By Eric George Tauber
SAN DIEGO — “I know this Christmas, every wish won’t come true, but I’m dreaming of Christmas with you.”
Everyone who has had a family member come back from a tour of duty knows that they never come back quite the same. You see in their eyes the dark shadows of war. Veterans have a hard time returning to normalcy. They want to suck it up, be strong and brave. But ghosts of the past haunt them where they are the most vulnerable.
Country music star Clint Black has done a lot of work with the USO and cares deeply for our veterans. An old-fashioned story balladeer with themes of family and faith, his songs were a perfect fit for a new musical Looking for Christmas now playing at the Old Globe.
Aaron C Finley plays Mike Randolf, an army medic on deployment in Afghanistan. Mike likes to hand out candy to the children as a goodwill gesture. He’s very likable, embodying the values of a faithful soldier, husband, father and friend. It will take a lot more than sugar to sweeten the situation, but every little bit helps.
Deployment is very hard on marriage and family life. Folks back home try to be supportive and understanding. Face timing on their phones helps, but it’s not the same. So they are delighted to learn that they might be home in time for Christmas. All they have to do is survive a little while longer.
Patrols through the marketplace are tense. The enemy doesn’t wear uniforms. Weapons and IEDs (improvised explosive devices) could be anywhere. Soldiers must keep their eyes and ears sharp, constantly scanning, reading faces and body language, looking for the subtlest hints of aggression.
Aaron C Finley and Liana Hunt have a sweet chemistry as Mike and Jessie Randolf. If you were playing matchmaker, you would put these two together. Half the globe separates them, but their hearts couldn’t be closer. It’s when he’s home, but not opening up, that they seem the farthest apart.
Deleon Dallas plays Douglas, Mike’s comrade and best friend. From his entrance, we are charmed by his winning smile and devil-may-care swag. The chemistry with his wife bubbles as they chat about coming home to her “sweet potato pie.” Syndee Winters has a rich depth to her voice, touching our souls with genuine feeling and beauty. The bond among military wives is touching. No one else really gets it.
Kaylin Hedges is a plucky, impish bon vivant as the daughter, Ellie. For a little girl, she has a surprisingly developed set of pipes. The kids are preparing for their church Christmas pageant, dressing up in makeshift “Biblical” costumes of bathrobes, bed sheets and fake beards. That the Nativity story takes place in Israel and all of the characters are Jewish gets a little glossed over. Though a little old to still believe in Santa, it’s fun to listen to their kid discussion how one guy running an arctic sweatshop manages the logistics and whether he ever goes to the beach.
Looking for Christmas isn’t about who celebrates which holiday. It’s about family. It’s about our need to cry for help, to be honest and vulnerable. If we don’t, we may push away those closest to us whom we need the most. I hope that this show is well attended by military families, especially those who don’t usually go to the theatre. And I hope that those families hold one another a little more closely, talk more openly and listen more attentively.
The New Clint Black Musical Looking for Christmas is playing at the Old Globe through Dec 31st, 2018.
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Tauber is a freelance writer specializing in coverage of the arts. He may be contacted via eric.tauber@sdjewishworld.com