Raaalphie!

Image: courtesy Curt Doughty
POOR RALPHIE. All he wants for Christmas is a Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot range model air rifle. Is that so wrong? Kansas City Repertory Theatre faithfully adapted the mischievous 1983 film A Christmas Story as a musical last year, and the producers hope it’s Broadway-bound after its Seattle premiere. As ever, nine-year-old Ralphie (Clarke Hallum, shown, with the glasses) battles the haters—his mother, his teacher, even a department-store Santa—who claim he’ll “shoot his eye out.” Will he find bliss under the Christmas tree? Or a pink bunny costume from Aunt Clara?