By Marilyn Jozwik
There is perhaps no story more frequently told than that of the birth of the Christ Child.
But none have been told quite like the hilarious, touching and thoughtful “’Twas the Month Before Christmas” being presented by Sunset Playhouse. James Fletcher directs.
The show was written by Douglas M. Jarecki, who also plays two characters in the show and did designs for light, props and set.
The five performers skillfully portray 13 characters, some very recognizable, like Mary and Joseph and the Three Kings. But there are others that don’t show up in the Bible story many people are familiar with, such as the widowed innkeeper and his daughter, two servants of the kings, a royal Egyptian couple and even an entrepreneur with a sandblasting business (this is the desert, after all!).
The opening scene sets the sort of tone Jarecki takes throughout the story. A pregnant Mary (Sara Zientek) is waiting at a local pub to meet a blind date set up by her cousin. Of course, that would be Joseph (Douglas M. Jarecki) she’s meeting. Joe is taken by the pretty young woman, but is shocked when he realizes she is eight months pregnant, and nearly speechless when she tells him the circumstances of the conception. It is here that Jarecki as Joseph wrestles with the explanation Mary offers him--that she will give birth to the Son of God. The writer Jarecki does a marvelous job here showing Mary and Joseph’s cornucopia of emotions in a funny, yet respectful and understanding, way. This sets the stage for the humor and humanity Jarecki instills in his characters and story of the birth of Jesus.
John Cramer, Mitch Weindorf and Douglas M. Jarecki, from left, portray the The Kings in Sunset Playhouse’s “‘Twas the Month Before Christmas.”
Jarecki doesn’t hesitate to poke gentle fun at some of the inconsistencies in the Bible story, such as when Joseph tells Mary he’s a carpenter, prompting Mary’s comment, “But you’re in a desert.” He answers, “Work is slow.”
There are other characters and stories that Jarecki has inserted -- those of the widowed innkeeper (John Cramer) and his daughter (Hanah Ripp-Dieter) and the Three Kings (Cramer, Jarecki and Mitch Weindorf).
The inn where Mary and Joseph end up staying has met hard times making ends meets since the innkeeper’s wife died and the innkeeper insists that his singing and guitar playing will be an amenity people desire. His daughter tries to convince him that the music is keeping prospective customers away, as evidenced by all the empty rooms. But when the innkeeper hands over the reins to his daughter, things change--especially when Mary and Joseph find space in their stable for the royal birth. It is a sweet story that Cramer and Ripp-Dieter handle wonderfully with their sincere portrayals.
The cast of Sunset Playhouse’s “‘Twas the Month Before Christmas”: Standing, Mitch Weindorf, Douglas M. Jarecki and John Cramer; seated, Hanah Ripp-Dieter and Sara Zientek.
Jarecki’s Three Kings are a barrel of laughs as they plan their trip and travel to Bethlehem to witness the birth of Jesus. Each has a distinctive character. Jarecki plays Melchior, the practical one. Cramer is Balthazar, old and a bit dotty but with a charming, playful way about him. Weindorf’s Gaspar is hopelessly in love with one of his servants. His head is in the clouds, when it should be in the sky, following the brightest star. The repartee among the three is fast and fun, especially when Melchior and Balthazar chide Gaspar for choosing his gift of myrrh--a tree resin used as funeral incense--as his gift for the Christ Child.
But of course, the focus is Mary and Joseph, wonderfully portrayed by Jarecki and Zientek, who keep it real with their characters throughout this magnificent journey. There is something surprising around every corner, such as when Joseph tells Mary as they start their journey with their suitcases: “The donkey is all loaded.”
Jarecki weaves the incidents with an eye for comedy, but never loses sight of the important story he’s telling. His characters have very human qualities and emotions and understand the enormity of the moment. Their foibles make them most endearing.
If you go:
Who: Sunset Playhouse
What: “’Twas the Month Before Christmas”
When: Through Dec. 22
Where: 700 Elm St., Elm Grove
Info/Tickets: sunsetplayhouse.com; 262-782-4430