Publication Date: Friday, December 19, 2003
Crazy for 'The Nutcracker'
Crazy for 'The Nutcracker'
(December 19, 2003) A new production combines a Chanukah tale with Tchaikovsky's famed score
by Melinda Casillas
I t hasn't even premiered, but it already has the makings of a new theatrical tradition -- one that will finally give Jews and Gentiles alike the perfect holiday entertainment alternative.
"The MeshugaNutcracker!" (meshuga is Yiddish for "crazy") was conceived and written by Scott and Shannon Guggenheim in an attempt to both lessen and poke fun at the Jewish "December dilemma," as Shannon calls it.
"Are Jews supposed to think Christmas decorations are beautiful?" Shannon asked, explaining that many Jews feel displaced and a little lost this time of year.
The solution: Craft a play that blends the joy of Chanukah with the timeless music of Peter Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker."
Based on stories written and adapted by Eric A. Kimmel ("The Jar of Fools") and Peninnah Schram and Steven M. Rosman ("Eight Stories for Eight Nights"), "The MeschugaNutcracker!" tells the tale of a fictional town of fools called Chelm and the desire -- need, even -- of its eccentric citizens to produce a meaningful, poignant play about Chanukah.
In search of the true meaning of the holiday, the director goes missing just as the misguided Chelmniks are gearing up for their performance. He leaves them a book of eight Jewish stories and tells the actors to read it in order to gain a better insight into Chanukah. The townspeople find themselves wrapped up in the tales as opening night approaches, but still their director is AWOL.
"It's definitely a show for both kids and adults. It's colorful, with lots of sight-comedy, but witty and full of puns," Shannon said. "It's not a satire ... We're not 'roasting' Christmas or ''The Nutcracker' score by any means, in fact we're being reverent. We're just giving people a new way to listen to the music."
Aside from giving theater patrons an alternative to traditional holiday fare, the Guggenheims, in association with the National Jewish Theatre Festival (a Fremont-based non-profit) and Albert L. Schultz Jewish Community Center, hope to educate the public about Chanukah.
"There are so many great things about Chanukah that most people -- even Jews -- don't know about. It's a powerful and amazing holiday," said Shannon, who co-runs Guggenheim Entertainment with her husband, Scott.
Celebrated for eight days in the winter and literally translated to mean "dedication," Chanukah commemorates the defeat of the 2nd-century Syrian-Greek regime that sought to convert the Jewish people to Hellenism. In response to this oppression, a small band of Jews, led by Judah the Maccabee, took to the hills in open revolt against this threat to Jewish life.
Although outnumbered by tens of thousands, the Maccabees succeeded in driving the foreigners from their land and reclaimed the Holy Temple in Jerusalem. They searched the temple for oil to light the menorah, but only found one small jar, which miraculously burned for eight days. Ever since, Jews have observed Chanukah for eight days, in honor of the historic victory over their oppressors and the miracle of the oil.
Every note in "The MeshugaNutcracker!" musical comedy comes directly from the original "Nutcracker Ballet" score. Shannon, who wrote the libretto for the production, was surprised to learn there were more than 20 distinct melodies in the ballet.
Humming a few bars of the "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairies" Shannon said, "Everyone knows that, right? But there's so much more that people should hear."
Keeping it in the family, Scott will direct the two-act production, and his brother, Stephen, will be the musical director.
"We started with the name, which is backwards from the way most things are written. We thought, 'OK, we have this great title, now what?'" Shannon said. The entire musical was written in about two months, although the original concept came to them a few years ago. They brought a song or two to a National Jewish Festival workshop and held a preview concert for rabbis and other well-respected members of the Jewish community.
"It was very well-received," Shannon said.
Then, in a stroke of luck, the Guggenheims found a venue for their production. The Cubberley Community Center Theatre became available during the fourth week in December. It was quite the coup, as theater space is hard to come by at this time of year. The Guggenheims jumped at the opportunity to bring the production to Palo Alto for an eight-day run. They plan to eventually take "The MeshugaNutcracker!" from community to community, but in this "honeymoon" year will only offer a limited run at Cubberley.
What: "The MeshugaNutcracker," presented by the National Jewish Theatre Festival
Where: Cubberley Community Center Theatre, 4000 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto.
When: Dec. 20-28. Show times are Saturday, Monday and Tuesday at 8 p.m.; Sundays and Christmas Day at 3 and 7 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $15-$25. To order tickets, please call (877) 456-4849.
Info: Please visit www.njtf.org
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