‘What-A-Christmas!’ premieres as Houston’s answer to a holiday classic
The Alley Theatre is ready for the holiday season with the world premiere of ‘What-A-Christmas!’, a wonderful way to end the year and celebrate Christmas, and a real holiday gift to the city of Houston.
Written by one of the city’s own rising star Isaac Gomez, the play is a twist on the classic Charles Dickens tale ‘A Christmas Carol‘ but with a Texas take starring the stunning force that is Briana J. Resa. Directed by the talented KJ Sanchez, ‘What-A-Christmas’ is the one-woman show that grabs you from the beginning and takes you for a powerful heartfelt ride and exemplifies everything magical about the holiday season.
An adult holiday comedy with a Texas scrooge named Margot (played by Briana Resa) who is flipping burgers, flinging fries and seeing spirits. The Christmas Eve overnight shift at “Wannaburger” is her personal tradition, even if that means spending the holiday dealing with grumpy drive-thru customers and an equally grumpy robotic toy Santa (Voiced by Orlando Arriaga). What was meant to be a usual night turns into a night filled with some late-night visits from spirits and Margot has no choice but to roll with the punches and confront the very Scrooge she has become. It’s a Christmas Eve like none other in this brand-new holiday show filled with humor and heart set right here in Houston.
Briana Resa absolutely dominates the show and leaves you wondering why other actors are even necessary with talent like hers. From the opening drive-thru order, Resa commands the room and shows she is a real double threat showing her range as an actor, and with a singing ability like that of the late great Selena. From her control of the room to the way she delivered her lines the audience was hooked and waited with bated breath at every word.
Isaac Gomez really poured their heart and soul into this story and while it was a fun ride from the start to the end it hit on such another level with universal themes and heart that will make the biggest holiday Grinch you know to shed a tear. It was a uniquely Texan perspective that breathed new life into the source material and begs to be a Houston tradition for locals and the Alley Theatre.
Manager of community partnerships for the Alley Theatre, Baldemar Rodriguez describes the play as “A part of the El Zocalo Initiative, and programs like these are paving the way for more Latin plays and programs to come to fruition at the Alley Theatre in the future”.
An excellent sign of things to come and is great to hear for future young actors of color or Latin descent, that they can now see someone who looks at them on stage and feel that stories similar to their lives are being represented is such a positive moving forward in a world sometimes stuck in the past. This play reminds you to always remember your roots and that regardless of the arguments or things said everyone is capable of forgiveness and hope, especially around this time of year.
Everything from the set dressings to the choices on the placement of key elements of the play were well thought out and very well chosen and the clever take on an iconic Texas fast food chain was all done with much care and was amazingly immersive. The 75 minute show moved at such a well-paced tempo it left many in the crowd calling for more. It was such a fun time at the theatre and an amazing way to spend the evening and if you are a Houston native it should be added to your must-watch list. ‘What-A-Christmas!’ runs through Dec. 30 every day at 7 pm except Mondays at the Alley Theatre in the Neuhaus Theatre with tickets sold online.
