Steps To The Stage
Steps To The Stage
Miracle on 34th Street The Play: Holiday Magic
A small stage, a big cast, and a 1940s reset bring fresh heart to Miracle on 34th Street as we explore belief, courage, and community. We share how volunteers, teachers, and first-timers shape a classic into something intimate, warm, and alive.
• why we chose Miracle on 34th Street and set it in the 1940s
• how a large ensemble, kids to grandparents, powers the show
• Doris Walker’s arc as a frank, working single mother
• crafting Fred Gailey’s warmth and courtroom grit
• Jack’s return after 30 years and finding Kris Kringle’s truth
• building Macy’s and the courtroom on an intimate stage
• period costumes, carols, and 1947 radio pre-show
• the teamwork culture that defines community theater
• key creatives and crew shaping sets and flow
• show schedule, opening night gala, and talkback
December 5-20 Friday/Saturday 7:30pm Sat & Sunday Matinee 2:30pm
Get your tickets now. This will sell out. Call 909-590-1149 or visit ChinoCommunityTheater.org
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Thank you for Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.
SPEAKER_01:Welcome to Steps to the Stage, a 7th Street community theater podcast. Happy Christmas, everyone. We are here and back for my favorite time of year, as well as my favorite production of the year. It's the holiday production. And we have some of our amazing team. We'll include actors, we'll include directors, and we're going to talk about everything that is leading up to the Chino Community Theaters presentation of Miracle on 34th Street, the play. Yay! Confetti cannons. I've got Chris, Jamie, Jack, Tiffany here, and they're gonna take us down the journey. We're gonna ride the sleigh, right, Santa? Absolutely. We're gonna ride the sleigh and we're gonna learn about this holiday classic. So did a little research released in 1947 as a movie. It was a story by Valentine Davies, and the screenplay and director was George Seaton. If I'm not mistaken, they won three Academy Awards, which included a Best Supporting Actor as well as Best Screenplay and Best Story, if I got that all correct. So just to give you a little bit of background, and of course, since then there's been so many different radio plays, Broadway, other adaptations. It's just a beautiful, wonderful story. And I'm so glad that we're bringing it here. So before we get started, let's go through and meet all of our guests. And we'll start over here with Chris, our director.
SPEAKER_00:Uh thank you, Kirk. Uh, it's great to be back on the podcast. Uh I feel like I'm kind of a semi-regular.
SPEAKER_01:You are a semi-regular. You're gonna be hired pretty soon, I think, and we're gonna expand and take over the theater world.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, that's that sounds like uh a good plan. But uh for for the the immediate uh uh thing that we're doing, miracle on 34th Street, I am just really happy to be, I'm always happy to be back at CCT and directing because I just I've been here for so many years and uh the theater's been around where this is our 42nd season. Yeah. And uh and this is a play that we we really haven't done too many times. We've we've uh revisited a Christmas Carol a lot. Um we've done It's a Wonderful Life a few times last year. In fact, I I directed the the radio production, uh, the radio uh play version of It's a Wonderful Life, and that was a great deal of fun. And uh we've tried, you know, some different uh things over the years, uh holiday-wise, but uh we just decided, you know, this was it's about time we come back to Miracle on 34th Street. It's it's a really feel-good uh story, and and it is one of the uh, I think kind of the classic old classic Christmas movies that we think about, you know, the those core, maybe maybe like five, you know, that that really get done a lot and have been remade many times. And like you said, it was, I believe, a Broadway musical at some point. And uh so it's it's it's just a really good story. And that's what I'm excited to tell is that uh ultimately it comes down to it's just a really good story. It's not just Christmas thrown at you, which you know, some some of the holiday shows are are just kind of that. It's just like ah Christmas, here it is. And uh, and and when you strip it down, there's really not a whole lot of substance there. And uh this play actually has that, this story actually has that.
SPEAKER_01:It is a feel-good movie, and we call it that for a reason, and why millions of people watch it again and again year over year. So 100% agree with that. And I just want to insert here real quick because I know we have a good local audience, but we also have an expanded audience. But you guys just did your season reveal for the theater, and uh, I know the children's theater just did theirs recently as well. So it's just exciting as we head toward the end of the season. We're gonna get our feel-good movie and we're gonna get ready for a great slate of uh productions next week.
SPEAKER_00:Busy, busy time right now, too with the holidays and everything. It's always a challenge, you know, to do the holiday show for that reason because you have the the reveal on top of it and and you know, people going away for the holidays. I'm missing a couple people all next week because of Thanksgiving. So it is it is a challenge, but it's it's a it's a joyful challenge. Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_01:Family is important, and so I'm glad that you're letting them spend time with family, Chris. Yes, what a wonderful director you are. I don't know if I had a choice, but we'll just say you're kind and gentle. Yes, we'll say that. Tiffany got her right in the lap. I know.
