What does White Christmas mean to you?
My husband is one of those people who loves old movies. White Christmas is no exception…he can tell you who played what role, the setting, plot, etc. I, on the other hand, am nothing like this. I have trouble remembering people that live down the street from me. So when we were offered tickets to go see Cornerstone University’s performance of White Christmas: The Musical we said “yes” for different reasons: he wanted to share a favorite old show with his son, I wanted to get acquainted with it for the first time.
Our evening started with a stop at the Twisted Rooster. We chose that restaurant in part for its unique, awesome food and also for it’s proximity to Matthew’s Auditorium where the show played out. I can’t give enough props to our waitress (sorry, I don’t remember your name) for expressing our food through the kitchen so we wouldn’t be late for showtime.
After a fabulous meal (did I say the food and service was good?) we made our way across the East Beltline.
I didn’t do my research and thought that Matthew’s Auditorium was on Cornerstone’s main campus. Not so. We drove around in the dark for awhile until I looked up the address and found we were supposed to be at 3000 Leonard (the campus of Grand Rapids Theological seminary) which was just around the corner.
Sliding in just before the show started, we were shown to our seats. For those of you who’ve seen the movie, you know that it is set between 1944 and 1954 and there are undercurrents of WWII themes woven throughout. I wish I would have known this…I would have prepped my 6-year old son and given him a bit of the back-story on the musical.
The performers were high-energy and skillful throughout the show. Tap-dancing numbers made us all want to get up and try it ourselves. Plus, Matthews Auditorium is a great place to stage a musical: The venue is not too large, so every seat has a nice view. A 10-minute intermission gave us time to stretch our legs and visit the concession stand.
Overall we had a really nice evening out. The timing (7:30 pm to 10pm) was a bit much for my 6-year old, but the 9-year old friend we brought along enjoyed herself. I would recommend this show to anyone aged 10 and over…what a fun way to get some holiday cheer, family time, and support the local arts all at once!
White Christmas is playing through December 12. If you’d like to try and win tickets to the show, click here. If you’re interested in purchasing them, click here.
