Like many people, I love the 1983 film A Christmas Story, based on the semi-autobiographical short stories and personal essays of Jean Shepherd, and I watch it every year. Shepherd's story is sweet but not syrupy, capturing the preoccupations of American childhood: bullies, teachers, loving but clueless parents, the feverish anticipation of Christmas morning, and the mixed hope and fear that Santa Claus may or may not make all your dreams come true.

Pioneer Theatre Company's stage version of A Christmas Story, which opened Friday, Dec. 4 and plays until Dec. 19, is an amusing, nostalgic look at Christmas through a child's eyes, or more accurately, through the eyes of an adult recalling his best childhood Christmas. In the story, young Ralphie Parker, who lives in pre-World War II Hohman, Indiana, dreams of receiving an "Official Red Ryder carbine action 200-shot range model air rifle with a compass and this thing which tells time built right into the stock," but he's thwarted by his mother, teacher and even a department store Santa Claus who tell him, "You'll shoot your eye out!"

All the jokes from the film are in the stage version, including Ralphie's friend Flick getting his tongue stuck to a flagpole, Mr. Parker winning a ridiculous "major award," and Ralphie's fantasies of protecting his family from outlaws with his trusty air rifle.

All the actors in PTC's A Christmas Story do a fine job. I particularly liked young Mason Johnson of Park City as Ralphie. I also liked Jack Koenig as the adult Ralphie, the story's narrator, although the narrator, who wanders through the action, is somewhat intrusive in the stage version when compared with the film version. (In the film, Shepherd narrates his own story and doesn't appear on camera except for a short cameo.) PTC's A Christmas Story is played broadly for laughs, and I thought the warmth and love between Ralphie and his family that are shown in the film version were missing from PTC's version.

Pioneer Theatre Company
Pioneer Memorial Theatre
300 S. 1400 E. at the University of Utah
801-581-6961

Tickets:  Mondays-Thursdays and Saturday matinees, $22 and $34

Friday-Saturday nights, $26 and $40

Photo: L-R: Don Burroughs, Caden Maynes, Gabra Zackman, and Mason Johnson. By Alexander Weisman, courtesy of Pioneer Theatre Company

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I have to confess I've become tired of the Charles Dickens story A Christmas Carol. Over the years I've watched too many ridiculous sitcom/cartoon/movie adaptations of the story, in which various miserly curmudgeons undergo a change of heart through the efforts of various ghostly ministers. So even though Hale Centre Theatre has been putting on its production of A Christmas Carol every holiday season for 25 years, I haven't seen it until this year.

I was happy to discover that HCT's version of A Christmas Carol is faithful to the spirit of the original and wonderfully entertaining. A Christmas Carol endures as a story because it's both touching and clever, and HCT's production retains both of those qualities.

HCT's production weaves text from the 1843 story into the script and narration. The novel was adapted with the help of Richard Wilkins, a Dickens scholar who has portrayed Ebenezer Scrooge for the production's entire 25-year history. Wilkins, a former Brigham Young University professor, began playing Scrooge when he was 32 and now returns to Utah from his home in Qatar each year to play the role. A Christmas Carol is not a musical but incorporates original songs and carol arrangements by Utah composer Barlow Bradford.

As with most productions at HCT, the visual elements of A Christmas Carol are outstanding. The costumes are excellent, and the cast, stage and set are in constant motion. Special effects associated with the three ghosts are particularly entertaining. Standouts in the cast include Wilkins as Scrooge, Eric B. Armstrong as Jacob Marley and the Undertaker, Adam Dietlein as the young Scrooge, and young Andrew Lake as the Ghost of Christmas Past. (Note: This article reviews the Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday cast. Monday/Wednesday/Friday shows use a different cast, including David Weekes as Scrooge.)

Although I appreciated the script's faithfulness to the original, it became ponderous at times. I also thought the musical numbers could have been more effective. But I would highly recommend HCT's A Christmas Carol for just about anyone, including children ages six and older.

Hale Centre Theatre
3333 Decker Lake Dr. in West Valley City
801-984-9000
Tickets: $24-$30 for adults, $17-$20 for children ages 5-11
Child prices higher the week of Christmas; call for details.

Photo courtesy of Intrepid Agency and Hale Centre Theatre

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It's December, which makes me feel like giving, and feel like skiing. Fortunately, it's easy to do both with Brighton Quad Wednesdays. For three Wednesdays in December, starting tomorrow, you can get an Area Day Pass at Brighton Resort for $15 just for bringing a donation for a specific charity.

Dec. 2 - Bring a new blanket, warm hat, socks or gloves for The Road Home homeless shelter.

Dec. 9 - Bring a new, unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots

Dec. 16 - Bring a grocery bag of non-perishable food for the Utah Food Bank

All donations must be worth $10 or more

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BYU pulled off a thrilling overtime victory against the University of Utah Saturday, as Utah's defense, which had been causing headaches for the Cougar offense throughout the game, was unable to stop a 25-yard Max Hall touchdown pass to Andrew George to put the Cougars ahead 26-23.

The Ute offense moved the ball well in the first and fourth quarters but stalled in the middle of the game. The Cougars were held to a much-lower-than-average 265 yards total offense but managed to win in overtime.

After the game, Hall commented, "I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, I hate their fans, I hate everything. I think the whole university, their fans and their organization is classless. They threw beer on my family and stuff last year, and they did a whole bunch of nasty things, and I don't respect them, and they deserved to lose."

I have a lot of respect for Max Hall and the entire BYU football program, so I'm surprised Hall would talk like that in front of reporters after winning his senior rivalry game.  (By the way, "classless" doesn't mean what BYU fans and players think it means. Look it up in the dictionary.) Is Thomas S. Monson classless? He's a University of Utah alumnus and appeared in person to accept a University of Utah "Superfan" award about a month ago. What about Joseph B. Wirthlin? He was a dedicated Ute fan and gave motivational talks to the Utah football team up until his death.

Here's a proposal. Why not turn the Utah/BYU war of bitterness into a war of niceness? Utah fans, why not give a  neighbor who's a  BYU fan a red rose, with no irony and no hidden agenda?  BYU fans, why not give a Utah fan friend at work some blue frosted cupcakes, without any covert message? I'm kidding a bit here, but I'm also being serious. I'd like to see a grassroots movement to add some brotherly love to the Utah/BYU rivalry, and I think the Utah and BYU athletic departments and fan organizations could also get involved and take action change people's attitudes.

Listen to Hall's comments here

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