DECEMBER 10-16, 2015 DiningDining ClubClub CardsCards MakeMake GreatGreat ChristmasChristmas Gifts!Gifts! WWW.WHATZUP.COM || FACEBOOK.COM/WHATZUPFORTWAYNE FACEBOOK.COM/WHATZUPFORTWAYNE || WWW.WHATZUP.COM Fort Wayne Youtheatre’s ---------- Feature • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer -------- The Misfit Triumphant By Michele DeVinney scenery and costumes are clearly intended to invoke the look and classic feel of the television version of This musical revue takes us through the Each year, as we all eagerly (or perhaps grudg- Rudolph, bringing the story to life in a way that will ingly) anticipate the holiday season, there is always feel almost magical. Photos from the production con- pageantry, the shopping, the family one special aspect of the holidays that young and old vey the attention to detail given to every aspect of the enjoy: the classic television shows. show, making it feel like the television story has come gatherings, and all the SEASONAL Back in my day, those shows were on one time to 3D life for an eager audience. A 2013 review in the MADNESS! Sing along and laugh with us each year, and if some conflict arose, you had to wait Orlando Sentinel backs up that impression. an entire 12 months for that show to come around “Based on the now-classic 1964 TV special, Ru- as we journey through the fun and again. True story. Networks (and there were four if you dolph is, of course, aimed at kids,” wrote Sentinel include PBS) ran our lives, choosing dates for these theater critic Matthew J. Palm. “But adults will feel frustration of the ho-ho-holidays! special airings wil- a thrilling glow ly-nilly, with no re- of nostalgia as the gard for plans your stop-motion ani- D ecember 11 —20 parents may have mated characters of made or school pro- their own childhood First Presbyterian Theater grams scheduled come to life on the with no thought stage. The show is at all for what the a technical dream: Tickets: CBS programmers Marcy Singhaus’s might have in mind. camera ready It could be cruel at costumes, Cindy 422-4226 artstix.org times. And heart- White’s clever sce- breaking. nic design, George By the time I Jackson’s evocative had children, we lighting and John had a little thing Valines’ striking called a VCR, and sound design com- I thought all my bine to bring the prayers had been beloved cartoon to answered. Finally, glorious life. See- I could record all ing actors relay the these favorite shows story’s message and not only see — ‘Maybe misfits them regardless of have a place, too,’ when I was home, narrator Sam the but I could watch snowman says — them time and time again RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED makes it resonate more throughout the holiday REINDEER – THE MUSICAL strongly, putting more season. Problem solved. 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 16 heart in a Christmas tale Of course, now I own that had plenty to begin all of those shows on Embassy Theatre with.” DVD and begin trotting 125 W. Jefferson Blvd., Fort Wayne The songs, already an them out around mid- established and popular November. It should be Tix: $28-$53 thru Ticketmaster, aspect of the television noted that several of my Embassy box office & 800-745-3000 special, particularly lend favorites were given to themselves to theatrical me as gifts from my kids who do occasionally marvel staging. “There’s Always Tomorrow” is a perfect love at the fact that their mother may love Christmas even ballad for a musical, and “Why Am I Such a Misfit?” more than they do. There are many of these shows that is also perfectly suited to live performance. And when I watch time and time again on DVD, but I still always Sam the Snowman hits “Rudolph the Red-Nosed enjoy catching the network airings, content in know- Reindeer,” surely the spirit of Burl Ives will fill the ing I’m sharing the experience with millions of strang- auditorium. It’s a perfect way to fill your family with ers just like I did 40-some years ago. the spirit of Christmas. The program I have already watched the most this Ultimately, the show itself is not about just the year is Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, the classic joys of Christmas or the fun of live theater. As Darel Rankin/Bass retelling of the story which was first a Jevens of the Chicago Sun-Times noted in his review successful 1939 book and later a hit song by Gene Au- of last year’s production, it speaks to an issue which try. But now those versions are dwarfed by the endur- in 1964 didn’t get as much attention as it has rightfully ing – and endearing – success of the television special gotten more recently. And that in itself goes a long which last year celebrated its 50th anniversary. Much way to explain why Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer of what makes the story of Rudolph so timeless rests has been