Holiday Tunes in Four-Part Harmony Bring the Christmas Spirit to Boat Club Production
It is 1968, and the annual “Harper’s Hardware Holiday Happening” is about to begin. The show’s humorously implausible “tinsel-thin” plot tells the story of four young employees decorating the hardware store in advance of the festivities.
While frantically trying to find their lost boss, Mr. Harper, who is supposed to be playing Santa in the holiday pageant, the women need to keep the party going by entertaining the store employees (“played” by the audience).
The adorable triple-threat “beauty shop” quartet: Betty Jean (Reagan Kern); Suzy (Sofia Salmela); Cindy Lou (Bea Martin); and Missy (Margaret McMahon) play off each other well, having great fun together, with the occasional spats and jealousies thrown in for humorous effect.
While at times the cast’s microphones were too loud, blurring a few of the vocals, the four women’s voices got stronger and the harmonies tighter as the show went on.
Standout group vocal numbers included “Christmas Around the World” with a ridiculous medley of what the Wonderettes thought was giving the audience an authentic ethnic experience.
The over-the-top “Bells Medley” had audience members participating onstage and seated in the audience, adding to the evening’s fun. The women would also choose random men in the audience to flirt with, and even the light board operator got involved in using lights in reaction to Suzy, his girlfriend.
Each woman had strong solo moments where they were given a chance to shine. “This Christmas” was one of McMahon’s best vocals, while her voice was also uniformly sweet and crystal clear in some smaller solo parts in full ensemble songs.
The Act II number, “Suzy Snowflake,” was Salmela’s cute solo song, complete with a light-up costume and even the show’s only tap dancing. “All Those Christmas Clichés” had Martin delivering a tragically sweet solo about the sadder side of Christmas, showing that not everyone has happy memories of Hallmark-like holidays.
Kern had her strongest vocals in the Act I closer “Christmas Will Be Just Another Lonely Day,” and towards the end of the show with “What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?” showing the beautifully softer side of her big Broadway-belt voice.
A live band, with co-music directors Cory Clay and Paul Christenson at the helm, and Linda Bray and Christenson (keyboards); Kyle Gondik-Anderson(bass); Clay(guitar); and Matt Groom(drums), kept the place rocking from high atop their perch above the set.
Fabulous period “color-coded” costumes and accessories from Costume Designer Alice Shafer, helped to distinguish the girls and their characters, and along with Jamie Snyder, always on-point with her hair and makeup designs, helped to establish the time period convincingly.
Amber Burn’s choreography, with various styles that helped the Wonderettes sell each song, added to the cuteness factor and gave each actress more ways to show her character’s personality.
Set and scene designer Curtis Phillips’s classic small-town hardware store set, with its purposeful explosion of way too many Christmas decorations, provided even more color and the perfect place for the Wonderettes to “play.”
The absolute area wizard of lights, Patrick Mulcahy, who has quietly been the best lighting designer in town for decades on every stage, had over 900 light cues to highlight each character and give each song a different mood.
Director Peter Froehlingsdorf rings all the bells with lively pacing and moments of absolute hilarity, heartfelt emotion, and often downright corniness. He has created a show that looks as colorful as a 1960s holiday card, with vivid stage pictures throughout.
Producer Jason Vincent has been a marvel at offering shows that meet the demands of the tiny Fitger’s Spirit of the North stage, giving audiences musical and play offerings they may not have seen before and providing an intimate theatrical experience with every show.
The quartet built to their best harmonies of the night in the closing number, “Winter Wonderland,” leaving the audience wanting more and sending them off into the frosty night humming a whole catalog of Christmas classics.
After a preposterously cold and windy week, the opening night audience quickly got warmed up from the first moment and in the mood to laugh, clap, sing along, and then go home to “deck the halls” themselves.
Make an early holiday present of tickets “to go walking with the Winter Wonderettes” to make the season bright for everyone from kids to grandparents.
Information on “The Winter Wonderettes”
Boat Club Productions presents “The Winter Wonderettes”
Directed by Peter Froehlingsdorf
Produced by Jason Vincent Boat and Club Productions
Spirit of the North Theatre at Fitger’s at 600 E. Superior St.
December 5-8 and 12-15 (Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2:00 pm)
Written and Created by Roger Bean
For tickets, go to boatclubproductions.com or call Box Office Phone Number: (218) 623-7065
Read a profile of co-music director and guitarist Cory Clay at destinationduluth.org
Next up for Boat Club is their annual Theater Gala on January 4, where they will announce their new 2025 season. The evening includes appetizers, dinner, a silent auction, games, a talent showcase, a look back to celebrate a successful 2024 season, and a sneak peek into the upcoming performances to help raise money to keep high-quality local theatre in the Twin Ports at the Spirit of the North Theatre. 100 percent of ticket proceeds will benefit the 2025 Boat Club Productions Season.
For Gala tickets go to boatclubproductions.com
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About Sheryl Jensen
DD Arts & Entertainment Editor
A retired educator with the Duluth Public Schools, Sheryl Jensen has been a theater director of over 60 school and community productions. Her production of William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew at East High School won the National High School Theater award from the BRAVO television network.
Having written theater, music, dance, and opera reviews for the Duluth News Tribune for many years, she now is the Arts & Entertainment Editor for Destination Duluth.A retired educator with the Duluth Public Schools, Sheryl Jensen has been a theater director of over 60 school and community productions. Her production of William Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew at East High School won the National High School Theater award from the BRAVO television network.
Having written theater, music, dance, and opera reviews for the Duluth News Tribune for many years, she now is the Arts & Entertainment Editor for Destination Duluth.
