Iconic scene when Flick gets his tongue stuck to the frozen flag pole after a “triple dog dares” by Schwartz. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

Ralphie in a dream like sequence saves the day in “Ralphie to the Rescue” with his beloved Red Ryder® Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

Few holiday stories capture the magic of childhood like A Christmas Story, but for generations, audiences have laughed and cheered alongside Ralphie Parker as he dreams of finding a Red Ryder® Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle under the Christmas tree. With iconic moments from the leg lamp to the pink bunny suit to triple dog dares with a tongue getting stuck to a flagpole to the infamous line “You’ll shoot your eye out,” the familiar scenes of A Christmas Story will continue to bring holiday nostalgia to Broadway Palm Dinner Theatre audiences.

Based on the classic 1983 movie, A Christmas Story, brings its timeless humor, heart and nostalgia to Broadway Palm this holiday season from Nov. 21 through Dec. 28, 2025.

Directed by Prather Productions Resident Director/Choreographer Amy Marie McCleary, she is excited to reimagine this family holiday staple to life this holiday season.

“I love this show because it encapsulates two major Christmas themes – nostalgia and family,” McCleary said. “The show itself is a memory play, but most audiences have memories of watching the film, so it’s a double dose of Christmas memories.”

The Old Man basks in joy of his “ Major Award” as the Mother and Ralphie and Randy look on. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

With that enthusiasm and audience familiarity also comes the task of honoring a story that’s become a holiday tradition for countless families.

“Whenever I work on a show that is based on a film, I try to honor the original intent of the authors while bringing a fresh modern twist on it. For this production, I’m really inspired by the whimsy of childhood memories and hope to infuse the show with some fun surprises,” she described. “I’m particularly excited for all the school classroom scenes. The kids really drive a lot of the storyline, so I’m looking forward to creating with our young cast.”

Both parent leads are played by actors McCleary has worked with previously. “Moriel Behar is playing Mother and was most recently seen as Grace in ‘Annie.’ Ry Cavanagh is playing the Old Man and played many featured roles in Annie,” she continues. “They already have great chemistry on and off-stage, and I’m so excited for them to star in this production.”

Moriel Behar, playing Mother. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

New York residents Moriel Behar, playing The Mother (Mrs. Parker), alongside Ry Cavanagh, portraying The Old Man (Mr. Parker), are returning to Broadway Palm to reignite imaginations and take audiences back to the 1940s family dynamics during Christmas.

“Mother is the glue that holds the family together. Ralphie, Randy and The Old Man would be totally lost without her,” Behar believes. “I’m very excited to explore the relationship dynamics of a semi-dysfunctional family who all love each other very much in their own ways with my scene partners.”

A favorite song in the production for Behar is “The Genius on Cleveland Street,” a solo that The Old Man sings, with just a couple of supported lines from Mother. “I love this song because it really digs deep into The Old Man’s psyche and gives the audience a deep understanding of who he is. And our cast member, Ry Cavanagh, sings it beautifully.”

For Cavanagh, his favorite number is “Major Award,” when the leg lamp finally arrives at the Parker house. “It’s arguably the most memorable part from the original movie, and the way Mr. Parker outlandishly self-indulges in the show-stopping song that occurs is just hysterical,” he believes.

In addition to acting with Behar and performing under McCleary’s direction again, he said he is excited to return to Broadway Palm for his seventh production.

“What really excites me about this role are all the censored curses he mutters to himself,” he described. “There’s so much humor in trying to guess what the actual words he’s saying are supposed to be.”

Nostalgia is a strong theme and thread throughout A Christmas Story because the story is deeply rooted in universal childhood experiences, family traditions, and the cultural memory of mid-20th-century America.

RY Cavanagh, playing the Old Man. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

“I think what makes A Christmas Story such a cult classic is the universal nostalgia of what it’s like to be a kid during the holidays. When we’re young, everything is such a big deal and seems so much bigger than it is; so, when we recall back to that one amazing gift we wanted or received, the excitement of seeing houses decorated, the countdown to the big day, it’s like a big hug to the heart,” Cavanagh reflects.

A Christmas Story is known for its storytelling throughout both the movie and stage adaptations, and part of that success is through the voice of the Narrator.

“Jean Shepard is the narrator of the musical. He wrote a series of short stories which were used to create the film and was also a radio personality. Ralphie is a universal character, so while it’s clear Jean Shepard drew from his own childhood in Indiana in writing the stories, he isn’t necessarily the ‘adult Ralphie,’ although they have many similar qualities,” McCleary explained. “My dear friend Jonathan Van Dyke is playing the role. He was last seen at Broadway Palm as Zach in my production of ‘A Chorus Line.’ Jonathan is an expert storyteller and has an intensely relatable quality which will serve the role perfectly.”

The story is told from Ralphie’s point of view as a child, capturing the innocence, excitement, and small-scale dramas of youth—from wishing for a Red Ryder BB gun to navigating school and family life. This perspective allows audiences to reconnect with their own childhood feelings and memories, which naturally evokes nostalgia.

The role of the child Ralphie has been double cast and is being played by Ave Maria resident and 6th grader Joshua Guerra and Orlando-based Parker Ross Williams, who is in 8th grade. For both, a first-time role.

Guerra said, “I love performing. This is a classic story most people know and it’s great to think I can help bring it to life for them. I love all the songs. They’re catchy and fun to sing.”

For Williams, Ralphie was on his list of dream roles. “I’m really excited about the scene in the pink bunny suit,” he added. “The music in this show is a lot of fun, but I really like ‘Somewhere hovering over Indiana’.”

Joshua Guerra. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

Parker Ross Williams. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

For the staging element, audiences can expect to see a similar set and costumes; the direction and choreography are brand new for this 2025 production at Broadway Palm.

“The magic of the video wall will be new, and I also have some special surprises that will add to the whimsy,” McCleary said. “We have three big dance numbers which include a wild west number, a 1920s tap extravaganza and a leg lamp number. Both Ralphie and his father have big imaginations, which lead to some exciting choreography and staging.”

Behind the colorful sets and lively choreography, it’s the Parker family itself that gives the musical its heart. The interactions between Ralphie, his parents and his brother Randy make the story resonate with audiences of all ages.

“What resonates with me personally about the family dynamic is that they always try their best,” according to Cavanagh. “They’re imperfect, they fight, but at the end of the day, when things go wrong, they don’t let that ruin the love they have for one another.”

Behar explained she is paying most attention to how the parents try not to argue with each other in front of the boys, until it finally boils over in Act II. “They then have to deal with how to come back together as a team and how to make sure their boys are ok,” she continued. “I think we can all relate to having those moments, either with our own children or witnessing those challenging moments when we were kids.”

Mrs. Parker, the Mother, bundling Randy up so tight he can’t put his arms down as Ralphie looks on and they prepare to go outside in the snow on way to school. -BROADWAY PALM / COURTESY PHOTO

Additionally, she believes there’s a lot of pressure that the Parker family feels about making sure Christmas is the best day of the year. “Even if Christmas isn’t a holiday that you celebrate, I believe the audience will all resonate with that desperate feeling of wanting a certain day to go off without a hitch.”

Whether it’s Ralphie’s unforgettable desire for the Red Ryder® BB gun, the “Major Award” leg lamp, or the laughter from scenes including the grumpy Santa or when the dogs steal the prized turkey, A Christmas Story reminds audiences that the magic of the holidays lies in the little moments—and that some traditions are meant to be shared again and again each holiday season.

Tickets are on sale now and can be reserved by calling (239) 278-4422, visiting BroadwayPalm.com, or stopping by the box office at 1380 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers.