Theater News

Paper Mill's A Christmas Story to Offer Autism-Friendly Performance

The Tony-nominated musical features a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.

Hudson Loverro (Randy), Colton Maurer (Ralphie), Elena Shaddow (Mother), and Chris Hoch (The Old Man) in A Christmas Story, directed by Brandon Ivie, at Paper Mill Playhouse.
Hudson Loverro (Randy), Colton Maurer (Ralphie), Elena Shaddow (Mother), and Chris Hoch (The Old Man) in A Christmas Story, directed by Brandon Ivie, at Paper Mill Playhouse.
(© Billy Bustamante)

New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse will offer an autism-friendly performance of Benj Pasek and Just Paul's Tony-nominated musical A Christmas Story: The Musical on Tuesday, December 29, at 1:30pm. This performance is designed specifically for people on the autism spectrum or with other developmental disabilities.

Broadway vets Chris Hoch and Elena Shaddow lead the cast as the Old Man and Mother. Judah Immanuel and Colton Maurer share the role of Ralphie, with Hudson Loverro as Randy, Ted Koch as Jean Shepherd, and Danette Holden as Miss Shields.

The adult ensemble includes Kyle Nicholas Anderson, Jacob ben Widmar, Jillian Butler, Andrew Cristi, Madge Dietrich, Carlos Encinias, Marjorie Failoni, Ellie Fishman, Thay Floyd, Benjamin Howes, Karen Hyland, Charlie Johnson, and Kirsten Wyatt. The children's ensemble includes Laurel Caruso, Vincenzo Faruolo, Parker James Fullmore, Ruby Griffin, Mackenzie Lewis, Anna McCarthy (Madison, NJ), Ryan McInnes, Gabriel Reis, Anthony Rosenthal, Dana Beth Steiner, and Gavin Swartz.

Brandon Ivie directs the production, which features a book by Joseph Robinette. The creative team is made up of Mara Newbery Greer (choreographer), Ben Whiteley (musical director), William Berloni (animal trainer), Walt Spangler (scenic design), Stephen Carmody (scenic coordination), Elizabeth Hope Clancy (costume design), Leon Dobkowski (costume coordination and additional design), F. Mitchell Dana (lighting design), Randy Hansen (sound design), and Leah Loukas (hair and wig design).

For more information and tickets, click here.

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