A Breakthrough Family Christmas
Breakthrough Theater
Directed by Angela Cotto
Winter Park, FL
I’ll say this for Breakthrough: they give their youngest actors their biggest roles. It’s holiday cabaret time, and both the up and coming and season veterans take the stage to sing an eclectic program of songs. Young Tino Sanchez starts us off with a solid “Mr. Grinch.” He’s young, but still finds the bitterness in the original material. Tanesha Bridenback admits “her family kind of sucks,” and that’s why some of us flock to musical theater. She drops “Grown up Christmas List” and leaves us wanting more. then there’s a delightful dance accompaniment from Josiah and Brianna Betancourt as they sing “Winter Wonderland” About half way though the evening Marcus Davila leads us in the fun sing-along “Dominick the Donkey.” Dominic help Santa tackle the steep slopes of the Dolomites that the flying deer can’t go. My personal fave came from Iris Johnson and her backup singers in a soulful “The Christmas.” I recommend more sassy backup singers for the holiday revues; they keep the sappiness under control. Also on my hit list you’ll find Vicki and Marty Wicks recreating the well-known David Bowie / Bing Crosby “Peace on Earth /Little Drummer Boy.” Here we learn Bowie hated “Little Drummer Boy;” this only raises him even higher in my estimation. We wrap up with and ensemble number, and MC Wade Hair even broke up a little for us. Nothing says Christmas like a large man crying in joy.
