Miracle on 34th Street

Valentine Davis' award-winning 1947 comedy, "Miracle on 34th Street" was and remains a hit black-and-white, extremely winning film about an elderly man who calls himself Kris Kringle and gets hired at New York City's Macy's Department Store as their seasonal Santa Claus.

Most everyone assumes he's a harmless nutter, but the head of press there, Doris Walker, and her 9-year-old daughter, Susan, who has been taught not to believe in fairy fables, find themselves falling under the spell of this loving elder gentleman. He ends up, after much interference by unspirited bureaucrats and politicians, bringing the Christmas season alive with sharing, care, and high spirits.

So this vigorous reenactment of the "live radio show" is a holiday delight -- for the most part. Using the Lux Radio Theatre's same year adaptation, here one of our great actors, Alfred Molina, is Kris; Peri Gilpin is Doris, and Cecilia Witt is her daughter.

As directed by veteran Cameron Watson, the action is, of necessity, mostly verbal, but with enough sight-gags and visible reactions of the actors to keep it fresh and amusing. It also allowed for a bevy of truly talented character actors to shine in a variety of roles, including Michael Chieffo, Jeff Gardner (who did the Foley-noises as well), the ever-spirited Beth Grant, Jim Rash, and Larry Poindexter (as the handsome love-interest for Doris).

Oddly, the two disappointing actors were Gilpin, who lacked personality and clear diction, and the very young and too-cutesy-by-half Witt (it's difficult to get child actors to be both spontaneous and grounded).

On a simple-enough radio set, with Christmas decorations and the fabulous Yvonne Cason singing seasonal pop songs -- a total delight by the way-and pianist Ryan Johnson to accompany her, as well as to support to the entire 65-minute evening.

As difficult as it is to do radio shows on stage (demanding different reactions from the audience, specifically applauding when told to), this kind of special two-week-run can be a delight, as this one was.

"Miracle on 34th Street" runs through December 23 at the venerable Pasadena Playhouse, 39 S. El Molino Avenue, Pasadena. For tickets and information, call 626-356-7529 or visit www.PasadenaPlayhouse.org.