***** Once again, Citadel Theatre Company, that little theater on the North Shore with the big heart, has chosen the right play to bring to their followers. As we near the Holiday Season, it seems that almost every venue is decked out with “Holiday” plays, so why not do “Miracle on South Division Street”? This choice morsel is written by Tom Dudzick who has created some extraordinary comic moments with his “Over The Tavern Trilogy” and I must tell you, this one is over the top when it comes to getting into the holiday spirit.

Under the sharp direction of  Scott Shallenbarger on a divine set designed by  Bob Knuth, we, the audience, are the proverbial “fly on the wall” as we meet the Nowak family. The story that Dudzik brings to us is kind of based on a legend in Buffalo. Supposedly, just down the street from Dudzick’s father’s tavern was a barber shop ( some of you might recall the days when we did not have strip centers or malls, but instead we had storefronts with the owners living upstairs or even in the rear section. Supposedly , in front of this barber shop, there was a sort of statue/shrine and the legend had it that the “Blessed Mother” came herself and delivered a message to the barber that she believed in world peace. That is the note from the playwright, and what Shallenbarger and his cast do to bring this story to life.

This adorable play has several twists and turns and what appears to be a very religious family, with a mother feeling all the best for her children, will have you questioning many things along the way. These are good times and no matter what your religious background, you will find yourself laughing out loud ( VERY L.O.L., to be sure)! The play is 90 minutes with no intermission, and it works out perfectly as any break would ruin some of the amazing surprises contained within the storyline.

Those who know the Citadel stage area, know that this is a small space and quite close to the audience. We first meet Jimmy ( a powerful and quite comic role performed by Robert Wood Frank). We also meet his sister Ruth ( deftly handled by Mindy Shore), who has called for a “family meeting” with her brother, sister and mother before preparing for Christmas Eve. There is some family fun between these two relative to the family and of course the statue in front and their ability to talk about it to passersby and those who come to see it. It seems that Jimmy is preparing to propose to a young Jewish lady, and Ruth is letting him know that this could be a big mistake.

Their mother Clara ( powerfully played by Naomi Hershman) becomes a part of the discussion relative to the family meeting, the holidays and her third child, Beverly ( a solid performance by Lorelei Sturm), who is on her way to a bowling match. It turns out that she is dating a young man who never made it to priesthood, but Dudzick doesn’t explore that in any detail, as believe it or not, there is more than enough to make this story work!

One of my pet peeves is people giving away surprises in a play- I hate when this is done, so as you know, I will shade some of the story from this point so that you can see what transpires. It turns out that Ruth has met a director doing a one-man show and started to talk to him about a book she is planning to write. After talking, he has sort of convinced her to make it a play, maybe even a one person play and perform it herself, in Buffalo. This is the reason for the family meeting. To get their blessing. Why, you might ask?

The story involves some things her grandmother told her prior to her passing away. These “things” will change the entire history and future of the Nowak family, FOREVER! What takes place during this part of the play is powerful, amazing and hysterical. I would love to reveal it all, but then you would not be in a position to enjoy this experience properly. I am telling you that this is the one comedy or holiday production that MUST BE SEEN!

The tech portion of this production is also flawless. Danielle Reinhardt’s costumes are perfection for the characters, and Ellen Markus ( props), Joel Zishuk (lights) and Maya Reter ( sound) are all top notch. While the set design is perfect, I truly think that the crew that built it brought true realism to the set, under the guidance of Mitchell Pollitt.

 

“Miracle on South Division Street” will continue thru – Dec 14th with performances as follows: