Melon Patch forecasts "White Christmas"

Dustin Lavine, Kelly Zipperer, Tracy and Billy McCoy

Entertainers Bob Wallace (Billy McCoy) and Phil Davis (Dustin Lavine) are performing in a Christmas show for their fellow soldiers. It’s 1944 and the allied troops are knocking at the door of the Third Reich in Germany. The Americans GI’s are dreaming of Christmas back home best described in the song “White Christmas” by Irving Berlin in the musical of the same name now showing at the Melon Patch Theatre in Leesburg.

The plot quickly zips to 1954. Wallace and Davis are still a team and frequently appear on the Ed Sullivan TV show. They meet the sister act of Betty and Judy Haynes (Tracy McCoy and Kelly Zipperer). Soon the four are on their way to resort in Vermont that they discover is owned by their former Army General (Hank DeLorme). The ski lodge is in disastrous financial condition. In true Andy Rooney-Judy Garland fashion, Wallace and Davis plan a show (in a barn) that will save the day for their former army leader.

The McCoys are the best known performing couple in the local theatre circuit and respond in expert fashion. Zipperer is at home in the singing-dancing role of Judy that reveals her true on-stage potential. A pleasant surprise is the enthusiastic, upbeat performance of Lavine. His second act opening dance with Zipperer is a show-stopper.

Laney Lavine has a chance to belt some songs as the ditzy clerk at the resort, Martha. Molly Smith gives an impressive performance as the General’s granddaughter. A little more coaching on cheating toward the audience on her deliveries and this young ten-year-old could earn a star on her own dressing room. Octogenarian C.F. Turk makes a fine cameo appearance that the audience loved.

Choreography by Sally Gage is on the mark, both appropriate and well performed. Scenery changed nicely with the MP crew utilizing the fly space to advantage.

Technically, the dressing room and train scenes would play better further down stage. DeLorme’s costume needs work. Projection by the McCoy-Lavine team is excellent but the voices of the sisters are occasionally overpowered by the wind instruments in the band.

Despite fine individual performances and good blocking by Director Paul Thornton, the musical drags in a do-nothing first act script that has little chance working. The original 1954 film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. Other than “White Christmas” that was already sung by Crosby in “Holiday Inn” it contains none of Berlin’s more memorable hits. Vera-Ellen’s was cast to perform the Bob Fosse dances but her singing had to be dubbed by Gloria Wood. It was doomed on the silver screen by opening on January 1, 1954 thereby missing the Christmas season. The Broadway musicals, opened in 2008 and revived in 2009, were both box office disasters considered outdated and dull by NYC theater-goers.

But Leesburg is not Broadway. You may find the Melon Patch version with its upbeat individual performances in “White Christmas” worth the trip. Look for some snow in the finale.

This show at the Melon Patch Theatre in Leesburg runs weekends through December 18. Prices are $15. Evening show times are 8 pm. Sunday matinees are at 2 pm.. For reservations or further information call 787-3013 or visit the Web Site at http://www.melon-patch-players.com/..