The question remains the same, do you believe? Do you believe in the enchantment surrounding the holiday season, or the fact that goodwill and peace at this time of year is overflowing and magnificent, but should be practiced throughout the year?

Macy’s Department Store commercials encourage children to write a letter to Santa and put it in the mailbox at the store. Each letter deposited raises the belief meter, something essential to Santa’s existence.

With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, put down your credit cards and take a break from baking cookies and travel to the Lancaster Opera House, located at 21 Central Ave., to watch the performance of Miracle on 34th Street.

Miracle on 34th Street, produced by The Mystery Company, will be performed at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, and Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 19 and 20, and at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 17, Friday, Dec. 18 and Saturday, Dec. 19.

The opera house was fantastically decorated, but not over the top. There were bows and wreaths adorning the inside of the theatre, with a Christmas tree in the foyer. It was simple, yet perfect for the theatre setting, putting you in the holiday spirit before the show commenced.

When the perfect Santa Claus impersonator walks through Macy’s Department Store, Doris Walker, events director at Macy’s and skeptical mom who doesn’t believe in happily ever after, hires him. He gives his name as Kris Kringle and won’t waiver from this persona. Doris’ daughter, Susan, along with her mother do not believe in fairytales and are sensible and realistic people. Fred Gayley, a lawyer who lives next door to the Walkers, does believe in things that are not always visible to the untrained eye.

Kringle aspires to transform the Walkers’ perceptions and get them to believe in Santa, the season, and others around them. With a little holiday magic can the Walkers’ and the rest of the world be persuaded that there is a Santa?

At the start of the play, Mr. Macy, played by Bob Wagner, came out on stage treating the audience like employees of the store. He was one of my favorite characters in the performance. Wagner played Macy with precision. He was exactly as one would picture him; an old man who was concerned about his company’s welfare, but also had feelings and beliefs he would stand up for.

Kringle, played by Jerry Kelly who also served as producer and director of the production, was very convincing. He had kind eyes that really did sparkle and twinkle at the audience. There was something about Kelly that throughout his performance there was resounding positive energy. Kelly was also great as a mentor and healer.

Judge Harper, played by Irma Lewis, was surprisingly a female. In the two Hollywood adaptations, both were portrayed by males, so it was nice to see a female take over that role. Lewis was grandma-like, but also resembled Judge Judy. She was harsh, yet warm in her convictions.

Doris, played by Lucy Dadd, came off as snobbish and disillusioned at the world. In the past, she had been scored by the world and felt compelled to shy away from all good things. She was cold toward all, but her daughter. For Dadd, she was meant for the role.
Susan Walker, played by Kayla Nowak, was genuine in her role, just as Natalie Wood and Mara Wilson did in the 1947 and 1994 movie versions respectively.
Fred Gayley, played by Jacque Austin, was warm and friendly. At the end of Act One, when Susan and he kissed, you could tell there was chemistry on stage. Austin also was the perfect father figure to Nowak.

In between scenes, children carolers would come out and sing parts of Christmas songs, which passed the time perfectly while the scenes were getting made over.

Miracle on 34th Street was a heartwarming performance, perfect for this time of year. From what the actors conveyed, it was resolved that yes, there is a Santa Claus.
Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 for students and seniors and $13 for children.
For more information, visit lancopera.org , or call 683-1776.

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