The return of “White Christmas” marks the end of an era for Chanhassen Dinner Theatres.
Michael Brindisi, CDT’s longtime president and artistic director, died unexpectedly in February, just two days before the company opened its production of “Grease.” He oversaw the successful debut of “White Christmas” last year and had already made the decision to bring it back for an encore.
The current program lists Brindisi as “original artistic director” of the show and it includes his original director’s note, written in October 2024: “There are a lot of veteran performers and designers who have worked on our play … on more than a few occasions, I’ve heard the exclamation from many, including yours truly, ‘I’m getting too old for this.’ … We should all keep doing what we love for as long as we can, but when we can’t, that’s OK too. Just count your blessings and you’ll be all right!”
In many ways, “White Christmas” shows off CDT’s strength as a song-and-dance powerhouse. For two and a half hours, the cast and crew made magic on that stage, offering a welcome dose of escapism into a much less complicated time.
The musical is based on the 1954 film of the same name, which also happened to be the highest grossing film of that year. It was constructed around Irving Berlin’s song “White Christmas,” which he wrote for 1942’s “Holiday Inn.” The track was such a massive hit — Bing Crosby’s version sold an estimated 50 million copies worldwide — Berlin wrote a new batch of numbers to accompany it for a new movie. (The stage version debuted in 2004 and added Berlin’s name to the official title.)
As is to be expected under such circumstances, the plot is paper thin. It follows World War II vets Bob Wallace (Michael Gruber) and Phil Davis (Tony Vierling) who’ve become popular entertainers. They meet sisters and fellow performers Betty (Ann Michels) and Judy Haynes (Andrea Mislan) and propose a collaboration, both on stage and off.
Really, the story exists merely to connect the songs, which — if you’re allergic to holiday music like me — thankfully aren’t all Christmas numbers. And the dynamic choreography by Tamara Kangas Erickson (who has since taken over as CDT’s leader) injects true glee into the proceedings. Don’t be late returning from intermission, lest you miss the show’s highlight, the eye-popping, toe-tapping “I Love a Piano.”
The show remains every bit as exciting and fun as it was last year and, beyond a few new faces in the ensemble, the biggest change is Kersten Rodau, who replaces Brindisi’s wife Michelle Barber. (Barber is currently starring in a production of “Come from Away” at Asolo Repertory Theatre in Florida, where their daughter Cat is associate artistic director.)
Barber is usually one of the best things about CDT productions, but Rodau does a fine job in the broadly comic role of Martha Watson, who runs a struggling Vermont hotel owned by Wallace and Davis’ wartime boss General Henry Waverly (Joenathan Thomas, who has both the presence and the voice of an actual general).
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Two young performers — Jenalia Valerio and Malle Cenizal — return to swap nights playing Waverly’s granddaughter Susan, a character that brings a sweet sense of innocence with a dash of determination to the show.
Sweet is a great way to describe “White Christmas” as a whole. Audiences love it, as like last year, many of the performances leading up to Christmas are already sold out. Plenty of seats remain for the January shows and given what a delight it is, “White Christmas” is worth seeing even after the candy canes and ornaments are packed away. Brindisi’s final CDT production is a real gift.
‘Irving Berlin’s White Christmas’
When: Through Feb. 7
Where: Chanhassen Dinner Theatres, 501 W. 78th St., Chanhassen
Tickets: $131-$98 via 952-934-1525 or chanhassendt.com
Capsule: Like last year, “White Christmas” is both merry and bright.
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