Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical

The Island of Misfit Toys, the Abominable Snow Monster, and an elf who wants to be a dentist.

This is a faithful musical adaptation of the 1964 television special, adapted by Robert Penola with the original music and lyrics by Johnny Marks, and it puts Christmastown on stage. Ridiculed for his glowing nose, Rudolph leaves to find somewhere he belongs, falls in with Hermey the dentist elf and the prospector Yukon Cornelius, reaches the Island of Misfit Toys and runs into the Bumble. Then the snowstorm rolls in, Santa's sleigh is grounded, and the nose everyone mocked turns out to be the only thing that can get it airborne.

The message has not aged: being different is the point. A Holly Jolly Christmas is in there, along with the rest of the songs people already know by heart.

Directed by Amy Simmons and Nova Hall with musical direction by Dwayne Condon, produced by Sara Langrick. Jack Harold plays Rudolph, Teddy Benenson is Hermey, Matthew Carrothers and Leslie Messina are Mr. and Mrs. Claus, and David Baugnon is Yukon Cornelius, in a cast of more than thirty including reindeer and snowflake dancers and a set of featured pre show singers.

Ten performances across three weekends. Friday 20 and Saturday 21 November at 7pm and Sunday 22 November at 2pm, then Friday 4 December at 7pm, Saturday 5 December at both 2pm and 7pm, Sunday 6 December at 2pm, Friday 11 and Saturday 12 December at 7pm and Sunday 13 December at 2pm.

Note the gap. There are no performances on Thanksgiving weekend, 27 to 29 November. The run picks up again the following Friday.

Getting tickets. Booking runs through On The Stage, from the show's own page on the Town Players site. The box office is on 203-594-3636 and they answer email at info@tpnc.org.

Where to go. The Powerhouse Theatre is at 679 South Avenue in New Canaan, tucked into Waveny Park, and it is an easy run in from anywhere in lower Fairfield County.