“Irving Berlin's White Christmas" at the Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse -- November 5 through December 28.
Wednesday, November 5, through Sunday, December 28
Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse, 1828 Third Avenue, Rock Island IL
A legendary holiday-film perennial and thrilling song-and-dance showcase for Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye will be brought to theatrical life when Rock Island's Circa '21 Dinner Playhouse presents the eagerly awaited return of Irving Berlin's White Christmas, its November 5 through December 28 run treating audiences to a Tony-nominated treat featuring timeless Berlin hits in “Blue Skies,” “Happy Holiday,” “Let Me Sing and I'm Happy,” and “I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm.”
In Irving Berlin's White Christmas, World War II veterans and best pals Bob Wallace and Phil Davis have become partners in a song-and-dance act after returning from overseas. Looking for love, they follow the duo of beautiful singing sisters Betty and Judy Haynes to a gig at a lodge in Vermont, only to discover that the nearly-bankrupt lodge where they were hired to perform is owned by their former commander General Waverly. With White Christmas, a cherished film classic is brought to life onstage in a production filled with dancing, laughter, and some of the greatest songs ever written, its score boasting such beloved numbers as “Count Your Blessings Instead of Sheep,” “Sisters,” “How Deep is the Ocean,” and the ageless title tune.
With the show last produced at Circa '21 in 2022, the theatre's latest rendition of White Christmas is being directed and choreographed by venue veteran Ashley Becher, whose previous productions for the Rock Island theatre include The Addams Family, A Christmas Story: The Musical, and this past summer's Chicago. Area favorite Ron May serves as the show's musical director, with additional members of Becher's creative team including: production manager Jeremy Littlejohn; stage manager and props designer Kendall McKasson; technical director Richard Baker; set designer and scenic artist Becky Meissen; costume designer Bradley Robert Jensen; lighting designer Jonathan Allender-Zivic; sound designer Dylan Dutro; assistant stage manager and deck captain Emmett Boedeker; and executive producer (and Circa '21 owner) Dennis Hitchcock.
Among the many admired Circa '21 talents in the cast, Kyle DeFauw (Chicago, Disney's Beauty & the Beast) and Bobby Becher (Come from Away, Jersey Boys) reprise their respective 2022 roles as song-and-dance men Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, with Claire McPartland and Sarah Beth Gancy portraying singing sisters Betty and Judy Hayes. Paul Gregory Nelson plays General Waverly, with additional members of the musical's ensemble and understudy cast including: Brynne Davidson; Topher Elliott; Hanna Marie Felver; Sarah Hayes; John Henderson; A.C. Lam; Kiera Lynn; Gregory Naman; Elly Rebeka; Savannah Rhodes; Elena Skadal; Dace Sommer; Samuel Sommer; and Tristan Tapscott.
Irving Berlin's White Christmas will be performed November 5 through December 28, and in addition to the show's 7:30 p.m. public previews on November 5 and 6, performances will be held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays at 5:30 p.m.; and Wednesday afternoons at 1:15 p.m. All shows will be preceded by plated meals and pre-show entertainment by the theatre's performing wait staff of Circa '21 Bootleggers, and more information and tickets are available by calling (309)786-7733 extension 2 and visiting Circa21.com.
