‘A Christmas Story, The Musical’ @ Bass Performance Hall (PAFW)
Photos by Gary Emord Netzley
—Rickey Wax
Who doesn’t love a Christmas show—and the touring company of A Christmas Story, The Musical, reminded us just how big the world (and our problems) felt when we were children. We know this story by heart, yet seeing it unfold at Bass Performance Hall as a musical offered us a fresh lens on something deeply familiar.
I hadn’t thought about this story for a while—and I admit I laughed a bit when the musical’s early scenes reminded me of its central plot point: our young hero Ralphie wants an air rifle for Christmas, and he’ll do anything to get one. Through an adult lens, it doesn’t seem like an Important Problem—a low-stakes kind of thing.
But then, memory stepped in and humbled me. I suddenly remembered how badly I wanted a PlayStation 2 as a kid, and how desperate that wanting felt. I was willing to barter my entire future on household chores for Santa’s blessing. It still makes me laugh that I did not seal the chores deal—but did get the PlayStation.
Set in 1940s Indiana, the story follows young Ralphie Parker and his season-long mission to secure the ultimate Christmas prize, his very own Red Ryder carbon-action two-hundred-shot range model air rifle with a compass in the stock and a thing that tells time. Adults around him repeat the same warning again and again, that “You’ll shoot your eye out.” Ralphie believes there’s room for negotiation. With only a handful of chances left before Christmas Day arrives, he launches strategy after strategy to plant the idea into the right ears, from parents to teachers to department store Santas.
Torben Mularski plays Ralphie on the 2025 tour. You believe his determination even when the objective is absurd. Gregory White as The Old Man is a steady comedic presence, delivering the recognizable gruff warmth that anchors the household. Kirsten Bleu Kaiser brings a gentle strength to the Mother, balancing patience with quiet authority(even at times she should be yelling at the top of her lungs). Mark Stoddard serves as Jean Shepherd, the omnipresent narrator, guiding the evening with warmth and wit. Mason Burnham as Randy steals moments with an annoying, nasally, whining voice and wide-eyed wonder about everything. (Sounds just like my little brother.)
Scenic design by Brian Hsieh turns the entire house into a giant moving storybook, rather like a dollhouse cracked open for us to peer inside. Parts of the home slide into place like an oversized game pieces. One of my favorite visual gags lands during the infamous tongue-on-flagpole scene: a massive window pane swoops down to separate the playground from the classroom in one swift theatrical gesture.
Charlie Morrison’s lighting relies on cool white washes and soft breakup patterns to simulate falling snow and winter daylight. Warren Carlyle’s choreography keeps things buoyant, especially during the tap numbers, which land as some of the production’s most energetic highlights.
The musical numbers by the team of Benj Pasek and Justin Paul are cheerful, and their standout moment of comic nonsense is the infamous leg lamp scene. What begins as a gag escalates into a full-blown song-and-dance number of spectacular absurdity.
What makes this touring production especially impressive is the youth of its ensemble. Much of the show rests on the shoulders of children, and they deliver with emotional clarity beyond their years, giving this show its heart.
A Christmas Story, The Musical—funny, tuneful, and nostalgic—arrives as a gentle reminder that grownups and their “big” doings grow from childhood yearnings that push our “little” selves to dream dreams and work for them. Go, Ralphie!
WHEN: December 5-7, 2025
WHERE: Bass Performance Hall, 525 Commerce St., Fort Worth
WEB: www.basshall.com