making people feel good – in all of its multi- in the idea of misfits, a concept most kids understand media glory – for the better part of a century. all too well, and how those who were deemed out-of- “To see Rudolph now is to appreciate the show’s step with their society eventually came to rescue it. message about appreciating the misfits, conveyed dur- It’s a story of love, acceptance and driving through ing a less tolerant time,” wrote Jevens. “Rankin-Bass bad winter weather. And who doesn’t need a dose of was letting kids know ‘it gets better’ decades before that every 12 months or so? Dan Savage. It’s an idea no less relevant now, and the That beloved tale is now a touring stage pro- kids who see it demonstrated at the Broadway Play- duction, one which is visiting the Embassy Theatre house will learn not just about tolerance, but about courtesy of the Broadway at the Embassy series. The retelling a story with affection and ingenuity.” 2 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.whatzup.com ----------------------------------------------------------December 10, 2015 whatzup Volume 20, Number 19 ust a reminder: next week’s issue is our last of 2015. The December 17 issue has got to carry you all the way until January 7, 2016. Among Kat other things, that means venues and performers need to hustle to get Bowser theirJ remaining 2015 and New Year’s Eve events into us in order to be included in our calendars. If you have something you need to promote with paid adver- Live at tising, well, you’re probably out of time, but it never hurts to call us here at Don Hall’s World Headquarters. We always try as hard as we can to be accommodating. Guesthouse And while we’re on the subject of getting your act in gear, if you’re intending UPCOMING EVENTS to give whatzup Dining Club memberships to family, friends or co-workers this Pop~rock~blues~Standards Christmas (and what a wonderful thing that would be!), you’re all but out of Friday & Saturday, DEC. 11 & 12~9pm-12:30am time. The special Christmas pricing lasts only through Tuesday, the 15th, after 1313 W. Washington Center Rd., Fort Wayne which (1) the price goes up and (2) we can’t promise you’ll get your member- (260) 489-2524 ship cards in time for Christmas. Use the form on page 5 of this issue, or go to whatzup.com on your PC. You’ll be giving a gift that gives all year long, and that’s a good thing. There’s still plenty of holiday fun to be had, as a perusal of the features, cal- endars, columns and ads in this issue will attest. As always, we encourage you to keep a calendar handy as you go through your weekly whatzup, and find the December 16 | 7:30pm thing (or things) that’s gonna best meet your definition of fun. Then go out and have that fun, and remember to tell whoever’s making that fun available that RUDOLPH whatzup sent you. THE RED-NOSED inside the issue REINDEER-THE MUSICAL • features FLIX ................................................ 16 Brooklyn SCREEN TIME ...............................16 RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER .......2 Mockingjay’s Half a Billion Not Enough The Triumphant Misfit FARE WARNING ............................ 17 BECKY NICCUM ..........................................4 A Claim on the Wright Brothers Staying Wholly Committed CURTAIN CALL ............................... 18 ‘T’ IRMSCHER .............................................6 The Santaland Diaries January 20 | 7:30pm Taking FAME Forward DIRECTOR’S NOTES ...................... 18 Holidaze RO ME O & Jul IET • columns & reviews February 26 & 27 | 7pm • calendars November 5 | 7:30pm ON BOOKS ........................................7 Star Wars: Aftermath LIVE MUSIC & COMEDY ...................9 DOWNAGTIME THE LINE SPINS ...............................................8 MUSIC/ON THE ROAD ...................14 R Royal Headache, Oneohtrix Point Never LEGENDS FROM LOCALS ROAD TRIPZ ..................................15 BACKTRACKS ..................................8 Faces, First Step (1970) THINGS TO DO ..............................17 OUT & ABOUT ...................................9 STAGE & DANCE ...........................18 Embassy Theatre It’ll Be a Hillbilly Casino Christmas ART & ARTIFACTS .........................19 Gift Certificates ROAD NOTEZ ................................. 14 Cover by Greg W. Locke Make Great Gifts! Box office is open 10am-6pm Monday-Friday Cute By Nature Jewelry SAVE THE DATE! 42nd Street..................................... Feb. 24 Jay Leno ........................................... Mar. 3 Celtic Woman ................................Mar. 18 Peppa Pig’s Big Splash ................Mar. 24 Artisan jewelry by Anita Embassy Theatre f 125 W. Jefferson Blvd. www.etsy.com/shop/CuteByNatureJewelry Fort Wayne, Indiana ticketmaster.com December 10, 2015 ------------------------------------------------------------