The Kokomo Civic Theater presents the stage version of the classic holiday movie White Christmas. Though the show evokes winter scenes with snow, ice and frigid temperatures, preliminary work on the play began with tap dancing sessions during the steamy summer.
Tapping Through Aches And Pains
"Yes, we dusted off the tap shoes during the summer. I had the idea of having some open sessions," says director and choreographer Beth Metcalf. "People enjoyed the tapping, and they were a little surprised at how much exercise it was. Some found that they were pretty sore after the first few classes."
The classes were a nice addition to summer activities in Kokomo. Three members of the cast of White Christmas's cast members came out of Metcalf's class.
Editing The Outline
The stage version of White Christmas closely follows the outline of the movie, though Metcalf says there are some cuts and some additions.
"We did cut some of the big scenes, you know the ones with lots of GIs, but we also added some as well. There's our big tap number to the tune 'I Love a Piano' and we didn't feel that we could do without 'Blue Skies.'"
Finding Danny Kay
Actor Ryand Richards is no stranger to Kokomo and Indianapolis audiences. "I was a vocal performance major at Marian College and I've been very active in the area," he says.
Richards has both the enviable and challenging opportunity to play the role that Danny Kay plays in the film. "I guess they saw the sort of dopey charm that's such a part of the role." It helps that Richards also has a background in dance. "I'm in at least every other scene."