Sugar Creek Players Present Miracle on 34th Street

November 25, 2009 — The Sugar Creek Players will present the time-honored Christmas classic Miracle on 34^th Street in early December on consecutive weekends at the historic Vanity Theater in downtown Crawfordsville.

The spirited production opens Friday, December 4 at 8:00 p.m. Performances are scheduled for 8:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, December 4-5 and 11-12, with 2:00 p.m. matinee performances on December 6 and December 13. The production is sponsored by J.M. Thompson Insurance and is directed by Kristijonas Paltanavicius.

Paltanavicius is native of Lithuania and attends Wabash College. While new to the Vanity Theater, Paltanavicius has a distinguished background of acting and directing theatrical and musical ensembles in his home country, and is majoring in theater at Wabash.

“I have been able to take a look at an American classic from a totally different perspective, which has allowed me to adapt it with European directorial techniques, namely lots of movement and character transformation,” said Paltanavicius.

The theatrical version is based on the Academy Award-winning film from 1947, which captured Oscars for Best Writing, Best Original Story, and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. It was also nominated for Best Picture.

It’s another Christmas in New York City, only this year Macy’s Santa Claus is the real deal — or is he? The script follows Kris Kringle (played by Steve Hester) when he is hired to replace Macy’s intoxicated Santa Claus just prior to the start of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. After charming Macy’s customers and capturing good will across the New York City, Kringle soon finds himself in the New York State Supreme Court defending his identity and even Christmas itself.

Defended in court by the optimistic young lawyer, Fred Gailey (Mike Swift), Kris makes believers of nearly every person in the city — even the skeptical nine-year-old Susan (Amelia Vasquez) and her common sense mother, Doris (Cheri Clark).

“This is the perfect show to get people in the spirit for the holidays,” said Paltanavicius. “We have a large and wonderful cast, which has come together nicely. The show is touching, thoughtful, and hilariously funny at times.”

The cast includes Vanity Theater veterans like Hester, Swift (Fred Gailey), Niki Hutson (Miss Adams), Mike Rossi (Julian Shellhammer), Christopher Adams (Granville Sawyer), and Alex Hughes (R.H. Macy), but also includes newer performers like Paul Vasquez (Charlie Halloran), Monte Thompson (Thomas Mara), and Jim Amidon (Judge Henry Harper).

Chris Adams as Sawyer and Mike Rossi as Julian Shellhammer provide the funniest moments in Miracle on 34^th Street. “Those two actors, in particular, have done a wonderful job of adding depth to what in the movie are fairly small characters,” said Paltanavicius.

“This is the perfect way to get in the spirit of Christmas,” said co-producer Lois Hepburn. “It’s a heart-warming story and we have so many talented actors bringing it to life.”

Tickets for Miracle on 34^th Street will go on sale Saturday, November 28 at the box office at 122 South Washington Street during “Downtown Party Night.” Tickets are $10 for adults and $6 for children, and can be purchased during normal box office hours (11 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays) or reserved by phone at 362-7077.

The 31-member cast includes Tyler Abraham, Christopher Adams, Jim Amidon, Sammie Amidon, Annee Clark, Cheri Clark, Kenn Clark, Matthew Clark, Vyctoria Gardner, Morgan Hepburn, Steve Hester, Lauren Howell, Alex Hughes, Niki Hutson, Olivia McKenna, Alex Orton, Lanie Rogers, Leda Rossi, Mike Rossi, Will Rossi, Andrew Samuelsen, Riley Slavens, Mike Swift, Terry Swift, Davis Thompson, Monte Thompson, Robert Tower, Amelia Vasquez, Paul Vasquez, Bernie Williams, Erin Williams.

The stage crew comprises Matthew Clark, Austin Covington, Morgan Hepburn, Abby Rodenbeck, Christine Rossi, and Michael Sering.