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For the past four years, James J. Mellon and Scott De Turk have done the
impossible—created four brand-new fully staged musicals in that many years.
In 2004, they brought us Dorian, followed by The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, and then
Lizard. Now, just in time for the holiday season, the talented duo have created
Yo Ho Ho! A Pirate’s Christmas, a delightful musical treat which is truly for the
whole family. For once, this is a show which adults can enjoy as much as
children, a show in which children in the audience are encouraged to speak
up (it’s part of the script!) instead of needing to be shushed, and adults won’t
feel like yawning, not even once.
Yo Ho Ho! takes as its point of departure the traditional “night before
Christmas” tale and combines it with the ever popular pirates genre to create
a delightful concoction that is both comfortingly traditional and refreshingly
new.
10-year-old Eve Christmas goes to bed on Christmas Eve only to be awakened
by a band of pirates in her bedroom. Joining them, Eve embarks on a trip to
the North Pole where, in a tradition at least as old as MGM’s The Wizard of Oz,
the people in her real life (in this case her parents Murray and Happy
Christmas) show up as part of her dream.
Yo Ho Ho!’s plot is as thin and light as a snowflake (the pirates offer to help
Santa deliver his presents after several of his reindeer become indisposed).
However, it’s not the story that’s essential here, but the characters (and the
performances of the actors portraying them), the jokes (some of which are,
thankfully, designed to amuse the adults while flying over the heads of the
under-6ers), and the songs. There’s also Mellon’s delightfully quirky
choreography to accompany his and DeTurk’s very funny musical creations.
Since this is a very modern Christmas tale, young Eve dreams not of being a
princess but of becoming a pirate, asking Santa to “bring me my pirate ship for
Christmas, and make sure it has all the batteries.” Johnny’s ship is called The
Flying Dutchperson (these being PC times). One of Johnny’s crew is a goateed
pirate wench named Billie (she was raised by goats) and another (Miss
Junkman Jake) is aptly described as an “unintelligible Scots person,” who
speaks a hilarious gibberish. When the pirates arrive at the North Pole, pirate
Ruby Red announces they’ve reached “Eloph Tron,” wherever that is. (“Ever
since we traveled to Singapore, she reads things backwards.”) Pirate Grainne
O’Mally is always having to correct those who mistakenly call her Granny (it’s
“grainy,” not granny!), and not having experienced North Pole temperatures
before, exclaims “The weather’s gone bonkers! It’s crackin’ me cheeks!)
Mellon and DeTurk's ongs include “Snow,” (the pirates have never seen this
kind of “water from the sky”), “Where are they Now” (with its quirky harmonies
and choreography), and “YoHoHo/HoHoHo” with the pirates insisting it’s the
former and Santa and his elves insisting it’s the latter. There’s also “If Women
Ruled the World.” (“Things would be different around here. We’d all drink tea
with pinkies raised. We’d never get lost cause we’d ask directions. Talking
would require replying. If the seat’s left up, you’re in the drink.”) And of course,
there’s a new Christmas standard, in this case “Christmas Is All About Love,” in
which the pirates learn the true meaning of the holiday.
Director Mellon (ably assisted by Evelyn White, who also stage manages) has
assembled a sensational bunch of performers, with a number of the roles in Yo
Ho Ho! being double and triple cast. On opening night, a pair of cute,
talented, and spunky children (10-year-old Courtney Mauss and 12-year-old
Bailey Cole) played Eve and her pirate boy counterpart Jimmy Jack. Open at
the Top stalwart Jonathan Zenz gets the meaty leading role he richly
deserves--swashbuckling pirate Black-Eyed Johnny, whom he brings colorfully
to life. Equally wonderful is Melanie Ewbank as Grainne (pronounced Grainy,
not Granny, if you please) O’Mally. Cutie J.R. Mangels (Tusk) and scruffy eye-
patched Alex Robert Holmes (Winky, get it?) are joined by lovely Holly Persell
(Ruby Red), goateed (Miss) Billie Puyear, and Bonnie Cahoon (who gets laughs
galore as the incomprehensible Junkman Jake) to complete the pirate crew.
Up at the North Pole reside Murray and Happy Christmas (Brian Coffee and
Janet Fontaine, having loads of fun as elves), along with Holly, Ivy and Noel
(Allie Costa, Grace Stauffer, and Jennifer Richardson) as well as Santa and Mrs.
Claus (Michael Catlin and Jo Jordan). It’s a terrific cast, all of whom appear to
be having the time of their lives. Their joyous enthusiasm is infections, as is the
joy and enthusiasm of the many children in the audience (kids under 6 get in
free per paid adult admission).
Parents and children are guaranteed a great time without a fidgety moment.
Audience participation is in fact encouraged, and children will have fun
whistling to let Eve Christmas know when pirates are in the vicinity. There’s
also cast participation in the audience, as pirates scurry up and down the
aisles and across the rows to our delight.
Craig Siebel’s multileveled snow-covered set allows the cast to climb up and
slide down. Luke Moyer has contributed a whimsical lighting design (the stage
goes red whenever Mrs. Santa introduces herself). Jonathan Zenz (Black-Eyed
Johnny) pulls double duty as sound designer. Finally, there are Shon LeBlanc’s
original and imaginative costumes. (LeBlanc must have had fun costuming
both pirates and elves, and wait till you see the rainbow colored inner tubes!)
At less than 90 minutes, Yo Ho Ho! A Pirate’s Christmas flies by like a shot. This is
one kids’ show that parents can attend without fear of boredom, and adult
musical theater lovers will enjoy equally. A pair of thumbs up (one kids’ size,
one adults’) for this holiday treat!
NoHo Arts Center, 11136 Magnolia Blvd. (at Lankershim), North Hollywood.
Through Sunday, December 30. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at
7:30pm and Sundays at 2pm at the . Tickets: 818-508-7101 or
www.thenohoartscenter.com.
--Steven Stanley
November 30, 2007
Photos: Robert Arbogast
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