We all need a little Christmas, and Gateway Theatre’s A Broadway Holiday has a whole lot of it, right this very minute!
For Gateway’s first return to the stage with an in-person performance since the start of the pandemic, co-creators Barbara Tomasic and Christopher King have assembled a cast and song list that is sure to make everyone’s heart grow three sizes bigger. A Broadway Holiday feels like the audience is lucky enough to sneak backstage and watch a Broadway cast party, as they casually and spontaneously entertain each other (and us) with music and stories. Making it also feeling a bit like a homespun ‘kitchen party’ the cast play a host of instruments – even a kazoo makes an appearance – as they recount their favourite Holiday memories, traditions and songs.
The song list, including We Need A Little Christmas, White Christmas, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, Happy Holiday and many more, has been cleverly assembled with the interwoven stories to make sure everything ties together Broadway and the Holidays. The composers, the food, family traditions all come together in A Broadway Holiday, with arrangements by Christopher King bring new vigor to some of the old standards. With so many of the songs being so familiar its hard not to sing-along but since we are all wearing masks and don’t want to disturb others, a gentle hum-along is encouraged (and a covid-safe option).
The cast, lead by musical director Jenny Andersen, brings Andersen and Catriona Murphy back to the Gateway stage as Devon Busswood, Sean Hara, Tim Howe, Alexander Nicoll, Gabrielle Rutman are all making their debuts. The whole show has a feeling of being a casual, unrehearsed gathering of friends, allowing for ad-libs and unexpected tuning of instruments to feel just part of the joy of sharing the Holidays. Watching the other audience members, there was a lot of joy shared!
Share in the joy of A Broadway Holiday, in-person at Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond, or purchase a digital household ticket to stream the show on-demand, until December 23rd. Both in-person and digital tickets are available online at gatewaytheatre.com/broadway-holiday
Gateway Theatre has usual Covid-19 protocols in place, proof of vaccination must be shown, masks must be worn throughout the theatre and for the duration of the show (concessions are closed), and capacity is limited…so get your tickets and a little Christmas, now!