Review of A Christmas Story Live!

As a true aficionado of the original, I was at first disappointed and confused. I was on the verge of giving up during the first 45 min. Then, something started to grow on me. Sure, there were many elements that were not part of the original, but the essentials were there. True, the presence of Broderick on set was a stretch, but then, so is the notion of characters bursting out in song and dance every five minutes. (Am I the only one that thought he was an Alton Brown dopplganger?) I though, for the most part, the additional elements did add to the overall telling of the tale. (I was sorry that the Ovaline/Orphan Annie segment was lost). More positives must be noted in the overall staging of the production -- moving seamlessly between sets, quick costume changes, etc. cannot be ignored. And as with any live performance, the occasional goofs (well, ones that the audience might pick-up on) lend an even stronger bit of entertainment. (I noticed the small clock falling off the cellar door and the "purkey/turkey" exchange). I'd also like to know the secret of the tongue-on-flagpole scene. His tongue really did seem firmly attached! So, to my purist brethren -- enjoy the original. Everyone else -- sit back and relish in the journey.