Lost in the Magic of Imagination and Nostalgia: A Christmas Story at Pittsburgh Public Theater
When was the last time you wanted something as much as Ralphie wants a BB gun?
Have you thought about what you want for Christmas? If you were 9-year-old Ralphie Parker, you'd already be yelling, "Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot range model air rifle!" — probably before anyone even finished asking. Ralphie wants the BB gun so bad that he can rattle off the fancy, tongue-twisting brand name without taking a breath. And yes, of course, it comes with cool features like a sundial and a compass.
This holiday season, Pittsburgh Public Theater presents A Christmas Story: The Play, directed by Michael Berresse, for the third year. Regardless of the year, we all love a witty and heartwarming family comedy—and thank God, because even as an introvert, I never felt alone laughing out loud.
The play was adapted from the classic 1983 comedy film A Christmas Story directed by Bob Clark, based on humorist Jean Shepherd’s writing. With sparkles in his eyes, actor John Shepard returns to The Public as the grey-haired adult Ralph Parker, retelling some of his fond Christmas memories and how much little Ralphie wanted a BB gun for Christmas.
The story brims with funny and adorable childhood moments: Ralphie’s friend Flick gets his tongue stuck to a frozen pole; Ralphie accidentally swears in front of his family and worries that Santa won’t think he’s a good kid; and Esther Jane, smitten with Ralphie, is overjoyed even when he gifts her a spider for Christmas.
These moments give way to memorable characters like the school bully, who relentlessly chases other kids until Ralphie finally stands up to him with a punch, and the smartest girl in class, who always sits in the front row. Then there’s Ralphie’s silly younger brother, who naps in the wardrobe, and Ralphie’s mom, who loves making meatballs while his dad, the Old Man, hates it.
The 11-year-old Avery Schneider does a phenomenal job at portraying Ralphie, constantly syncing with Shepard’s movement and lines to draw humor. In one moment, the two reenact Ralphie’s wild imagination, swaying the BB gun as a cowboy. The synchronization strengthens the connection between young Ralphie and the older Ralph.
Still, what I love most about the play is that every actor is the star. Michael Berresse’s direction allows even the supporting roles to shine with their brilliant performance. The actors on stage exaggerate their gestures and deliver fast-paced humor that keeps the plot tight and engaging. Each role has its own highlight moment, with humor that quickly and effectively establishes the character’s personality.
Ralphie’s mom, played by Jamie Agnello, and the dad, whom Ralphie refers to as “The Old Man,” played by Tim McGeever, execute a masterfully staged scene in a mime performance set to music excerpts from The Nutcracker. As Mom tiptoes to the window and turns off the infamous leg lamp, the Old Man sneaks right back to turn it on. The result? A back-and-forth, on-and-off tug-of-war that makes the leg lamp blink by the window, probably stealing more glances from the street, and it feels straight out of Tom and Jerry.
Hope Anthony, who plays Ralphie’s teacher Miss Shields, makes the whole room laugh out loud with her exaggerated voice and comical gestures. Under a spotlight, she stands proudly on top of the desk, praising Ralphie’s writing about how much he wants a BB gun with an over-the-top A++++, as if she’s stumbled upon the next great American novel. But, of course, it’s all just Ralphie’s imagination.
While the story comprises multiple vignettes and features many characters, all the vignettes follow the same theme: Ralphie’s childhood Christmas memories and his longing for a BB gun. Ralphie keeps slipping BB gun flyers into his parent’s mailbox and gets upset when he hears people telling him that “it’s going to hurt.” Feeling nostalgic, I am reminded of how all-consuming childhood desires used to be.
When I was a kid, I used to imagine what kind of trinkets I would get after I earned my own moola. I vividly remember when I first stepped into the workforce and got my first precious, hard-earned “adult money.” Surprisingly, the excitement fizzled out way quicker than the little me would have imagined. Turns out “adult money” comes with “adult problems,” like immediately marking my rent due date on the calendar so I won’t accidentally forget about it.
These days, I can easily afford toys that I was once too shy and guilty to ask my parents for. But when was the last time I wanted something as badly as Ralphie wants the BB gun? It is his adorable, kiddo-heroic imagination of wielding the BB gun to save the world—battling invaders in the American West as a cowboy, and crawling through the jungle to face the serpent—that makes everything special. Perhaps, as the cost of growing up, the adult me today lost a lot of that innocent imagination.
I know I can never be a kid again, but A Christmas Story brings back the pure joy of dreaming and reminds me of how small things in life once brought immense excitement. As an adult with more responsibilities in a world that feels ever-expanding, it is easy to lose sight of the fact that many of the things we now take for granted were once the dreams of our younger selves. Instead, we often get caught up in the mundane and forget to appreciate the magic we already possess. In the chill of the Christmas season, Pittsburgh Public Theater has warmed us with a gentle nudge back to that cherished place. I can see how this will, or has, become a holiday tradition in Pittsburgh.