SEQUIM — Just in time for the holiday season, Ghostlight Productions is bringing a Christmas classic to Sequim.
“Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” is a story from the book written by David Ives and Paul Blake with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin. The musical version of the story has appeared on Broadway stages and Seattle’s 5th Avenue theater.
“We’re hoping we’ll do the show justice,” said Mark Lorentzen, director of the Ghostlike Productions musical.
The show will run at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 7-9, 15-16, and at 2 p.m. Dec. 9-10 and 16 at the Sequim High School auditorium, 503 N. Sequim Ave.
Tickets are $10 to $18 depending on seat location and for the Dec. 7 show all seats are $12 for an opening night special.
With a cast of 47 people, the show combines the talents of Ghostlight Productions, The Ballet Workshop in Port Angeles and Sequim High School.
Lorentzen said the upcoming production will be “a perfect holiday treat,” for Sequim audiences.
The show is set to be a musical version of the Paramount Pictures film starring Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. The story features veterans Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, who have a successful song and dance act after World War II. They meet a duo of singing sisters on the way to their Christmas show at Vermont Lodge, which is owned by Bob and Phil’s former Army commander.
For those who grew up singing along to Berlin’s songs or watching the musical, such as the show’s choreographer Anna Pederson, the musical will produce a feeling of nostalgia.
“This was a family tradition every year,” Pederson said.
She is a teacher at The Ballet Workshop and said the dancing in this show includes a variety of genres from tap to jazz to ballet.
The production will include 17 of Berlin’s songs and Pederson said while there are several professional-level dancers performing in the show — including herself — the other members of the cast had to learn some of the dance numbers.
“You can’t fake the dancing,” Pederson said.
“In this show, almost every big number has a three-minute dance break.”
To match the big dance numbers, the costumes for the show feature grandiose ball gowns, sparkling jazz outfits and fancy feathered fans. Lorentzen said some of the costumes were borrowed from the Port Angeles Community Playhouse while others had to be purchased for this show specifically.
“We’re not simplifying anything,” Lorentzen said.
On top of the iconic dance numbers and showy costumes, musical director John Lorentzen — Mark’s father — said Sequim audiences will enjoy the production aspects of the show.
“People are going to love the production numbers,” John said.
For more information about show times, Ghostlight Productions or to purchase tickets visit ghost light-productions.com.
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Erin Hawkins is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach her at ehawkins@sequimgazette.com.
