
This is the first time any Lee’s Summit school has done this version of the play. The play is based on the well-known 1983 film and follows the story of Ralphie Parker in his endeavors to get his hands on the only thing he wants for Christmas: an official Red Ryder Carbine-Action Two-Hundred-Shot Range Model Air Rifle, with a compass and a thing that tells time built right into the stock.
Senior Abe Shay-Zapian narrates the tale as a grown-up Ralphie and Sophomore Emmanual Llorente portrays child-Ralphie. Juniors Maddie Campbell and Conor Tierney are hilarious as Ralphie’s parents.
The play sticks closely with the film, with a clinky boiler, a tacky leg lamp, and an unfortunate incident involving a tongue and a cold metal pole. But the performance also adds elements of its own such as Ralphie’s crush Ester Jane, played by Senior Courtney Shanholtzer.
Senior Adam Barry-Ford is great as Scut Farkas, the neighborhood bully. The props were also a highlight of the show, especially the family car and the giant Santa slide.
Westside Stage has succeeded in yet another great performance. Their next production is “Legally Blonde: The Musical” and will be premiering soon.
By Claudia Guthrie
