(MANASQUAN, NJ) -- Algonquin Arts Theatre is currently presenting its holiday show, A Christmas Story: The Musical weekends to December 18th.  From the songwriting team behind the smash hit Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen and the Academy Award-winning film La La Land, A Christmas Story: The Musical, brings the classic 1983 movie to hilarious life on stage. Photographer John Posada was on hand to take photos.

Set in 1940’s Indiana, a young and bespectacled Ralphie Parker schemes his way toward the holiday gift of his dreams, an official Red Ryder® Carbine-Action 200-Shot Range Model Air Rifle. An infamous leg lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, a maniacal department store Santa, and a triple-dog-dare to lick a freezing flagpole are just a few of the distractions that stand between Ralphie and his Christmas wish.

The cast for A Christmas Story: The Musical includes: *Miles Schmidt (Ralphie), Brendan Flanagan (Jean Shepherd), Laurie Toole (Mother), Anthony Greco (The Old Man), *Andrew W. Jacobs (Randy), JQ Hennessy (Miss Shields), *Brennan Boyce (Schwartz), *Jax Terry (Flick), *Max DeVivo (Scut Farkus), *Joshua Ray Johnson (Grover Dill), Robert Weinstein (Santa Claus), *Eliana June Gamble (Esther Jane), *Maggie Parker (Mary Beth), *Jake Ward (Tap Dance Soloist/Classmate), *Avery Terry (Nancy/Classmate), *Evan Eldrige (Goggles Kid/Classmate), Danielle Manzoni (Mrs. Schwartz/Ensemble), Edward Itte (Policeman/Ensemble), Sean Callahan (Doctor/Ensemble), Martin Cordero (Fireman/Ensemble), Alyssa Kiselev (Nurse/Ensemble). *Indicates member of Algonquin Youth Ensemble (AYE)

Members of the ensemble include *Maggie Anderson (Children’s Ensemble), *Ayla Ergunay (Children’s Ensemble), *Samuel Feldman (Children’s Ensemble), *Sadie Ficarra (Children’s Ensemble), *Patrick Kenney (Children’s Ensemble), John Albrecht (Adult Ensemble), Carolena Blasucci (Adult Ensemble), Parlin Gressitt (Adult Ensemble), Luke Hall (Adult Ensemble), Connor Naspo (Adult Ensemble), and Adeline O’Mara (Adult Ensemble). *Indicates member of Algonquin Youth Ensemble (AYE)

The Christmas Story: The Musical creative team includes; Jessica O’Brien, Director and Choreographer; David Shirley, Musical Director; Cindy J. Dwyer, Assistant Musical Director; Edward Itte, Assistant Choreographer; Ariana Centamore, AYE Teaching Artist, Chip Heptig, Associate Stage Manager; Frank Falisi, Rehearsal Stage Manager; Rachel Krupnick, Production Stage Manager; Joanne Penrose, Costume Design; Roman Klima, Scenic and Lighting Design; Joe and Karen Ficarra, Prop Design; Jan Topoleski, Sound Design and Julie Nagy, Producer.

Tickets start at just $26 and may be purchased at www.algonquinarts.org, by calling 732-528-9211 or by visiting the Algonquin Arts Theatre box office Monday through Saturday, 10:00am-4:00pm located at 60 Abe Voorhees Drive, Manasquan, New Jersey. 

The Algonquin Arts Theatre production of A Christmas Story: The Musical is based upon the motion picture A Christmas Story distributed by Warner Bros., written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark and upon In God We Trust by Jean Shepherd.

A Christmas Story: The Musical is produced by special arrangement with The Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.

Here are more photos from the production.

*Algonquin Youth Ensemble (AYE) is Algonquin's marquee arts education program within the theatre's Performing Arts Academy. Students are selected to participate through a highly-competitive audition process prior to the start of the semester. In addition to rehearsing for the main stage performance in which they are cast, AYE students are enrolled in a class that runs in conjunction with the rehearsal period, teaching theatre skills and concepts that are applied to the production.

ALGONQUIN ARTS THEATRE (AAT) is a 501c(3) non-profit center for performing arts, providing cultural enrichment and arts education for residents and visitors of Central New Jersey and the Jersey Shore through high quality performances and programs in theatre, music, dance and film.

John Posada is a New Jersey based photographer specializing in photographing live theatre and music performances. For more than 15 years, John has photographed live events where he mastered the techniques of timing and capturing fast moving action under challenging lighting conditions. Currently, John has spent the last 3 years concentrating on photographing almost 200 theatre productions for over 70 different theatres. Click here for John's website.