Drury Lane Theatre Runs A Christmas Story in Burlington Until November 29

The leg lamp is back on a Burlington stage. Drury Lane Theatre opened its fall production of A Christmas Story on Friday, November 6, and performances run until November 29.

The musical follows nine-year-old Ralphie Parker, played by Lily Bruce, and his campaign for a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle, narrated by the grown-up Ralphie, played by Joe Balaz. Brian Vaughan and Lauren Shepherd play his parents, Claire Emery Leblanc plays little brother Randy, Katharine Costa plays his teacher Ms. Shields, and Greg Porter plays a department store Santa.

Director Danny Harvey built the show around a cast of young local performers working alongside the adults, and set designer William Nelsen recreated the Parkers' 1940s family home and Ralphie's schoolroom.

The stage version makes some changes from the film. It drops jokes that have not aged well and softens the movie's more cynical stretches in favour of a lighter take on the stress of getting ready for Christmas. A standout is Lauren Shepherd as Mrs. Parker, whose part is written up considerably from her background role in the film.

Tickets are selling quickly. After A Christmas Story closes, Drury Lane moves straight into its annual Christmas pantomime, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, opening Friday, December 11.