Will Fort Wayne have a white Christmas this year? 

The Old Farmer’s Almanac bursts the annual yuletide bubble by predicting this will not be the case. NOAA’s historical average also points to just a 31 percent chance of at least one inch of snow. 

Despite these predictions, Fort Wayne Civic Theatre forecasts a 100 percent chance of a White Christmas happening one month early when the Irving Berlin classic takes the stage for three showings at Embassy Theatre, Friday-Saturday, Nov. 22-23.

Filling big shoes

This year marks 70 years since Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye looked on in awe as snow fell in Vermont after paying tribute to General Henry Waverly in the film White Christmas. 

Closer to home, actor Jordan Gameon hopes to inspire the same awe as he brings the iconic music to life on the stage. 

Gameon, who will portray Crosby’s Bob Wallace, said the “beautiful” music hastened him to audition for this particular production, although filling the shoes of Crosby and singing such well-known seasonal hits was admittedly a challenging task.

“I really enjoy singing, so it’s also kind of an exciting challenge for me to go out and do them justice,” he said.

Gameon also explained it was a special experience learning to portray Wallace, as the character’s surly demeanor contrasts previous roles he has played. 

“Bob tends to be a little more grouchy than I guess I would normally play on stage, or just be in general,” he said. “So those are different muscles for me to flex, which is kind of nice — actually kind of fun.”

In addition to that, he had to build an off-stage relationship with actor Adam Cesarz, who will portray Phil Davis opposite of Gameon, to better portray the unlikely friendship of the two characters.

“We’re like best friends in the show, and I didn’t really know Adam before — I’d seen him in a few shows,” Gameon said. “There has been additional effort just trying to get to know each other, try to build that camaraderie, and, you know, kind of a genuine trust that could be portrayed to the audience.”

Expectations

Veteran director Leslie Beauchamp, who is also the show’s choreographer, felt similarly about managing a show that has a large, nostalgic following. 

“I think it is the biggest challenge when you do something that is iconic,” she said, adding that navigating audience expectations was a major factor in directing the performance. 

While that expectation can be daunting, she said audiences’ love for the show is also a unique highlight of the piece. 

“It’s like wrapping yourself up in a warm sweater sitting in front of a fire with a cup of hot cocoa,” she said. “It brings that sense of nostalgia, and it brings a sense of belonging and warmth and kind of an escape from all of the shouting and all of the other noise that we hear, whether it’s on social media or on television or radio or whatever. So it’s been a nice escape for all of us.”

Remaining relevant

Even though the movie celebrates seven decades this year, Beauchamp said the story and lessons from White Christmas stay relevant and can even create conversation about the stresses of life compared to the so-called “simpler times” of the past. 

“I think everybody, when you’re living in your moment, always thinks that your time is particularly hectic, because sometimes we tend to look back on things with a little bit of that, you know, halcyon … at the time, they weren’t,” she said. “I mean, there was war. A war had just ended, there were lots of things like that.”

She also thinks the show may spark discussions about the people that audiences hold dear, especially as Thanksgiving and Christmas approach. She applauded the ability of art to make stories personal. 

“I do think that that is what this show will spark: A recognition that we, all of us, have people in our lives who we are appreciative of,” she said. “And I think when you see a show like this, that kind of brings that all full circle, I think you do then take it and make it personal — which is one of the things I think art is amazing at doing. It’s taking a story, and it’s not just a story that you see from afar, on stage or, you know, screen, or however you’re seeing it. But then you take that message and you make it personal, and you take it within yourself.”

Civic Theatre’s White Christmas is sure to not only wrap audiences in the warmth of the season but also remind them to appreciate their loved ones despite hectic times during this holiday season and in life.