Skyline: Sweets of the Season
By Felicia Dechter
Heart of the ‘Hood
If you want to have your heart warmed, and feel all soft, fuzzy and filled with Christmas joy, go see the perfect-in-everyway “Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish -- The Musical,” a brand new shiny show written by Gold Coaster Denise Mcgowan Tracy. The family-friendly musical made its debut last week at the Greenhouse Theater Center, 2257 N. Lincoln Ave., and will run through Dec. 29.
“You put something out there and you think, ‘Oh God, let people like this,’” said Mcgowan Tracy, who has overseen every single creative and operational move in the musical. I can tell her this: We like it! We really like it!
I went last Saturday morning with my daughter Tedi, and granddaughters Jordan, who is six, and Shannon, who turns five at the end of December. All three generations were smitten with this magical little gem of a tale. It’s so lovable, and the costumes are some of the prettiest I’ve seen. They’re sparkly and furry and colorful and everything Christmasy, thanks to award-winning costume designer Tatjana Radisic, along with Roosevelt Univ. fashion and costume design major Hailey Springer, and Kevin Barthel, who provided the whimsical cuffs, collars, and costume embellishments.
“He came in with shopping bags and pulled out collars, marabou, and fur,” laughed McGowan Tracy. “Everybody was like literally squealing when he pulled something out.”
The production was adapted from the book of the same name, which was published in 2015 and written by McGowan Tracy. If you’re not familiar with her, among other things, she is an amazing entertainer, storyteller, and author who co-hosts Monday Night live at Petterino’s downtown. She can now add successful producer and playwright to her resume.
McGowan Tracy brings Eleanor -- a lovable rag doll named after Eleanor Roosevelt -- to life, and although she has a wonderful and very happy existence at the North Pole with Santa, Mrs. “Cookie” Claus, and the elves Twinkle, Sprinkle and Sparkle, Eleanor’s very Merry Christmas wish is for a best friend and home of her own. She makes her wish known, and even writes a letter to Santa, which opens the door to answering many questions about her life and why she was created. It also leads to her wish -- and the wish of a little girl named Noelle -- coming true.
Honestly, even if I didn’t have little ones with me I would have loved this enchanting story of friendship, family and the magic of the season. But if you do bring the kids and/or grandkids, which you should if you have any, there’s a Meet & Greet and selfie photo with Santa on the stage following every performance.
McGowan Tracy said that over the next few holiday seasons, her goal is to have the musical at three theaters in the Midwest and after that, she hopes it will grow and grow. She is also working on a second edition of her paperback filled with more characters, and would love to find partners to help her go retail and sell her book, an Eleanor doll and the character Clara’s spiffy white gogo boots.
For now though, she’d just like people to come and see her show.
“We’re in such a troubled time of disarray --Ii’m hoping they buy the ticket,” said McGowan Tracy. “I’m hoping they say the kids don’t need any more stuff -- let’s give them an experience.”
She also hopes “Eleanor” provides little ones, and grown-ups, a reminder of the magic of the holidays, the value of families --“whatever they look like” -- and “the foundation of friendship and the importance of believing that wishes do come true.”
“I’m finding great joy with this,” said McGowan Tracy. “There’s nothing fancy, it’s a really simple happy ending with best friends and a happy home.
“We’re hoping Eleanor becomes that thing -- simple, quality, and with a happy ending,” she said.
“Eleanor’s Very Merry Christmas Wish,” is a Christmas dream come true for McGowan Tracy. May all of your very Merry Christmas wishes come true, too, just as Eleanor’s and McGowan’s have.
© 2019 Felicia Dechter|Skyline
Inside Publications
Reprinted with permission.