A Needed Shot of Christmas

Is holiday stress getting you down?  Pandemic isolation making you blue?  Well, then I’ve got the cure for you.  What you need is a shot of Christmas and Camille Metoyer Moten brings it to you in spades with Christmas In My Heart:  A Concert Featuring Camille Metoyer Moten.  This streaming performance is courtesy of the Omaha Community Playhouse.

I think what I love most about Christmas is its simple beauty and that sums up this concert.  There’s nothing flashy or showy about it.  It’s as if Metoyer Moten has simply invited you into her home for a fun night of Christmas cheer.  And if you love Christmas music, then this will most assuredly be a show for you with Christmas tunes ranging from traditional carols, sacred hymns and even an original or two.

Camille Metoyer Moten is the total package as a singer.  She has a crystal clear alto voice.  A warm, welcoming presence that fills the theatre.  And animation that adds that little cherry to the sundae of her performance.  So absorbed will you become with her golden voice that you’ll find yourself swaying and singing along with the music.

Metoyer Moten opened the night with a ringing rendition of “Do You Hear What I Hear?” and the night only went up from there.  Personal favorite numbers were her haunting take on “Mary, Did You Know?”, the sweet “Christmas Lullaby”, a vulnerable and beautiful recitation of some of her Christmas memories that segued into “Joy to the World” and her closing with the Judy Garland classic, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”.

Metoyer Moten didn’t come alone and her friends helped further enliven the night.  Her sister, Lanette Moore, shared the wonderful short story Mary’s Precious Little Lamb.  John Morrissey gave an energetic performance of one of my favorite Christmas tunes, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”.  Paul Tranisi’s powerful baritone mesmerized with “Christmas Love Song”.  Dave Wingert supplied a bit of humor with the mirthful “Another Christmas Song”.  And Kathy Tyree kicked things up a notch with her cover of the Yuletide rocker “Christmas (Baby, Please Come Home)”.

Metoyer Moten was backed by a highly talented three piece band featuring David Murphy on piano, Mark Haar on bass and Mannheim Steamroller drummer, Joey Gulizia on percussion.  The trio even got its own moment to shine with a musical version of “O Christmas Tree”.  Susie Baer-Collins staged the concert with impeccable flair.  Jim Othuse sets the stage with a Christmas tree and holly along with some gorgeous lighting from wintery blue to festive red. 

So take a little time to revisit the fun and faith of Christmas with the music of Camille Metoyer Moten.  It’s balm for a weary spirit.

Christmas In My Heart:  A Concert Featuring Camille Metoyer Moten is available for streaming from the Omaha Community Playhouse through January 3, 2021.  Tickets begin at $30 and the show can be purchased at www.showtix4u.com/events/ocp.

Photo provided by Richardson Photography

Have Yourself a Plaidful Little Christmas

A musical group returns to life. . .again. . . to spread some holiday cheer.  This is Plaid Tidings by Stuart Ross and is currently playing at the PART Theatre.

This show is less musical and more musical revue as the group, Forever Plaid, spend the evening entertaining the audience (sometimes even involving the audience) with a series of Christmas songs, standards, and pop tunes.  The revue is tied together by the story that Forever Plaid was a musical group that died en route to their big break.  They got to come back once to do the show they never got to do and now have mysteriously returned again for a new mission:  spreading the joy of Christmas.

Since this show doesn’t have the traditional narrative track, there isn’t much acting in the sense of storytelling though those playing Forever Plaid are truly characters with delightful idiosyncrasies and quirks.  Smooth, this group is not.  Forever Plaid definitely has a raw talent musically, but they lack polish which leads to much of the show’s humor.  But this show also has some deeply sensitive, bittersweet, and sad moments that will give your heartstrings a little tug.

Gordon Cantiello provides admirable direction with the piece.  He has staged the production almost as a tiny club or lounge performance and well utilizes the theatre space as Forever Plaid engages with the audience and sings throughout the performance area.  He well defines each member of the group as each person has a distinct and unique personality and history.  Cantiello has also created some of the most amusing choreography I have ever seen with some of the dance moves of Forever Plaid.

The key to this show is casting as those playing Forever Plaid need a vibrant chemistry plus be able to powerfully play off each other along with performing well musically.  Well, this cast certainly has that in spades as I genuinely believed this group had been together for years due to how well they bantered with each other.

In a group of sad sacks, Justin Dehmer’s Smudge was definitely the saddest sack of all.  Projecting the image of a high-strung nerd with his taped-up glasses and complaints about his ulcer.  Dehmer has good vocal range and usually sang the deeper parts of the harmony on the night’s many numbers.  Dehmer also has the acting moment of the night as his Smudge shares the tearjerking story of why Christmas was his favorite time of the year.  The centerpiece of his story is his using the emotion of it to turn one of the most jubilant Christmas songs, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year”, into a moving heartbreaker.

Jon Hickerson’s Frankie struck me as the de facto leader of the group as he was the one pushing the team to keep focus on their mission.  He has an excellent 2^nd tenor voice and a good grip on humor as he had the most amusing monologue of the night with his psychological and emotional observations on Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Frosty the Snowman.  Hickerson also led the night’s most entertaining number, “Matilda”.

Roger Bunnell’s Jinx just might have the potential to be the breakout member of Forever Plaid.  Jinx is the shyest member of the group with a propensity for nose bleeds, but once he gets into the music, his is a rare talent.  Bunnell’s singing voice evokes images of Gene Pitney in natural setting and range, Michael Crawford in timbre, and Lou Christie for sheer falsetto power.  Some of his standout moments are his solo scene when he busts out “Besame Mucho” and “Kiss of Fire” and shows some Gene Kellyish dancing skill when he hoofs it up with “Singin’ in the Snow”.

Josh Dewberry’s Sparky is a human joke machine.  Dewberry has a superior sense of comedic timing and knows how to be physical with his comedy, especially with his rendition of “Fever”.  His lovely tenor was also featured well in “We Wish You a Perry Christmas” which was a segue from the story Sparky shared about the night Forever Plaid met Perry Como.  He does need to be careful with his diction on that lengthy story as it got a bit mushy at some points.

Peggy Holloway’s musical direction is top of line and she does excellent song interpretation on the piano and is ably supported by Bud Phillips on bass.  Mary Mullen Ferzely and Rob Lohman did a wonderful job decorating the theatre and making it feel like the perfect setting for a festive holiday show.  Jackson Hatcher’s sound effects were spot on, especially his ominous claps of thunder.  Josh Dewberry pulled double duty with a nifty bit of lighting design.  Lee Meyer and Gentleman’s Choice teamed up to properly costume Forever Plaid with tastefully gaudy plaid tuxedos and Comoish Christmas sweaters.

If you are a fan of standards and pop tunes, you are going to enjoy this show.  And if you’re a fan of Christmas songs (and I know I am) you are REALLY going to enjoy this show.  Spend a bit of the Yuletide season with Forever Plaid.

Plaid Tidings runs at the PART Theatre through Dec 15.  Showtimes are 7pm Thurs-Sat and 2pm Sat-Sun.  Tickets cost $35 ($30 for seniors and $25 for students).  For ticket information, contact 402-706-0778.  PART Theatre is located inside Crossroads Mall at 7400 Dodge St in Omaha, NE.