SPEAKER_05:Nice to be back, guys. Uh, this is my third steps on the stage. This is my third production with CCT and my second time working with Chris, which is great.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, I will take credit for bringing her to CCT.
SPEAKER_05:Yes, you absolutely can. It actually has always been about you. Actually, it has. Wow, look at that.
SPEAKER_01:Slings and arrows.
SPEAKER_05:It has. My first interest with CCT was Chris directing on the edge like in 2017, I think it was Boinkett's Girl or something like that. That's when I started stalking him on social media. It's like, so hey, you're doing the show. Yes. You're doing the show. No one does it. You don't know me. So needless to say, I had a flat tire and couldn't come. But years later, uh, we connected. Uh, but Chris asked me to do the season reveal for Miracle on 34th Street last year. So I was excited about it. And then he asked if I would come down and make the drive again. So yeah, absolutely. And I did a production of uh Wonderful Life last year as well.
SPEAKER_01:Okay, yeah. So it's Which was wonderful.
SPEAKER_05:It was wonderful. Um but it's nice to be able to do one. I agree. Christmas Carol's been for those of you that love Christmas Carol, but Christmas Carol's been done. Um, and if I am giving up my time in the holidays, I like it to have some oomph and some new meaning for wingles.
SPEAKER_01:What role are you?
SPEAKER_05:Oh, I'm playing Doris Walker, so I am the non-believer mom.
SPEAKER_00:Wonderful. Non-believer mom. Can I uh I should have probably uh introduced uh the uh everybody, but you know, Tiffany is playing Doris, the non-believer mom. And we also have Jack Richards here who has Chris Kringle. And uh and then we have Jamie uh Tinter who is playing Fred, the amiable next door neighbor, who uh takes on the the the great court case, the the thrilling court case at the end of the uh we all need a Fred in our life.
SPEAKER_01:Yes, we really all do need a Fred in our life, and it's great. And I agree with the Christmas Carol, and and I was part of one of Chris's uh holiday productions back in 2019, which was right after oh, I'm sorry, that was Jeff Deards, you were Mama Mia. So um I did Mama Mia, which was the first show that I was able to do, and then I did uh with Jeff Deards. Uh so it it's it is great now, uh, all this time to meet new people, but see good friends that we've known for a while and that are that are keep dedicating. And this is a community theater podcast, and as you know, we all drove our Rolls-Royce's and Bentleys into uh into the theater today. We do this because we love it, you listen because you love it, and you participate in your communities. And so we just cannot stress enough how important it is, no matter what level, that you go and support the arts and support community theater. So let's move on to Santa, I mean Jack, who is in front of me and uh has got a uh Kris Kringle shirt on and in the mood and has been ho ho hoing since he arrived, and we appreciate it. Let's embody the role, yes? Absolutely, absolutely.
SPEAKER_02:Oh, I'm having such a good time. That's great, it's a blast. It's been 30 years since I've been on the stage. 30 years. Yeah. I just recently moved to uh Tino Hills, and then I came here and I saw Raisin in the Sun, then I saw the auditions for this, and I said, hmm, started growing my beard. Came down to auditions. I go, wow, this is great. Um, the people I auditioned with were so talented. I did a scene with Jamie. Yeah, you know, I said, Well, they gotta use this guy. So this is some some high flying folks. I don't know if I want to get in here. But then when he called and said, Yeah, let's go, let's do it. I said, Oh man, I I'm reliving. I cut my bones in in Ohio. Okay. Chagrin Valley Little Theater.
SPEAKER_03:Love it.
SPEAKER_02:Tim Conway's place. They've got a lot of Christmas movies there because it looks like New England. Yeah. And uh so to revisit this back, I'm just it's like I shed 30 years.
SPEAKER_01:What an amazing, amazing story. I'm so glad you shared that with us. And and for uh those that are out there 30 years back on the stage, that is really the magic of theater, but specifically this theater, we're a little biased, right? Um, and the people that are involved. Uh, and that's it. Uh, I I'm so lucky that I get to be involved in this podcast and talk to so many great people, but hearing stories like that is another reason why we keep coming back and putting episodes. So welcome back, as we have painted up here. Glad you're back on the stage and so glad that you're part of uh this particular production. You'll be you'll be on the nice list. Look at that. Look at that. Maybe that 59 goal top Les Paul is coming this year, everyone. You may need to do some more research. Nice, and let's move over to Fred.
SPEAKER_04:Indeed. Yeah, so uh Jamie Tinger. I'm playing Fred Gailey, the uh Doris' neighbor and Santa's attorney. And this is my first go-around here at CC uh T.
SPEAKER_01:And uh what kind of retainer does Santa have to pay if I make sorry.
