{"id":436440,"date":"2025-12-09T22:23:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T22:23:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/436440\/"},"modified":"2025-12-09T22:23:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-09T22:23:33","slug":"review-uptown-players-star-of-wonder-is-pure-comfort-and-joy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/436440\/","title":{"rendered":"Review: Uptown Players\u2019 \u2018Star of Wonder\u2019 is pure comfort and joy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Uptown Players seemed to check all the boxes with its opening night last Friday. Star of Wonder: A Carol Ann Christmas was the season opener. It\u2019s a holiday show directed by B.J. Cleveland. And it was a world premiere by Mark Waldrop who co-wrote When Pigs Fly. No wonder there was a buzz in the air.\u00a0<\/p>\n

That buzz was evident in the lobby all the way to the show\u2019s standing ovation.<\/p>\n

Carol Ann had a moment in Pigs, but here, it\u2019s all her. After her cherished Melody Barn Theatre in Fargo, North Dakota, is destroyed in a curling-iron fire, she finds herself in Dallas to finish staging the holiday show she never got to complete. Part narrative, part holiday revue, the comedy delivered big on over-the-top musical numbers, behind the scenes chaos and at its core, a silly holiday charm with just enough sentiment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The structure of the show was a simple one. Carol Ann would come do her thing and introduce a new number by the cast working on her holiday show in the staged version of the Kalita stage by Dennis Canright. Most of the songs shared a common element: they were composed by well-known figures but were perhaps not as frequently performed or recognized.These vignettes moved the show along nicely while also showcasing the talents of the ensemble cast. <\/p>\n

Micah Green starred as the titular character reprising his role from Uptown\u2019s production of When Pigs Fly back in 2021. Ahead of the show, he told Dallas Voice this was the most material he had to work with in his career. If that was a challenge, there was no note of it as he breezed through the role with the right mix of comic timing and Midwestern elegance. He leaned into the North Dakota dialect that added an endearing flair but he knew when to give Carol Ann a sassy edge as well. <\/p>\n

The musical numbers were a blend of campy tunes and sweet ballads. Laura Lites and Kylie Stewart delivered beautiful vocals on the slower numbers \u201cJust Like Every Christmas\u201d and \u201cThe Truth About Christmas\u201d which also helped break up the ongoing antics. Seth Paden and Jacob Hemsath\u2019s \u201cWinter Wonderland\u201d and Lites and Stewart\u2019s \u201cSweet As You\u201d were romantic delights as well.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But Wonder was brought to life mostly through its punchy numbers delivered by Green, L. Walter and the high-spirited cast that included Ryan Michael Friedman, Brett Warner and Peter DiCesare.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each actor had their moment to shine and everyone stepped up. Warner vamped up her solo of \u201cSurabaya Santa\u201d and DiCesare reliably belted \u201cAll Those Christmas Cliches\u201d with his otherworldly voice. I\u2019m familiar with Friedman onstage but he was on fire Friday night with his quick comic timing and zippy energy, particularly in his solo \u201cChinese for Christmas.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Paden had a full tank of stage charisma for his energetic dick-in-a-box number \u201cI Only Want You,\u201d Hemsath was effervescent throughout and Walter was a vision of pure glam. She also fused in her comic chops with adroit talent. Walter\u2019s mastered the skill of giving good face \u2013 especially in reaction to Carol Ann\u2019s wholesome naivete.\u00a0<\/p>\n

But when the full company ended the first act with the outrageous \u201cBethle-hams Medley,\u201d I was pretty much dead. No Broadway show was safe at this point. Combined with Alli Betsill\u2019s choreography and Suzi Cranford\u2019s costuming, Cleveland\u2019s retooling of classic showtunes from Annie to Dreamgirls all centered on the birth of Jesus was comedy gold, frankincense and myrrh.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This show thrived on its sound and Music Director Adam C. Wright always understands the assignment at Uptown shows. His arrangements felt tailor-made for each actor but also moved along effortlessly with Cleveland\u2019s direction. He and his orchestra of four provided a soundtrack that was both merry and tender.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Star of Wonder wears its heart on its glittery red sleeve so it\u2019s easy to know what to expect from its posters and social media content. But the wonder of this show was that it\u2019s ability to deliver much more with a lovely touch of heart and of course, it\u2019s clever reverence (and irreverence) for the holiday season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The show runs through Dec. 14.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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\u2013Rich Lopez<\/p>\n

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