Clio Cast and Crew, Inc Presents How I Met Mrs.Claus


By Laura Anne Miller


Disappointed that Santa cannot tell them a story for Story Time, elves Jingle (Pam Beauchamp) and Tinsel (Yvonne McCarty) settle for hearing the tale of how Santa met Mrs. Claus from senior elf, Jolly (played by Shane Wachowicz). The story starts when Kris Kringle, young Santa (played by Robbie Fry), experiences pushback from his father, St. Nicholas (played by Carl Frost) about not wanting to follow in the family business of making candy. Young Kris Kringle meets Merry Bell (Played by Gracelynn Marsh) in elementary school and falls in love.  The story continues when teenage Santa (played by Tristan Jones) meets the next love of his life, Ginger Snap (Played by Emilynn Walter), when she is trying to free the reindeer. Next, Adult Kris (Played by Bill Fagerstrom) faces the challenge of getting the world on board with his idea to bring children toys instead of candy. Accompanied by his right hand elf, Dave (Played by Alex Vokoun), Kris attempts to hire a Public Relations person and finally lands on Holly Berry (Played by Jody Vincent), a New Yorker who is reluctant to make the big move to the North Pole. Kris wins her over with some tap dancing and a song and together they make Christmas what we know it to be now. All three of Kris Kringle’s past loves come back as adults, having taken different jobs around the North Pole. The show ends with Jingle and Tinsel trying to figure out which of the three past loves is actually Mrs. Claus. Santa and Mrs. Claus (Played by Sandy Turner) appear on stage and reveal the true identity of Mrs. Claus. 


The different scenes of the story are spliced with songs sung by Clio Cast and Crews’ Show to Go Singers. This caused some disconnect as it made the flow of the show feel a little choppy at times. It was refreshing to see the inclusion of younger actors as several children and teens were also cast in various roles and perform songs appropriate to the theme of their scenes. The teens, dressed as reindeer, perform “Hip Hop Reindeer” and a somewhat parodied version of “I’ve Got a Feeling”. Overall, the choirs all sounded good and had some choreography to accompany their music. However, some of the choreography was a little stiff and some actors struggled to stay with their group. The show felt more like it was a choir concert with skits interspersed between song performances. 


The story itself was a fresh and new idea in an overdone genre. The play was written in-house by members of the Show to Go Scripters: Nicole and Duane Dunckel, Jody Vincent, and Deanna Harcz and directed by Jan Palmer. Some of the writing was a little cheesy and the show itself dragged on a little long. There were times of dead air where lines were forgotten or there just was nothing happening on stage. Chalk it up to opening night jitters, but it did make for some awkwardness. The big reveal of Mrs. Claus’ identity at the end fell flat for how much build up there was leading up to it. Part way through one act, voices could be heard from outside of the theater, which broke the magic of the show happening on stage. 


Overall, it is worth seeing. The kids up the cute factor of the show and the music is good. The story itself, while somewhat cheesy, is heartwarming and a good tale. The three Kris Kringles at different ages played out very well and maintained continuity throughout the show. Stand out performances were from Robbie Fry, who did a phenomenal job bringing Young Kris Kringle to life; Alex Vokoun, who brought humor to the character of Dave as well as an amazing singing performance; and Peter Verhaeghe, who really elevated the role of Pete, the sleazy PR agent first declined by Kris and Dave. Bill Fagerstrom also did a wonderful job as Adult Kris Kringle. The teen and childrens’ choirs both were lively and added heart to their performances. 


Another thing that makes this show worth seeing is that the Show to Go Singers donate money to local veteran families each year. In the twenty years they have been performing a Christmas show, more than $22,000 has been raised. This year, the money will go to the Saginaw Veterans Hospital. This show runs one weekend only December 11-15th, 2024 and limited tickets are available. Visit www.cliocastandcrew for tickets or call the box office at 810-687-2588


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