SPEAKER_04:Just no coal in the stocking, just a good, you know, what was a toy in the forty, maybe a nice choo-choo terrain or something. He's living with reindeer right now, so he has nothing going for it. Although my favorite Christmas gift as a kid was getting my Nintendo set when I was like eight. And that that was like my Santa memory of like Santa brought this, you know, and that was I think my last time where I well really believed uh and and that was a good good Santa memory. But um, yeah, I like Jack, I I moved to Chino Hills this summer. Uh came uh my wife's family lives in the in the area, and we were living in LA for you know the last I moved to LA from Minnesota as I'm representing today. Oh betcha. Oh yeah, oh yeah. Um and I got my start in community theater there up in Hibbing, Minnesota, and uh love the community theater. And so when we moved here, um I got a job teaching theater at Ayala uh high school and saw a couple shows here this summer. I'm like, I I just want to be a part of the community. I've I've found that everybody's everybody's been so welcoming in the theater community here in Chino Hills between the the school and the children's theater and the community theater. I wanted to uh get back on the stage as well in in a in a fun way. And it just stepping into this this room here or this stage and just the smell of the theater and and it just it just feels like home. And uh Chris and Tiffany and Jack have been just awesome to work with, and it's just been really fun. It's been the highlight of my of my day. Like, okay, seven o'clock rehearsal, and it's a place where you know, all the you know, some people like I'm from northern Minnesota, so some people like to fish, deer hunting season just ended. Uh I like the theater, you know. That's my place where I can just feel at home and and just feel like, oh, this is this is what life's all about, you know, just making fun art with good people and um this particular play. I I'd you know seen Christmas movies growing up, and it was one of those where it would come on, and my dad and my uncles, and they would all quote, oh, oh, here's where, you know, here's where Santa's gonna do here. And it was like, oh, okay. And so when this came about, it's like, well, this is it feels like like Chris was saying earlier, it's not just Christmas, Christmas. There's a real story there, and so important. Yeah, it's so important.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, it it it's it's gonna be fun, it's gonna be a lot of fun. Well, thanks you guys for introducing yourselves and such great stories about people that have been here and done productions before, people that haven't been on the stage in quite some time, people that are coming in from other parts of the country and and experiencing the magic of this particular community theater, which there's magic everywhere. But so, so appreciate y'all sharing that. And I'm just gonna go to Chris and say, you are now taking on, and and I know you you direct and you do an excellent job. This is has to be a challenge. This is a beloved, beloved story uh that obviously is around that Christmas time, but as we've all discussed, there's there's more to it than that. How do you go into this and and talk to us about that preparation?
SPEAKER_00:Well, it is a bit of a challenge, uh, but maybe not what you kind of thought of when you were asking the question, because I'm not really worried about uh uh fitting the the the movie necessarily um because there has been so many adaptations of it. So I think a lot of people have their own special miracle on 34th Street, and there's a lot of people that love the 90s uh version of it. In fact, our script was actually written to take place in the 90s, and uh we decided we were gonna go back to the 1940s. In fact, I decided, yeah, I shouldn't say we, I decided uh I wanted it to be uh, you know, the classic uh miracle on 34th Street from the 1940s. There for me, there's something about the 1940s that that's just kind of special to me. I think it's post maybe post-war, you know, the the mood of the country, and and uh I think that's when Christmas really just kind of exploded in our kind of consciousness and and you know the country and you know, commercialism I think had a lot to do with it too. Uh in fact, this this play touches on that for sure. Um but this is the this is all I this is almost like a musical in in a lot of ways, just in terms of all the moving parts of it, and there's so many different scenes. I've I've been kind of used to doing plays with one setting, you know, one living room set or something with a small cast, but this has a very big cast, and and uh I'm working with kids, uh I'm working with uh older people and everyone in between. And uh it's it's just a real mixture of people. I am I actually have some mothers and daughters uh uh teams working in the show. Yeah. And uh and uh sisters, uh actually. And so there's there's uh definitely a family element uh to it. And uh, but actually there is a little music in the show. We have some dancing elves, we have uh we have some carolers, uh, you know, so there's a lot going on for this show. So that's that was kind of the daunting thing about it was it's just a big production, and I haven't done kind of a big production like this with so many things uh, you know, that are that are a part of it. And uh so that that was the thing that was mostly the the daunting thing. When I saw these people audition, I I wasn't worried about bringing this story to the stage because these are the perfect people for these roles. And you know, I sometimes I'm sitting at rehearsal and I'm listening to Jack on stage and I'm I'm thinking, we got another story here of like the real Chris Kringle auditioning to play Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, uh because he's so perfect and so authentic. As you could just hear it even, I'm sure your listeners can hear it in just his voice.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I'm gonna interrupt. I pulled up in in my sleigh and I looked across and I saw Santa in his sleigh. And so for the moment I even walked in before I set up, I was like, I'm talking to Santa today, you know? And and that that that is just it's it's one of those things that again, taking this on, that there I loved hearing you say that, like, yes, there's a lot of content to go off of, but this collective group in this particular area needs to present it the way that that they need to present it under your direction. And already just it's you know, I do this a lot and I meet a lot of casts, and and you know, sometimes you get, especially in community theater, you get the same actors over and over again playing different parts. And that's that's fine, that's wonderful. We, I think, have done a great job of the outreach and bringing in people that have haven't acted in 30 years, people that have come from other parts of the country, and then people that are experienced and have worked not only in this theater but other theaters, and you get that mix, and then you have family mix. I love that as well. That's got to help with the energy.
