The actual title of the classic Christmas show is “Miracle On 34th Street.”
But for our purposes, the real miracle will be on Kearny Avenue as the West Hudson Arts and Theater Company puts on a weekend of performances of a stage adaptation of the show beginning Thursday, Dec. 12, with a 7:30 p.m. curtain.
There will be three more shows — at 7:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday, Dec. 13 and 14 — and a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee, all at W.H.A.T.’s new theater-in-residence at Grace United Methodist Church, 380 Kearny Ave.
Jerry Ficeto, W.H.A.T.’s founder and president, says W.H.A.T. chose this classic for the theater group’s annual Christmastime production because it’s a great time of year for family-friendly productions.
“We always want to do something that way around the holidays,” Ficeto said. “In the past, we’ve done ‘A Charlie Brown Christmas’ and ‘A Christmas Carol.’ And this was a good choice for this year.”
Ficeto says this particular version of “Miracle” is very closely related to the 1940s, 20th Century Fox film of the same name. It was written and adapted by the Mountain Community Theater, Ben Lomond, California, in 1982.
“It’s the closest version to the movie,” Ficeto said.
Aside from the major characters in the movie — there are 28 in total — there are 22 minor characters who will be played by just eight actors. Some have been casted, therefore, for multiple roles.
Ficeto says this is sometimes necessary for community-theater productions.
“The stage just isn’t big enough for that many actors, so the director can cast them for multiple roles,” he said. “It’s possible so long as the characters don’t have to be on the stage at the same time.”
Speaking of the stage itself, Ficeto says it was a complete team effort to build the set.
“The cast helped to build it,” he said. “It was a tremendous effort.”
He also says he’s grateful to Lee’s Florist for donating items for the set.
“It would have cost us a lot of money,” he said. “We can’t thank them enough.”
Jack Haefner directs the show, a classic holiday story that was first brought to the silver screen in 1947 from the story by Valentine Davies, and starred a young Natalie Wood as Susan Walker, Maureen O’Hara as her mother Doris and Edmund Gwenn as Kris Kringle.
According to the film’s description, events take place between Thanksgiving and Christmas Day in New York City — and “focuses on the effect of a department store Santa Claus who claims to be the real Santa.”
The show, meanwhile, stars Miriam Messer as Doris Walker; David Villa as Fred Gayley; Allyson Oliveira as Susan Walker; George Rex as Kris Kringle; Edmund Shea as Dr. Pierce, Mr. Macy and Finley; Chloe Kiefer as Shellhammer and Mara; Christian Florio as Judge Harper, Bloomingdale, Drunken Santa and Sharon’s Parent; Michael Bradow as Johnny’s Dad, Sawyer, Halloran, Rich Person and Duncan; Vivian Torres as Child No. 1, Sharon, Megan, Elf J, Elf W and Mara Jr.
Also, Sarah Rettchslag as Dutch Girl, Elf Z, Elf R and Lou; Jake Weber as Child No. 2, Johnny, Elf Q and Al; and Denise Da Silva as Bag Lady, Foster Mother and a News Reporter.
For additional information and/or to purchase advance tickets (all are $10), visit www.whatco.org or call 201-467-8624. Some tickets may be available for purchase at the door.
Learn more about the writer ...
Kevin A. Canessa Jr. is the editor of and broadcaster at The Observer, an organization he has served since 2006. He is responsible for the editorial content of the newspaper and website, the production of the e-Newspaper, writing several stories per week (including the weekly editorial), conducting live broadcasts on social media channels such as YouTube, Facebook, and X, including a weekly recap of the news — and much more behind the scenes. Between 2006 and 2008, he introduced the newspaper to its first-ever blog — which included podcasts, audio and video. Originally from Jersey City, Kevin lived in Kearny until 2004, lived in Port St. Lucie. Florida, for four years until February 2016 and in March of that year, he moved back to Kearny to return to The Observer full time. Click Here to send Kevin an email.