There are only four actresses in “Winter Wonderettes,” but they do the work of 20, said Kristofer Parker, director of the show at Centre Stage.
They sing, they dance, they interact with the audience, and they decorate the stage — all at the same time.
The 2003 jukebox musical, running Dec. 5-22 at Centre Stage, centers on a 1960s girl group called the Wonderettes. As the show begins, they’re entertaining folks at the annual Harper’s Hardware Holiday Party until Santa arrives.
But when Santa doesn’t show up, the girls use their talent and creative ingenuity to save the holiday party.
They sing 1960s-style close-harmony arrangements of holiday classics such as “Santa Baby,” “Santa Claus Is Comin’ to Town,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Run, Rudolph, Run,” and “Winter Wonderland,” among many others.
“It’s a lot of fun and very funny,” said Parker, who both directs and choreographs the show. “These actors are all comedic geniuses. It’s a very campy show with a lot of dancing and non-stop energy. Plus, the girls sound amazing together.”
Parker is a frequent actor and director at Centre Stage and serves as the artistic director of the Mauldin Theatre Co.
“Winter Wonderettes” is a sequel to the jukebox musical “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” which Greenville Theatre staged several years ago. “The Marvelous Wonderettes” premiered in 1999 and has been performed throughout the country, including off-Broadway in 2008 and 2016. It inspired three sequels, of which “Winter Wonderettes” was the first, premiering in 2003 at the Milwaukee Repertory Theater. All of the “Wonderettes” shows were created by writer and director Roger Bean.
Want to go?
What: “Winter Wonderettes,” by Roger Bean
When: Dec. 5-22
Where: Centre Stage, 501 River St., Greenville
Tickets: $33.50-$38.50
Info: 864-233-6733 or centrestage.org