SPEAKER_00:I love having a mix of new and old people because I think you can learn from people uh you can learn from the people that have done shows here for many years, and you know, kind of how every theater kind of has their own vibe and how things work. And uh so it's always a new experience coming to uh a different working at a different theater.
SPEAKER_01:Resparks that energy, right? Because sometimes you get a little complacent or you just get a little oh, okay, here we go again.
SPEAKER_00:So it's always fun to see the new the newbies come in and and uh and and you know kind of uh learn learn uh how things work at at this theater and uh and just like you said, not to see the same people all the time, uh and to get some new faces up on our stage and and hopefully they'll come back, you know.
SPEAKER_01:So um and their families come and maybe that one of those family members is gonna be inspired by what you guys do up there, and then they join some small production or a class, and then you know they're doing, they're directing their own shows, right? So love to see that. Tiffany, I'd love to hear a little bit more about your preparation for something like this. Having worked with Chris before and worked on this stage, but uh this is a new role that you've haven't played before. So would love to hear more about what went into that preparation.
SPEAKER_05:Well, I am a classic movie weirdo. I don't even say buff, I say weirdo. Um, I did children's hour last year and uh provided all of my own costumes, and I'm sort of getting known for if there's a vintage costume. Tiff will just bring her dresses. Don't worry, we're good. Um, because I sort of have this weird embodiment of that era in my personal life. And I think a big part of that has to do with my grandmother who actually introduced me to this movie. Um she was always, you know, you don't go out without your lipstick, you gotta make sure you got certain things. You can have, you can be wearing in a trash bag, but you must have a lip on. Like that type of thing was her. And um I just I with Chris too, I love this era. I I love the idea of it's not necessarily simpler, but more basic, I guess. And um having to be connected to people is a really big deal. Yeah, I've never played a mom. I think this is my first time ever playing a mom. I played Medea, but that doesn't count because the kids were dead and I killed them.
SPEAKER_03:Um but I know. Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas Death and Children.
SPEAKER_05:Um, no, I I don't think I've ever played a mom before. Um, but I have seven nieces and I have two nephews, and I always tend to kind of take on mom energy with people who are younger than me, even people that are older than me, oddly enough. Um so that was an interesting thing to be like, you know, W WC Fields was the one that said working with children and animals. Um and so I've never really had to like have a kid attached to me on stage, which has been interesting. Um, so just sort of thinking about that. And the this script in particular, we were talking about it, Chris and Jamie and I were talking about it just the other night. She's very empowered for the era being a single mom with a job, living in an apartment. Divorced. Divorced. Yeah, it's not that he died, he is she is divorced. It is a part of the story. And you didn't see a lot of that. We didn't talk about it if it was happening. Um, so I think that's a big part of it too. It sort of puts this she has to have so many different levels. She has to be able to be soft, she has to be a professional, she has to be a mom. And then there has to be this weird dynamic of being a woman in the 40s, which is very interesting.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Jamie, let's talk a little bit about your preparation. Um, and so you had done community theater before, you said in in Minnesota, and then when you were in LA as well, or uh well, I just the quick version of my my journey.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I started community theater in Minnesota and then I got involved with college theater and things, and then I went to grad school in Florida State, and then moved out here to do like you know TV and commercial stuff. So I did in like 2007 or 2007 to the mid you know 20 teens, I was you know, pounding the pavement and and you know, driving to Santa Monica at 10:30 on a Tuesday for that one-word commercial audition and you know, got got a few jobs and a few roles, uh, but theater was hard to do, right? Because you know, we had to have all these gig works and I would umpire softball games at night and you know, and and substitute teach during the day. And so life was happening. Trying to do a play was hard. So there was a lot of readings, I did a lot of improv and and auditioning and all that. And then uh when my uh you know, I got married in 2017, and then we had two kids, and so I really didn't do a whole lot because I was at home, and then COVID happened, and so I hadn't been on stage for a while, you know, doing a play and a lot of writing, you know, I'd spend my time in the early 2020s just kind of writing because I'm like, well, I can be at home, I don't have you know, I can help help with the kids, and I'd you know try to write some plays, write some screenplays, and it was just my outlet for you know, my creative my creative juices were that way, but now life has slowed down a little bit, you know. Girls