“Christmas Carol but make it Jewish” might be the tagline for A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical…but it deserves to be applauded for more than that. A new musical with music by Aaron Kenny, lyrics by Rob Berliner, and book by Berliner and Harrison Bryan, it’s about a millennial influencer, Chava Kanipshin (Samantha Sayah), trying to get her popularity back. Pushing away family, friends, and traditions, Chava, or “Va Va,” is Scrooge-like for a reason. She’s turning her back on all that made her her, for validation in the wrong place: online. Ultimately, a show with chaotic, outlandish extremes is joyous and powerful. It rises to the occasion of a holiday show in the spirit of A Christmas Carol, and raises standards for interesting new musicals tackling Jewish identity, healing, and self-acceptance.
We met Chava on Hanukkah Eve, when she’s “Bah humbug”ed out from Hanukkah spirit; with Sayah, it’s more of a disgusted “Eughhh humbug,” capturing a fun new Scrooge from the start. She schedules a mean-spirited video post about her best friend and roommate Barb Kratzyt (Bekah Zornosa), calling Barb a new “embarrassing loser” to stay relevant. Overnight, Chava is visited by the ghost of Mimi Marley (Kit Krull), her influencer hero who died doing the ice bucket challenge, whose ghostly form is trapped amidst a ring light and wires. Mimi warns Chava that she’ll be “#cursed” if she doesn’t change — so, onward Chava goes with the spirits of Hanukkah. Oh, also: There’s a Dickensian Orphan narrator plucked out of the 19th century, though this is present-day Brooklyn (played with sincerity, welcoming energy, and cheer by Katrina Michaels).
As the Ghost of Hanukkah Past takes Chava back to her childhood (played at this performance by understudy Sarah Cooney, with the chutzpah of Chava’s bubbes), Chava observes her younger self. Katrina Michaels as Past Chava is a tour de force, carrying the heart of the story as she relives the journey of loving her identity as a young girl on Hanukkah, facing antisemitic bullying from classmates (including blatantly mispronouncing her name), discovering the glamour of being an influencer as a teen, and abandoning her values of standing up against bullies. Also: There’s an ensemble family member who rocks a costume with two large latkes.
The Ghost of Hanukkah Present, played jovially and hilariously by Jordan Friend, who resembles the “Hanukkah Fairy,” whose existence Chava tried to defend to her classmates, then takes Chava through what people think of her right now. Barb mourns the old Chava in “The Girl I Used to Know,” a beautiful ballad shared with Chava’s parents (Aviva Pressley and Steven Routman), who are sad that she’s not visiting for Hanukkah. Also: Barb’s sickly cat Tim is dying. (That’s this story’s Tiny Tim, a puppet. At that point, I just about lost it.)
As she goes on with the Ghost of Hanukkah Future, it’s safe to say that Chava gets spooked and fears she will lose her loved ones forever. At this point, I wondered if this story could benefit from experiencing all eight nights of Hanukkah: if perhaps Chava doesn’t change her ways in one night, and there was a Groundhog Day-like way of reliving a Christmas Carol nightmare over and over before learning her lesson. Someone who’s pushed down who she is for so long might take time to love again. But the songs take us through the journey quickly, so it still made cohesive sense. Through the darker and the wilder moments, it works, even though conflicts in the middle section could drag if it was all book scenes — because the music keeps it together.
It’s rare to hear a score in a new musical that feels standard but also still has pop sensibilities. There are genuine earworms, like the boy-band-inspired ’90s-style choreography, “A Light in the Dark,” and the cheerful opener with tongue-in-cheek Jewish references on Hanukkah Eve, “It’s a Miracle.” This is also due to Charlie Rosen’s orchestrations. The five-piece band led by music director Caleb Hoyer was small but able to create lush sound reminiscent of holiday musicals like A Christmas Story, with beautiful woodwinds and strings moments. And big solos that could be belted are more soprano, by Sayah as Chava and Zornosa as Barb, allowing for heartfelt, intimate moments with lightness. For Sayah’s part, because her first solo is a mean-girl power pop ballad, the vocal contrast of the 11 o’clock number “Rekindled” is effective, making Chava’s transformational journey earned.
That’s in tandem with design choices that support the story’s larger-than-life, yet warm, feel. “Rekindled” ends with a deep, warm yellow spot on Chava as she kneels and prays: a striking image as she just sang about feeling light again. That speaks volumes as much as crazy strobes do (designed by Max Doolittle). Ivania Stack’s costumes are gorgeous; from classic winter gear in shades of blue to influencers’ sparkly sequin outfits, colors and styles pop and create a homey feel. In Andrew Cohen’s set, twisty stairs and gas lamps in snow give the air of a classic Christmas Carol story. A wall dividing sections of Round House’s turntable turns each side into something different in every scene: outside Chava’s apartment, to the inside of it with influencer decor, to Chava’s parents’ house decked out for Hanukkah, to school, to a Macy’s.
This specificity makes this show so great. It states at the beginning that it’s “a show for Jews” amid all the holiday shows, and yes, if you’re Jewish, the references will likely resonate; even if you’re not, the journey through regaining lost love for who you are, and where you came from, takes a fundamental part of the Christmas Carol story to new resonances that feel universal. See A Hanukkah Carol for a show that feels light and humorous this holiday season, that says more about identity, life, love, and generosity, and that gives you twists, turns, and surprises.
Running Time: Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission.
A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical plays through December 29, 2024, at Round House Theatre, 4545 East-West Highway, Bethesda, MD (one block from Bethesda Metro station). Tickets ($50–$108) can be purchased by calling 240-644-1100, visiting the box office, or online. (Learn more about special discounts here, accessibility here, and the Free Play program for students here.
View the digital program for A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical here.
COVID Safety: Round House Theatre no longer requires that audience members wear masks for most performances. However, masks are required for the performances December 10 and December 14 (matinee). Round House’s complete Health and Safety policy is here.
A Hanukkah Carol, or Gelt Trip! The Musical
Music by Aaron Kenny
Lyrics by Rob Berliner
Book by Harrison Bryan & Rob Berliner
Original Concept by Harrison Bryan
CAST
Hanukkah Present and more: Jordan Friend
Hanukkah Past and more: Nicole Halmos
Mimi Marley and more: Kit Krull
Dickensian Orphan and more: Katrina Michaels
Mom and more: Aviva Pressley
Dad and more: Steven Routman
Chava Kanipshin: Samantha Sayah
Barb Kratzyt: Bekah Zornosa
Understudies: Lily Burka (Dickensian Orphan, Barb Kratzyt and Mimi Marley u/s), Brian Lyons-Burke (Dad and Hanukkah Present u/s), Sarah Cooney (Mom and Hanukkah Past u/s), Bekah Zornosa (Chava Kanipshin u/s)
PRODUCTION TEAM
Directed and Choreographed by Marlo Hunter
Music Director: Caleb Hoyer
Set Designer: Andrew Cohen
Costume Designer: Ivania Stack
Lightning Designer: Max Doolittle
Sound Designer: Scott Stauffer
Illusion Designer: Ryan Phillips
Puppet Designer: Genna Beth Davison
Properties Coordinator: Andrea “Dre” Moore
Orchestrator: Charlie Rosen
Copyist: Danielle Gimbal
Keyboard Programmer: Randy Cohen
Dramaturg: Gabrielle Hoyt
Associate Director/Choreographer: Caitlin Ort
Associate Music Director: Lucia LaNave
Music Assistant: Paige Austin Rammelkamp
Casting Director: Sarah Cooney
Production Stage Manager: Che Wernsman
Assistant Stage Manager: Taylor Kiechlin
