Constellation Stage & Screen Brings Double the Holiday Magic to the Waldron Arts Center

A Christmas Story the Musical (Dec 11-Jan 4) | An Act of God (Dec 18-30)

This December, Constellation Stage & Screen is bringing holiday cheer to Bloomington with two festive productions and a full transformation of the Waldron Arts Center, which will become a literal Winter Wonderland! Arrive before the show(s) to enjoy our holiday market stocked with goods from local artists, a free hot cocoa bar for the kids, activities for families, and enough decorations and cheer to make the meanest miser crack a grin. Productions include A Christmas Story the Musical, running December 11 - January 4 in the Waldron Auditorium, and An Act of God, running December 18-30 in the Waldron Firebay. Learn more about each show and our winter wonderland below!

Waldron Winter Wonderland:
Constellation can’t wait to welcome audiences to its home of the Waldron Arts Center for a truly unique experience. In addition to immersive, magical decorations and holiday displays, Constellation will be offering a free hot cocoa bar for kids, hands-on crafts for kids, and its very first Holiday Market! The market, open from Friday, December 5 through Monday, December 29 will feature arts, handicrafts, and other merchandise from local artists.

A Christmas Story the Musical: December 11- January 4
This holiday season, join Ralphie Parker on his hilarious quest for the perfect Christmas gift! Based on the beloved 1983 film, A Christmas Story the Musical brings laughter, nostalgia, and holiday cheer to life with unforgettable moments like the infamous leg lamp, outrageous pink bunny pajamas, a maniacal department store Santa, and a triple-dog-dare gone wrong. From the songwriting team behind Dear Evan Hansen, La La Land, and The Greatest Showman, this delightful holiday musical is a joyous celebration of Christmas, family, and childhood dreams!

Constellation’s production features dozens of local elementary school students and professional actors from Bloomington and beyond. Starring as Ralphie are Harvey Baggetta a 6th grader at Bloomington Montessori School previously seen in The Wizard of Oz, and Kyston Zeller, a 6th grader at Bloomington South making his Constellation debut. Joining the Parker Family are Scott Russell, previously seen in Maple and Vine, as The Old Man; Cassandra Simons, making her Constellation debut, as Mother; and local elementary schoolers Augustine “Gus” Miles and Claire Lucas as Randy! Rounding out the adult cast are Ronnie Johnstone, previously seen in Holmes & Watson and The Wizard of Oz, as Jean; and Lucy Ferguson, from The Wizard of Oz and Matilda, as Miss Shields. The adult ensemble includes Seth Jacobsen, Adia Dant, Caroline Jensen, Daniel J. Neville II, Hayes Ray, and Anna Shea Safran, with Jake Decker, Lauren Alyssa Strick, Steve Scott providing coverage as swings and understudies.

This production also features two youth ensembles, split into teams “The Red Ryders” and “The Pink Bunnies,” composed of students throughout the Bloomington and South-Central Indiana community! Team Red Ryders includes Harvey Baggetta (Ralphie), Augustine “Gus” Miles (Randy), Chloe Duggan (Schwartz), Madeleine Cartledge (Flick), Leah Rodkin (Scut Farkus), Maddie Bishop (Grover Dill), Zehra Guler, Earl Krothe, Noey Krothe, and Mary Claire Shaw. Team Pink Bunnies includes Kyston Zeller (Ralphie), Claire Lucas (Randy), Cohen Powell (Schwartz), Max Deckard-Biggs (Flick), Parker Parker (Scut Farkus), Sawyer Kimery (Grover Dill), Molly Carroll, Lydia Levesque, Lucy Pell, and Gulce Sadik. Detailed double cast performance schedules can be found on Constellation’s website!

Directing the production is Richard Roland, head of Indiana University's Musical Theatre department and director of Constellation’s production of Elf the Musical in 2022. Joining the creative team are Music Director Dr. Brandon Magid, Choreographer DJ Gray, Scenic Designer Vincent Gunn, Costume Designer Dana Tzvetkov, Lighting Designer Corey Goulden-Naitove, Sound Designer Brandon Reed, Stage Manager Lori Garraghty, Rehearsal Stage Manager Mars Abbett, and Assistant Stage Managers Chelsea Pell & Molly Lenig.

Tickets for A Christmas Story the Musical start at $39 for adults, $29 for students, and $25 for children. Constellation will also be offering a Pay What You Will performance for the first public preview on Thursday, December 11 at 7:00pm. Book tickets for this performance, and you’ll get to choose your own ticket price (starting at $14). This initiative, supported by Jessika and Bryan Hane, helps keep live performances affordable and accessible to the Bloomington community. Community Access Tickets are also available for no charge, upon request (subject to availability).

An Act of God: December 18-30
Looking for an unholy way to spend the holidays? Skip the silent nights and join us for An Act of God, a wickedly funny comedy where God, with the help of angels Michael and Gabriel, delivers a brand-new set of commandments for the modern world. From the 13-time Emmy-winning head writer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, this irreverent show answers life’s biggest questions with divine wit, sass, and plenty of surprises. An Act of God is blasphemous, inspiring, and guaranteed to leave you laughing all the way through the holidays!

An Act of God features a fully local cast! Starring as God is Constellation’s very own Education Director, Eric Shelley! Eric is a native Hoosier and a graduate of Indiana University’s Theatre and Drama program. He has performed locally with the Bloomington Playwrights Project and across the world on international tours, Disney cruises, and more! Joining Eric as his faithful angels, Michael and Gabriel, are Shannon O'Connor Starks, seen in past Constellation productions like Elf the Musical, Flat Stanley, and The Christians, and Michael Sheehan, featured in Constellation’s 2024 production of The Play That Goes Wrong.

At the helm of the production is Director David Sheehan, who is joined by a talented team of local designers including Scenic Designer Dylan Marks, Lighting Designer Willow Arenz, Costume Designer Lydia Spellman, Sound Designer Eric Doades, Stage Manager Sevin Kacsir, and Assistant Stage Manager Kalias Brown.

Tickets for An Act of God are $25 and seating is general admission. Due to the size of the Firebay Theater, availability is limited! Please note: An Act of God is a special event and not eligible for redemption with Constellation’s FlexPasses.

Ticket Information:
Tickets for both productions are on sale now through Constellation’s website, over the phone at (812) 336-9300 (Mon-Fri, 12pm-5pm), or in-person at 122 S Walnut Street (open Wed-Fri, 12pm-5pm).