are in school, moved here, and so it's like, oh my gosh, it's so nice to be back in the theater because one thing, you know, I I've been acting for a while and I loved um what I discovered kind of getting some work in in LA and and on camera and stuff. I was like, oh, okay, you know, I'm on camera, I'm doing professional work and this and that. But you know, you go back to your dressing room or go back to your car, and like that's it, the day's over. Yeah. The theater, it's like there there's a I mean, community theater, there is a community, there is the connection. You do get to know people, you get to go on the journey together. And there's something that's very nurturing for the soul uh when that happens, right? Because you go on this ride for six weeks or eight weeks, and you get to know people and you get to build relationships and you get to put on a s a show together, right? And so that is is something that I'm discovering, like, oh, I I really love that, you know, and it and it's not for any external thing. It's just like, no, this is this is really just fun for me. This is this is uh and these people have been just really fun to work with. So Fred Gailey, my my part, you know, uh Chris, you know, we we quickly became uh Facebook friends after uh the audition and everything, and and one of my old directors, who's now now a longtime friend, Mike, his name is Mike Richie. He was my first first director, and we become friends, and you know, he saw that I was cast as Fred Gailey. And and Mike writes, oh uh Fred Gailey's perfect for you, Jamie. And and Chris comes like, oh, I guess I did good casting. And I'm like, Yeah, I think I think you know, so with Fred, it's there's the challenge and the fun challenge of okay, I know this this type is a type that I've played and have been casting before, but how do I, you know, he's a he's a nice guy, right? And I kind of have, as my wife says, a resting nice face, especially when I'm shaved. Um something else, which we won't say not here, but um so it's like how how do I, you know, make Fred my own? And so I think with Fred, some of the fun is like the period, like how do I, even with voice and gestures, how to make it sound, you know, 1940s, New York. Uh so there's some fun with that. And the courtroom scenes are really fun. It's like, how do I, you know, because that's a that's a trope that people oh, people know courtroom dramas, they see it on TV all the time, law and order, everybody knows the courtroom scene. And so I've never really, just like uh Tiffany is saying, has never played a mother, I've I've never gotten to play a courtroom scene, so that's a fun challenge. And there is one scene uh that is just Tiffany and I in the in act two that feels on its own out of place, right? It because it's it's dramatic and there's meat there, and in the course of the story, it makes total sense. But that scene has been something it's like, okay, we really get to have this nice like two-person drama scene in this in this feel-good story. Um, so there's a lot of fun little moments here, and and Fred's been, you know, it's nice to play a type, you know, type that is is familiar, but also these little challenges within it. That's wonderful. That's wonderful.
SPEAKER_01:Jack. Yes. Welcome back. I'm still I'm just still in shock over the 30 years. I I it's really just making me feel warm, happy inside, you know, because I'm fairly new to the theater. I got on into the theater through my kids that got involved, right? And then since then, I was I was lucky enough to act and doing the podcast and all this other stuff. But um just fabulous, fabulous to have you here and love to know more, a little bit about your approach going into playing kind of an iconic role. I mean, yeah, I think a lot of people know this guy.
SPEAKER_02:I mean, you know, so you well 40 years ago, I auditioned first time at CBLT. They were doing a Christmas show. Uh She Loves Me. Providence Hollander was directing, who was a Broadway actress at the time and was doing this little theater thing. So I went and auditioned for it, and I didn't know what I was doing. I hadn't done anything since high school. Um so they they get on stage and it was very intimidating because the director chair was in the middle of the row, and the uh producer and and the stage manager and all the bigwigs, okay, what are you gonna do for us? I don't know. Okay, well, uh, what are you gonna sing? They're singing. I didn't. Okay. So it ended with them saying, Okay, well, thanks for coming out. Um, we'll call you. And I said, you know, I haven't done theater before, but I know what don't call us, we'll call you means. I would just like to be in the play. I do anything. You put a put uh a blanket over me, I'll be a chair. I'll hold a light bulb. What do you want? You know, anything on this? Oh, you do back? Sure. So I did, and I had such a good time. Such a good time. It's uh to me, it's like a team sport. Everybody working together, agreed. Um second show I auditioned for was uh George Washington Slept Year, and they cast me in the lead. So I'm going, oh okay. Welcome. So it was it was I had a 10-year run there that was, I just happened to blast.
SPEAKER_01:That's fantastic. And then life happened, and yeah, you know, okay. But you're back, yeah, and you're cast as Chris Kringle. Yeah. Other AK known as Santa, the big guy. So uh what goes into prepping for this role for you from your perspective?
