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“Don’t talk about Thanksgiving!”
This refrain from the musical ‘Dis The Season, playing this weekend at The Art Scene at CNY Community Arts Center, illustrates just about the only thing the Thorne sisters agree on.
The four sisters barely speak except to argue, despite (or perhaps because of) their childhood touring together as a choral band with their mother after the death of their father.
So, when the women each get a call the week before Christmas saying their mother has suddenly passed, they separately trudge to their childhood home in Maine. None of them are planning to enjoy their time together. In fact, the sisters only hope to endure each other’s company long enough to earn the inheritance that their mother’s will promises is “more than you can imagine.”
What unfolds over the course of their Christmas week stay is by turns cute, chaotic, and outrageously fun. From an audience-participation sing-along with the girls’ ghostly mother Chrissy (Nicole Merrill), who serves as the play’s chorus or narrator between scenes, to unexpected family bonding in a jail cell, this special production puts an irreverent spin on Christmas magic and the drama of dysfunctional family. It will also keep surprising you until the end.
Sarah Bradstreet shines as overbearing eldest sister Laurel, with Babette Dunham her perfect foil in the role of youngest (and Mommy’s favorite) daughter Kimmy.
Audience members will also enjoy the wide-ranging soundtrack; it features many traditional Christmas favorites, like Let It Snow and Here Comes Santa Claus, all performed with impressive vocals from the entire cast. The production also features an original song, “The Show Must Go On” by Glen Merrill.
The show was written and directed by Juliet Aires Giglio and Keith Giglio, who are the Hollywood-seasoned, wife-and-husband writers behind films like Reba McEntire’s Christmas in Tune and Disney’s Tarzan. They are both screenwriting professors—Juliet at SUNY Oswego and Keith at Syracuse University—with writing talent to match their impressive resumes.
This limited-run production only has two more shows remaining: Saturday, December 6 at 7pm and Sunday, December 7 at 2pm. Don’t miss out on this uplifting yet comedic musical’s world premiere—get your tickets online or call 315-598-2787 to reserve your seats. You won’t want to miss it!
