REVIEW: Theater troupe serves up Christmas cheer

By Diana Nollen

AMANA - Iowa Theatre Artists Company is wrapping up its first season in its new home with a big bright bow. And some laughter, stories, music and a singalong.

 “All Wrapped Up For Christmas!” has all the trappings for a delightful romp through traditions with a bluegrass twist. It opened Thursday afternoon at the performing arts center in the former Barn restaurant in Amana and continues through Dec. 13.

Thomas P. Johnson, the company's co-founder and co-producer, has written and directed a colorful family feud that weaves in and out of secular and sacred seasonal songs. He's assembled a talented cast ranging in age from 11 to 75, equally adept at singing, acting, strumming strings or plunking percussion and piano.

Siblings Aunt Tilly (Meg Merckens of South Amana) and Uncle Earl (Mark Wilson of Hills) and their kin live on opposite sides of the same mountain, separated by a chasm as deep as their feud.

Grandpappy (a hilarious Marshall Nielsen of Cedar Falls) decides to bridge the gap by staging the first Boomchuck Family Christmas Reunion. He books a splendid mansion on neutral turf, hands over the family's gifts and decorations to the proprietor, then gathers everyone into a sleigh for the trip up the mountain.

But when the grand plans go horribly awry in a snowstorm, the feuding sides decide to make the best of their bad situation and strike up some music to pass the time in a make-do shelter.

Everybody gets their turn in the spotlight, showing off what they do best. Narrator Ryan Westwood of Davenport is wonderful at every turn and every character he plays, engaging the audience with his animated antics throughout the dialogue and his rich, full voice on “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas.” He even channels a little Elvis, thank you very much.

Stephani Daft of Iowa City makes a lovely debut on the troupe's stage, especially with her poignant solo on “O Holy Night.” At the other end of the holiday spectrum, Nielsen brings down the house with two favorite Christmas novelty songs, which you will have to see for yourself.

Especially delightful are the show's real siblings, Aaron, Alexander and Allison Ockenfels of Wellman. Not only are they adorable and sing very nicely, they play a mean fiddle, guitar, banjo and harmonica.

The music is led by the ever-effervescent pianist Karl Bodenbender of East Amana, who tears up the keyboards on “Jingle Bell Rock” and adds his flourishes wherever appropriate. A surprising bluegrass arrangement of “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” showcases the considerable instrumental talents of the entire cast, while “Angels We Have Heard on High” lets the vocal harmonies shine in a cappella passages.

Then be ready to clear your throat. “All Wrapped Up” wraps up with an audience singalong and more bows, which sent the opening matinee audience out with smiles all around.

FAST TAKEInformation: www.iowatheatreartists.org

What: “All Wrapped Up For Christmas!”

Where: Iowa Theatre Artists Company's Performing Arts Center, 4709 220th Trl., Amana

When: Nov. 19 to 22 and Dec. 3 to 13; 1:30 p.m. Thursday and Sunday, 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday; special Saturday matinee, 1:30 p.m. Dec. 5  

Tickets: $20 adults, $10 students; pre-Thanksgiving special of $5 ages 6 to 15 through Nov. 22; through the box office, (319) 622-3222