SPEAKER_02:Really, not much because the person I am Santa. The personality is me. That's who I am. Uh so it just makes a little more fun. Yeah. Quiz said they're you know, they're adding some music and stuff to it. I said, that adds so much. Oh, pardon me. Adds so much to it. Uh so I said, Well, what do I do? And so he says, Well, you're gonna be saying good King Wenceslaus. Okay, well, I can do that in Dutch. Well, what? Oh, we're doing it and it's coming up. The preparation is just I was born in 49. So all All these things that you're looking at trying to dig up on YouTube. I saw his first runs as a kid. True. And uh Miracle on 34th Street is just doing the 40s kind of style.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:You know, the transatlantic accents that you can kick in and just have fun with. It's just a really, really good time. And Chris and I are basically on the same page from the from the beginning when he said, I'm gonna put it back in the 40s. Yes. Yeah. Yes, that's where it has to be. That's a good decision.
SPEAKER_01:And it's obviously impacted your cast, Chris, which is each one of them has spoken about how that's guided them in their character development. So and and I think, you know, again, there is that sensibility that you that you can bring out from that time and that era and that age. And I think it's gonna hit home pretty good with the era and age that we're in right now. So excited that you did that. Um we've had a chance to talk to these wonderful people, but tell us a little bit about more about the rest of your creative team and some of the other cast members.
SPEAKER_00:Oh goodness, we have a lot of people uh that are contributing to this show. Um, not to mention I was gonna say one person that I definitely don't want to leave out is our little Susan, who has played. Um she's um we we didn't really have enough room, but um she's at an equally large role uh to the ones that are here. Um but Susan is Doris's daughter, and she's the the the one, you know, Doris has uh been uh not exactly the mother for someone to believe in Santa Claus. Uh in fact, she's told her daughter that you know there is no Santa Claus. You believe you believe in yes, there are no all there on there are no alternative facts with uh Doris. Uh she you know she uh tells her daughter to believe what is real. And uh so there's not a lot of wiggle room with with Doris, and that's where the basic conflict comes in with uh you know with Fred, uh, because he's a much much different character, much more open to uh believing other things and and and having faith and and and stuff like that. But I'm getting away from all that. But anyway, Sammy Grimley, who is uh people long time you know p CCT people will know.
SPEAKER_01:You were Mamma Mia together, I remember.
SPEAKER_00:Sammy's uh mom, uh Stephanie, who is also in our show. She plays Dr. Pierce.
SPEAKER_01:Wonderful.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so Sammy is is doing a wonderful job as as Susan, and uh she she in fact premiered uh the part uh doing it for our reveal scene. So uh she she charmed uh our audiences already. So I think uh she's it just we have a couple weeks to go, so she's just gonna be even better, and they're just gonna adore her. And she's uh really, really charming. And uh it's a it's a big part for a little girl, and she's she's really doing a great job. And uh so I wanted to, you know, special mention to Sammy. We love Sammy, yes, and you will especially when you come and see this. She's just adorable. And uh, and we have I I can't unfortunately it would take me forever to go through the entire all the names, but uh, you can go online and you know check our website and more importantly, come see the show and see the program. But what's so great about this show is that everybody they're the God bless them, they come in and they're they may have only one or two lines, you know, for what we're rehearsing that night. And they just give their all, you know, and we see these, you know, fully fleshed out characters who are just showing up for just a second. And that's what makes these kind of shows really great, is when it's not just seeing really good performances in the leads, and then everybody else is just kind of staring into space. You're seeing everybody fully engaged and everybody uh feeling, and that's what I really wanted is everyone to feel like they're an essential part of this particular show because there's so many, like I said before, so many elements to it. And uh I want everyone to to know that they are an essential element to it, and uh and it just adds so much, you know, to the basic uh you know, tapestry that we're that we're trying to.
SPEAKER_01:And I can I can tell just from this short conversation that the energy of the entire cast and crew is that drawing light, I would imagine, for people that are coming in just for one line, you know, but they want to be within the group, and you guys are looking forward to it. You you know, you're meant you've mentioned that's like I look forward to this. It's my chance to just kind of get away from the day stuff. So that's a testament, Chris, to you and the leadership that you're providing. And I've been fortunate enough to be a part of one of your productions, and and obviously have seen a lot. So kudos to you and for to have that as a vision, but I I really feel like it's been created and and I'm excited to see that on the stage.
