Ho Ho Ho

Date: December 14, 2014

Destination: Sierra Madre Playhouse

Cost:  $49.45 plus gas (theatre ticket and two meals)

We can usually use a little push to get us into the holiday spirit. An easy path to December jolliness can be found by attending a live holiday performance, whether it’s a ballet school’s The Nutcracker, a community chorale singing carols or a local play. My friend, Jim, had been cast in the Sierra Madre Playhouse production of “A Little House Christmas” which provided the perfect chance to head to this San Gabriel Valley burgh for some holiday cheer.

With tickets in hand for a Sunday matinee, I arrived early to snoop around and grab a bite to eat. Sierra Madre was founded in 1881 and incorporated in 1907, so the main shopping district is historic and reflects on a gentler time, free from chain stores and drive-ins. The village sits at the base of the rugged San Gabriel Mountains and its insular quaintness reminds me of Ojai. On this warm afternoon, the restaurants were buzzing with outdoor diners and shoppers browsed the hip boutiques in search of Christmas gifts. I was struck by the friendliness of the locals, who greeted me with smiles and hellos. I picked up a tasty pre-made ciabatta sandwich from Bean Town Coffee House and sat outside so that I could people watch.

As curtain time approached, I met my friend, Mirth, and we queued up at the playhouse box office with the stylishly-attired patrons. Once inside the well-kept theater, I was struck by the high quality of the stage set, rare in many tightly budgeted community theater productions. “A Little House Christmas” is based on the Laura Ingalls Wilder books, and the script, adapted by James DeVita, honors those works, taking the dialogue verbatim from the printed page. The director, Emily Chase, made the smart decision to add music – so there are scenes with Christmas carols, fiddle playing and even a whirligig dance number. The production has the lightness of a holiday divinity candy, well acted by a multi-talented ensemble.

Midway through the first act, I thought it unfortunate that there weren't more youngsters in attendance. What an effortless way to introduce children to the joy of live theater! As the house lights came up at intermission, I noticed that nearly half the audience was kids. They were so enthralled that they hadn't made a peep!  

Post-show,  Jim and two castmates joined me and Mirth at Lucky Baldwin's Pub, where I quaffed a brew and enjoyed a sausage roll in Merry Olde England style. It was great to watch the actors light up as we lavished praise upon them, a fitting holiday gift. Mission accomplished: the afternoon in Sierra Madre got me in the Christmas mood.