When a “Christmas” play is presented at a Jewish Community
Center the weekend before Hanukkah begins, it’s going to cause some head
scratching. But for those who know that “Coney Island Christmas” is based on a
short story by Jewish writer and activist Grace Paley, it makes a little bit
more sense. Paley’s work focused on everyday life — the mundane human
interactions that cloak a treasure of truth or a divine learning experience. In
1978, she told The New York Times, “I’m not writing a history of famous people.
I am interested in a history of everyday life.”
The Jewish
Community Center’s CenterStage has a history of presenting a surprising,
virtually unknown holiday show each year, and it’s delightful to see what production
artistic director Ralph Meranto chooses. He’s well known for selecting new
works, and “Coney Island Christmas” is no different. This is the show’s East
Coast premiere (it opened in 2012 as a commission for the Geffen Playhouse in Los
Angeles).
Pulitzer
Prize-winning playwright Donald Margulies (“Dinner with Friends”) takes Paley’s
short story about a Jewish girl who is cast as Jesus in her school’s Christmas
pageant and crafts a heartwarming tale that hits all the right notes for the
holidays: family, finding joy, and of course, tradition.
“Coney
Island Christmas” begins in modern-day California, but spends much of the plot
on a story set in 1930’s Coney Island, a veritable melting pot where young
Shirley Abramowitz lives with her shopkeeper parents in a three-room apartment.
To inspire that time period, scenic designer Eric Williamson created a gorgeous
tableau of enlarged black and white photos that fly down from the rafters of
the stage. The photos are enhanced by pieces of furniture and props, but they
provide quick transportation back to the Cyclone roller coaster, boardwalk, and
Nathan’s hot dogs (as several audience members remarked out loud throughout the
show). The costume design by Heather Fox rounds out the nostalgic feel with
giant hair bows, knickers, and boxy wool coats.
Director David
Henderson skillfully guides the cast — most of whom are under the age of 18 —
through a plot that, for better or worse, shows the similarities between
today’s world and 1930’s Coney Island. Here, too, is racial tension, and a
hesitation to learn about the story of another culture.
Of course,
none of this would work at all if the cast members weren’t talented. In a
post-show talkback on Sunday, Meranto and Henderson discussed how they lowered
the ages of the youth ensemble to between 10-13 years old, whereas the West
Coast premiere featured older teenagers. The young middle school students in
this production are still baby-faced and just a bit awkward — it’s absolutely
charming. This is an ensemble cast that truly shines, from the smallest role to
the largest.
One
particularly fun dynamic is that of the lead character, young Shirley
Abramowitz (Tali Beckwith-Cohen), and her onstage parents, who also happen to
be her real-life parents (Jodi Beckwith and Stefan Cohen). Tali is a true
typecast for Abramowitz’s character. Her energy informs her peers throughout
the show, and she impressively carries dialogue and emotion — she’s one to
watch as she continues to perform. The other youngsters in the show have their
own shining moments, and many are laugh-out-loud funny, especially during the
“pageants” that take place in the play.
The adult
ensemble is also strong, led by Stefan Cohen (Mr. Abramowitz), who hides a
razor-sharp wit beneath his gentleness. And audiences at the JCC will recognize
Jodi Beckwith from her many local roles. Here, Beckwith expertly plays a strict
Jewish mother: lots of vinegar, with a little sugar just before she makes
things too sour. Davida Bloom, who plays adult Shirley, is unrecognizable in
her grey wig and aged makeup, but perfect in the wise narrator role. (Her
character voices throughout the show are a hoot as well.) Rounding out the
adult ensemble are Nancy Berg (Miss Glacé) and Gary “Turk” Thomas (Mr. Hilton),
who have an adorable chemistry with both the youth ensemble and one another.
The show
runs approximately 90 minutes with no intermission, and it’s a sugary treat
from start to finish, but there’s still a few lessons tucked away within the
glitter. And if a community theater has one primary role, it is to stay true to
its name by bringing together the community. “Coney Island Christmas” does that
beautifully, melding actors of all ages, holiday spirit, nostalgia and cultural
differences.
This article appears in Dec 9-15, 2015.