SPEAKER_00:So yeah, well, you know, and I also should mention I have Paige Pulsine, who is our who I almost said artistic director, she's uh my assistant director. Okay. And uh Paige is somebody who people will remember from the children's hour, and she was in August Osage County, she's been on a lot of shows here. Um, but she offered, she said, Hey, you know, I'd really like to be involved in a show. Um, are you looking for anybody to to help with, you know, I said, be my assistant director. And now she's gonna be the stage manager too. Uh and she roped in her husband to do our set. And I was really worried about theater. I was I was worried about the set because it's you know, it's one thing where we have act one is basically Macy's, and then act two is a courtroom. So we had to to make a set that kind of works for both. And I think Brad did a really great job um in doing that, and uh, I think it's it's gonna be a really fun what we we're still working on it. Yeah, we still have a lot of work to do. We were painting all day yesterday. Yeah, uh, so we're we're getting there. But uh we have a great crew. Uh Alex Huey is doing our costumes, and and they were here uh with Karen Larson uh pulling all the the 40s era stuff that we have uh from the our costume dungeon uh that we have. Uh and uh so you know that's another thing, you know. When I knew when we were going to the 40s, I was like, ooh, you know, that's period. Yeah, that's definitely more challenging for the uh costumer. But we have Alex Huey and she's she's another one, a kind of a staple at CCT. So um she's done ever kind of everything here. Um so she took this on and she's really uh seems to be excited by the challenge, and and uh and I I swear to god I didn't cast Tiffany because of her her stash of 40s clothes, but it definitely comes in. But it wasn't in handy. It wasn't been in handy. Yes, it definitely comes in handy.
SPEAKER_01:And I want to say too, as well, uh you mentioning the names that you've mentioned, and you know, we have some newcomers to CCT, but you know, not to to community theater. But a lot of these people that you're mentioning are actors as well. And so I love seeing that that people get on both sides if as it were, you know, they get on stage, but they also get are part of that, whether it's props, whether it's this, you know, whether it's the scene, whether it's clothing, whether it's whatever it is that that I think it helps them as well, not only as part of the creative team, but as actors as well. Right.
SPEAKER_00:And I love to hear people like what page did come up and say, I just want to be involved. Like just whatever it is you have for me, yeah, I'll do it. And uh that's like the true like theater person that's just like I need to be in theater right now. Yeah, just whatever you got for me, I'll take. And that's wonderful.
SPEAKER_02:Jack, one of the things that I think about you did such a good job casting the heavies. Every play, you know, this you have to have the heavies. So we have a Mr. Sawyer and we have the prosecutor.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, Danny Chase as Sawyer and uh and Mary and Mary uh Reichert, I think is how you pronounce her last name. Sorry, Mary, if I did it wrong. Uh she's playing uh Mrs. Mara, our uh yeah, uh Fred's nemesis in court. And uh they're they're really great playing off each other. And wonderful. Yeah, yeah, they're do they're they're great. You're right. You you gotta have some.
SPEAKER_02:And the interesting thing is typically the nicest people in the world. Yeah. But you see them in the show and it's woo, yes, get off.
SPEAKER_01:Well, I love that you're bringing that up, the the chemistry between those that have been cast. Um but I wanted to ask something that, you know, for our and and I'm gonna say this on purpose, our little theater, you know, if you're coming from being used to be a part of a larger theater, uh, are to new to this theater, what was that first reaction and how are you adjusting to having what is somewhat of a small space for a community theater?
SPEAKER_02:It's interesting, there's no wings which makes the set design construction, but yeah, but it's really nice because it's very intimate. Still big big cast. Yeah, set design changes, but not a bad seat in the house. That's very true.
SPEAKER_01:Very true.
SPEAKER_04:Yeah, I mean, uh I think with the theater there there's all different shapes and sizes, and some things remain the same, you know. Uh I mentioned earlier the smell of a theater, and you walk in and and the sound when you're you know speaking up on stage, and you kind of adjust to okay, well, this is gonna be this size of a house, or maybe this is gonna be a huge house, and you kind of uh adjust, but a lot of it remains the same. And and one thing I love about this, I you know, I was able to come tomorrow or yesterday for a little bit to paint and last week to pick up a screw gun and you know try to make my way through that and hold a piece of wood while it was sawed, and and all that stuff is really fun, you know, that that you don't get to do in uh in a different setting or professional setting. It's like, okay, well, this is the union job to do this or that or the other thing. It's like, oh, you pick a you know, we're part of a team, as Jack said, the team sport. And I think you know, I grew up playing basketball and baseball in high school, and that was something that I loved being part of that that group. And theater had you know, once I hit college, took that over. And um, so yeah, there's some differences as far as house size and stuff, but all the the good stuff is is the same. And I think this community, what I found is like people just help each other out, and and that's been one thing that you know, I've only been in town for six months, and uh that's what I found with this community. It's like, oh, we people, you know, the the children's theater is working with the schools, and the children's theater and the community theater, you know, are sharing resources and everybody's lending a hand, and that's just a really fun community to be a part of. You know, I grew up in a small town, and that was kind of the feeling, like, oh, this is a small town. Like, oh yeah, I'll help you. Oh, let me you need to jump on your car, I'll help you. Oh, you need to help with and that you don't get in a bigger city or whatever, but in a in a town, in a community, it's like, oh, this is it, it really feels good and feels at home to me. And so um every theater has its own uh size and shape, and you know, there's I think there's something of the about the people here that make the theater, and that's what's that's what's really cool.
