Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer: The Musical at The Coterie Holidays 2018

This holiday season, The Coterie brings beloved holiday television classic, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer , to stage where they bring the nostalgia of Christmas to life in a fabulous family-friendly musical showing through Dec. 31, 2018. 

This show sparkles with nostalgia, whimsy, and holiday fun. With beautiful sets, whimsical costumes and puppets, and an fabulously talented cast, our beloved Christmas story is as charming and fun as ever. This is a holiday must-see for KC families.

We all grew up with Rudolph. The heart-warming tale of friendship among an unlikely troupe of misfits and their adventures are perennial favorites. When Rudolph finds himself the center of attention and mockery, and a family disappointment, he runs away. On his journey, he runs into misfit elf Hermey who dreams not of making toys, but of a career in dentistry, and Yukon Cornelius an aspiring gold and silver prospector. The friends learn to find value in their uniqueness and individuality, they learn true loyalty and adventure, and they show courage in the face of danger as they meet, and ultimately befriend, the Abominable Snowman.

As a mom, I love the message at the heart of the film that everyone is special, everyone has value and that sometimes that differences can be strengths. 

This show has become a holiday tradition at The Coterie (alternating with A Charlie Brown Christmas). This production showcases all the favorite songs from the original musical and follows the story closely. As a fan of the television classic, I always look forward to The Coterie's rendition and this year I was once again delighted to discover that the stage show was even more fun than the program we've come to love on television. What I love most is that The Coterie does not try to "fix" or "change" a classic, but rather they took the elements we love and they made it their own with a professional touch simply adding charm to the original.

The costumes all played homage to the stop-motion animated characters in the show, the sets were colorful beautiful tributes to the tv backdrops, and even many of the character voices were markedly similar to the original cast. I especially enjoyed the charming use of puppetry for the misfit toys and forest characters in the scenes - each puppet beautifully made to look as good, if not better, than the tv originals.

When I attend a show at The Coterie I have come to expect a top-notch, over-the-top, creative, interactive, professional, theatrical production - and Rudolph whole-heartedly lives up to that reputation. 

The cast in the show was truly outstanding. Ron Lackey portrayed the narrating Snowman. His singing voice is spectacular and he does a marvelous job with his solo, Silver and Gold. Tony Pulford is absolutely charming and youthful as Rudolph, David Lavota brought many laughs as Hermey, Martin Buchanan is quite funny as Yukon Cornelius, the prospector who mangles famous sayings. The supporting actors were all terrific in their roles as elves, puppeteers, Santa, and Mrs. Claus.

What Parents Want to Know:

• The Scary Scenes: The Abominable Snowman is part of the show, just as his is on TV. The use of a very large puppet (larger than people) portrays this character. Some children in the audience were frightened by this character and climbed in laps for comfort.
• Seating: If you've never been to The Coterie it is good to know that seating is available for kids on the floor, with stadium seating for parents. The theater is small and intimate and this gives the best experience for the entire audience.
• Kids' Verdict: I took children ranging from 6 to 9 years old and they all LOVED it. They were singing the songs and acting out scenes on the way home that night. This show sparked the imagination and showed yet another fresh and inviting new world on The Coterie stage. Two thumbs up from KC kids and one happy mom!

SHOW DATES, TIMES & TICKETS

The Coterie will perform Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer  thru Dec. 31, in The Coterie Theatre located on level one of Crown Center Shops in Kansas City, MO.

• Individual Tickets: Tickets are $15-19/ea. This show will sell out.
• Group Pricing: The Coterie offers groups of 20 or more a special rate. Contact 816.474.6552 for information.
• All tickets and the Subscriptions are on sale now and may be purchased by calling The Coterie’s box office at (816) 474-6552, dropping by the box office on level one of the Crown Center Shops, or by visiting www.thecoterie.org.