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| Northwest actor Grant Goodeve (left) has a bonding moment with young orphan Tom, in Taproot’s “The Christmas Foundling.” |
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| ‘The Christmas Foundling’ |
• On stage: Taproot Theatre, 204 North 85th St., Seattle, presents an adaptation of the Bret Harte story of California Gold Rush miners celebrating Christmas Eve who instead find themselves tasked with raising an orphaned child.
• Performances: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays & Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays & Saturdays, 2 p.m. Saturdays, through Dec. 27.
• Tickets: $25-$32, available by calling the box office at 206-781-9707, Ticketmaster at 206-292-ARTS or www.taproottheatre.org. Order tickets by Dec. 4 directly from Taproot’s box office and receive $5 off; mention “Early Bird Special” to receive discount. |
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Published: Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Message of Tap's 'Foundling' shines through
Grant Goodeve headlines this heartwarming holiday production
By Dale Burrows
For the Enterprise
Sierra Mountains, California Gold Rush, 1850. Miners celebrating Christmas Eve take in a woman in the throes of childbirth when she collapses on their door step. The woman dies delivering a baby boy and thereby leaves whiskey-drinking, saloon-brawling mountain men to raise a helpless infant. "The Christmas Foundling" is the title.
It sounds like a nativity story and is a nativity story but not The Nativity Story. The core values are Christian. The orientation is American tradition.
You wouldn't think a story line and characters inspired by Bret Harte's stories would resonate the way this one does. But as scripted by Norman Allen and staged by Taproot, it falls squarely inside our tradition of feel-good American theatre for the holidays. You can't see it and not respond.
Not because it is particularly original, you pretty much know what is going to happen before it happens. It doesn't matter. The way it happens, catches you up, strings you out and pulls you back together.
Setting the good-natured common sense that animates everything is local Northwest favorite, Grant Goodeve. As a guitar-strumming Scot in search of gold enough to buy back his family's lands in the old country, Goodeve, like troubadours and minstrels of old, sings a story and tells story for any occasion. His voice, delivery and stage presence make for a man's man other men listen to.
Jason Adkins puts across the surrogate father who can do no wrong, not because he knows how to raise a kid but because his heart is in the right place. Adkins lingers a little as an unknown in the early going. Toward show's end, you root for him.
Casi Wilkerson's blend of Bostonian snootiness tempered with high-mindedness and ladylike femininity, glows. A diamond in the rough, a real find.
David Anthony Lewis is the gruff Russian with a heart of gold; Justin Emerick, the underprivileged Bostonian who went West in search of fortune; and Erick Riedmann, the backwoods Southerner, hot-tempered and opinionated.
Danny Helms and Jake Lund alternate as Tom, the foundling.
This is light, bright holiday fare coming together with a solid Christmas message. Karen Lund's directing puts Christmas in America in the perspective of our holiday music, spirit of independence and respect for common sense when the country was young and anything was possible.
Recommended for all ages.
Reactions? Comments? Email Dale Burrows at grayghost7@comcast.net.
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