SPEAKER_01:Well, um, you're not gonna get an argument from me on that, and I'm fortunate enough that I get to um uh also see what's going on in our schools and uh have children that are involved in theater, and then we've also been uh just started our new Inland Empire steps of the stage, and we're gonna hopefully get some more uh episodes out about that because we do have a number of theaters throughout our area, and we also have, as mentioned, the uh high schools and some of the junior colleges and colleges as well, and it's just about that community. And thank you so much for saying that because it is really about the people. We can paint it, we can make it look great, we can put an amazing costume on it, but it's about that person and then how they play that role, how they're directed, and and taking that well-written message. So this is just fantastic. I I'm really excited about this. I do love my holidays and uh very excited and having uh been fortunate enough to be a part one of the holiday production.
SPEAKER_00:Oh, one thing I'd like to mention too is uh because I just did a deep dive into the 1940s uh for this show, uh, I wanted to do something a little different, you know, for our audiences. So I I started finding all these old radio shows, and I was like, wouldn't it be fun to do uh to play a different old radio program from December of 1947 from when we're setting this? So um I have I I think I have our our schedule, you know, so it's gonna be so if you come early, you know, you'll be able to sit and listen to eat uh either the Christmas episode of Burns and Allen from that year or Jack Benny Show or Fibber, McGee and Molly, which is something probably no one's ever heard of now, but um that was a huge hit at the time. Uh and Bing Crosby, of course. So um, so yeah, that'll be just something a little extra uh just to get people in the 1940s, you know, mindset uh as as uh they're waiting for the show to start. I love that.
SPEAKER_01:Well, everyone, our miracle on 34th Street, the play, um, is going to debut on December 5th. It is going to run through the December 20th. The performances will be on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 30 p.m. and on Sundays at 2 30 p.m. Tickets are available now. You can call the box office at 909-590-1149, or you can go to our website at Chino Community Theater.org one more time for those that are listening. Chinocommunity theater.org.
SPEAKER_00:Um and we would really we actually do have, I should say, two Saturday matinees. Oh, okay. Uh that the the it the postcard is a little confusing, but um yeah, the last two weekends, we do have a Saturday matinee. Wonderful. So we have two performances on uh Saturday, the last two weekends.
SPEAKER_01:And then I know in the past many of the CCT productions do uh opening night gala and talk back. Yes, exactly.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, that is happening. Uh so if you come on opening night, there will be a little gala afterwards. Kind of if you came to the season reveal, it's kind of the same thing, you know, where we have a green room set up with some food and drink, and you know, people mingle and you know talk to the cast and stuff. It's very it's very fun. And it's free, you know, so we don't charge any extra for that for your tickets. So it's a good reason to come on opening night.
SPEAKER_01:An already very reasonable price ticket.
SPEAKER_00:Yes, it it for sure. And and then we will be having a talk back, which I I I should know that date, uh, but I think it's the first Sunday. Okay. Yes, yeah, the first Sunday, because sometimes we change it for for the three on the edge uh festival. But um uh the first Sunday, uh, we're gonna have a talk back with the cast uh that we've been starting to do with uh our productions uh for a few years now, and and and audiences seem to enjoy it.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I I I do I do appreciate that that that happens. Jamie, Jack, Tiffany, Chris. Thank you so much for spending some time with us today. Thank you, Chris. Steps to the stage. Great to meet you guys, great to see you guys again. I hope we see you again and do another interview for another production. And just so fantastic to hear and welcome back, Chris. Welcome back, right? Uh so thank you, everyone. Thanks to all the listeners again. Get your tickets now. This will sell out. Please get your tickets now. Our holiday events always sell out.
SPEAKER_00:I believe December 7th is already sold out or close to sold out.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, there you go. So you gotta come and see this production. And as we've been mentioning throughout, support your local community theaters wherever you're at. We have international listeners. We so appreciate you. Send us a know, send us a message, talk to us. We want to hear. I'd love to interview some of you people that are overseas. We've done an interview with uh a production from Australia, and we'd love to include Europe and some other places on top of our beautiful inland empire and our theaters here that we love. We just love community theater. So thank you so much, you guys. Appreciate you, appreciate you uh spending time today, but especially for putting your all into this production. And I know everyone who comes and has the wonderful opportunity to see it is just going to have a magical evening. So thanks you all. Thank you.
SPEAKER_03:Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.
SPEAKER_01:Thanks for listening to Steps to the Stage, a 7 Street Community Theater podcast. Follow us on your favorite podcast platform and leave us a review and a five-star rating. It really helps. You can also find us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Special thanks to Chino Community Theater and Chino Community Children's Theater for their generous support. And very special thank you to the listeners. Steps to the Stage was created by Joey Rice and Kirk Wayne. Logo created by Marley Lane. Original music by Joey Rice. Your host, Kirk Lane. Engineer and producer, Joey Rice. Engineer and executive producer, Kirk Lane.
