Monday, December 08, 2014

Nuncrackers @ Theatre Company of Saugus

This harmlessly fun series has always been deliciously innocuous. Director Becky Rush knows how to find the leverage in the material to anchor the show in true human emotions so that the humor comes from someplace real and the tender moments shine through while maintaining the evening's light atmosphere.

The talent on stage is second to none, and this is evident upon arrival. The cast members engage in conversation to the patrons in the cabaret-style setting to make us feel welcome and part of the show.

When performer Steve Russo isn't making us laugh non-stop during his cooking monologue, he is warming our hearts with his preceding ballad.

The women in the ensemble work extremely well together as evident by their spot-on harmonies. Their individual personalities and characters ( too many to mention at the risk of spoiler alerts ) are consistent and credible.

The children's ensemble brings additional joy to the show, especially with the impressive dancing during the ballet.

Audio enhancement for the puppet will make her number even stronger.

Making us laugh and smile until it hurts is a good thing. Doing it while reminding us what the season is all about is a true gift.


tcsaugus.org