Holiday Hodgepodge
Make your season merry and bright with A Beef & Boards Christmas
The Beef & Boards Holidaires open the show with "Happy Holidays."
With an appearance by Santa Claus, a stage flanked by two Christmas trees whose lights change color throughout the show, and favorite holiday songs, A Beef & Boards Christmas is like the Christmas sweater you pull out of your closet every season: a little cheesy but still fun.
The cast is fairly large. Hosted by Indianapolis resident Deb Wims and Fishers’ Kenny Shepard, A Beef & Boards Christmas features vocals by The Holidaires, a quartet made up of Jayson Elliott, Sarah Hund, John Vessels and Jillian Wallach, and music by the BBC Orchestra, which is in full view on stage.
Also featured are Olivia McKenna, 7, from Roachdale and Ethan Halford Holder, 9, of Indianapolis.
Amid the music, dancing and ever-changing costumes, there’s a lot going on, and some of it doesn’t seem to fit quite right. I was a little confused by the inclusion of “I’ll Be There.” A great song, sure, but what is it doing in a Christmas show?
It was also a little uncomfortable hearing McKenna and Holder sing “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” Say what’s in this drink probably isn’t a question that elementary-school students should be asking! (Or anyone, for that matter.)
Deb Wims dances with Santa, singing "Man With the Bag."
On the other hand, The Holidaires’ vocals, especially those of Hund and Wallach, are superb. Wallach’s rendition of “O Holy Night” was wonderful.
A Beef & Boards Christmas also includes a salute to the military, an appearance by Raggedy Ann and Andy, a song by Alvin and the Chipmunks, and an ode to a dark tan courtesy a holiday vacation.
Like I said, a lot going on.
Still, it does its job in getting you in the holiday spirit. Catch a show now through Dec. 23 at various times. Tickets are $36 to $59 and can be purchased by calling (317) 872-9664 or logging on beefandboards.com.
