Christmas Revue on stage at Cultural Park Theater
The Spectacular Christmas Revue is back for the holidays at the Cultural Park Theater for its sixth year.
“It is actually considered the highlight of the year by most of our patrons and members,” show director and play writer Michael Moran said.
The revue showcases traditional Christmas music along a light story line. The plot usually involves a family conflict that is resolved by the end of the play. There are also different styles of music within the play.
“It contains regular traditional music and pop music that blends in with it to create a show so that the audience isn’t just listening to Christmas carol after Christmas carol,” Moran said.
Sixty-four people auditioned to be in the revue and 54 people made the cut. In its first year, the revue only had 12 people who performed.
“Every year the program grows bigger,” Moran said.
Moran has to control every word, song and aspect of the 54 people on stage. It seems like a lot but Moran is prepared.
“That is a challenge,” Moran laughed. “We have summer camp programs here at the theater that usually have upwards of 45 to 50 children in it. So you get to a point where you get used to the fact that you have to write a lot of lines for a lot of people. Every detail in the show has to be coordinated going in and it works really well when you have a talented cast of people.”
People come all over the area, from Naples to Fort Myers, to perform in the play. They had auditions a month and a half ago and they have been rehearsing for three weeks.
Moran is going on his 13th year as the executive director of the theater. Prior to that, he acted in New York City with touring companies.
“I was a performer myself once upon a time,” Moran said.
He grew up watching Christmas shows and applies them to his shows.
“They always stay near to my heart and there part of the style to where we get the Christmas Revue put together,” Moran said. “I remember how they staged those old-time Christmas revues and I stage them so that they come off looking a lot like that style of a show.”
Moran expects a good turnout based on past attendance.
“It brings in a lot of people every single year,” Moran said. “The show usually runs out at near-sellout crowds.”
Since the theater is very family and community oriented, there are some reasons why the spectacular brings in so many people.
“The Christmas show has become an important part of that because a lot of our regular patrons are retired and it is a great way for them to go out and celebrate the holidays and it’s great for families with young people because, like in the case for this year, a lot of people in the cast are related,” Moran said. “There are parents in the show that are performing with their own children. That always makes it nice.”
Moran looks forward to this every year.
“I can’t wait. I’m actually very excited.”
The music and script changes every year. The music is directed by Tyler Omundsen, who directs music for other plays at the theater.
The revue opened Wednesday night and will close Sunday afternoon. It will start at 8 p.m. all of those nights with matinees Saturday and Sunday at 3 pm.
The Cultural Park Theater is at 528 Cultural Park Blvd. in Cape Coral.