Donny and Marie Osmond and Ensemble. Photo by Jeremy Deputat.
It’s hard to believe that there was a time when TV was wholesome family entertainment, particularly around the holidays. Recording artists such as Andy Williams, Perry Como and The Carpenters all produced annual holiday enjoyment that the whole family could watch together. Donny and Marie Osmond come from a show business family that also produced a number of holiday specials but they also had a weekly variety show on ABC. Hard to believe it’s been 38 years since it premiered.
Both have had successful solo careers with both appearing in a number of stage musicals. Marie performed on Broadway in The King and I and on tour with The Sound of Music while Donny performed in Beauty and the Beast on Broadway plus several companies of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat plus a show that closed after one night on Broadway called Little Johnny Jones (musical theatre geeks will know that one for sure.) If that wasn’t enough, both have had successful recording careers with many billboard hit songs such as “Paper Roses” and “Puppy Love.”
…Donny & Marie Christmas at the National is the ultimate variety show.
As Christmas was a big part of Donny and Marie’s life growing up it is only natural that they are back on tour with a Christmas show. However, they manage to get highlights from careers that span 50 years each into the proceedings plus big dance numbers and fan appreciation. Ultimately, Donny & Marie Christmas at the National is the ultimate variety show. It’s similar to what their weekly TV show was and it’s a welcome holiday treat.
Starting things off with “We Need a Little Christmas” and “All I Want For Christmas is You”, we then moved to a gorgeous song from one of Donny and Marie’s latest cds called “It’s a Beautiful Life.”
Besides the duets, in which Donny and Marie sound spectacular, there are plenty of solo turns in the show as well. Yes Donny did sing “Puppy Love” but my personal favorite was one that has become a theme song for his parents, which he lost fairly close to one another. The song is called “Whenever You’re in Trouble” and it is a quiet and affecting musical moment with Donny playing piano besides singing.
Of Marie’s solos the highlights were her hit song “Paper Roses” and “Blue Christmas,” which Marie sang with a selected member of the audience. Marie’s voice sounds as pristine as ever.
I mentioned that Donny and Marie have performed in a number of stage musicals so what better way to end act one than a medley of tunes from those shows. It included “Getting to Know You,” the title song from Beauty and the Beast and others, but it ends with “For Good” from Wicked. It just proves that just because the song is sung by two friends in the original show doesn’t mean it can’t work as a love letter for a brother and sister.
Their signature “Lil’ Bit of Country/ Lil’ Bit of Rock & Roll” section bought together “The Christmas Song” (Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…) with “Deck The Halls,” “Naughty List,” and “Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town” with a kick to it as Donny rocked the song out.
I also very much enjoyed looking at the remembrance video of all the celebrities that Donny and Marie have worked with over the years. Everyone from George Burns to Lucille Ball to the guy who made the Osmonds famous on his TV show Andy Williams. All of this is accompanied by a song called appropriately “Remember When.”
The two have a great rapport with the audience and throughout both would go into the audience to interact with their fans. Marie via Twitter gave a chance for two lucky audience members to move from their regular seats to the front row while Donny gave away a copy of his 60th cd to a lucky Facebook follower. It proves that Donny and Marie never forget the people who got them to where they are. Don’t you wish all recording artists were like that?
Then there are the production numbers complete with a dance core of eight high energy performers. Two of the standout high-octane numbers include Marie’s “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” which was dedicated to those who have served our country past and present and Donny’s mashup of several songs with the word celebration in the tile. Choreographer Jaymz Tuaileva’s work while slick and clean does look a little cramped on the stage of the National Theatre, but I’m sure adjustments had to be made for this venue. Remember, this is a Las Vegas show on the stage of a legit theatre so there is considerably less space on stage and off.
There is a terrific six piece band under the direction of Jerry Williams who is the keyboardist as well as conductor. The other members are Joey Finger (drums), Steven Lee Cowart (guitar), Rocco Barbato (sax and flute), Gabriel Falcon (percussion) and Rochon Westmoreland (bass.) Barbato gets a neat sax feature in “Christmas Zoot”.
The only thing I need to bring up that is negative about this show is the overall sound mix. I could hear everything but the show has an artificial processed sound to it so nothing sounds natural acoustically. I think this might be a Las Vegas thing where you have to fill a large show room but in a regular theatre it’s a little off-putting.
There used to be plenty of these kinds of shows around. Now there are almost none. Donny and Marie Christmas at the National puts us back to a simpler time in America when it was all about family entertainment. Even the jabs about Nutrisystem and Dancing with the Stars are all in good fun without any animosity.
Overall Donny and Marie Christmas at the National appeals to those who were fans back in the day and people who are just discovering them now. It’s a giant holiday gift for everyone and is a good way to show your kids what TV used to be like as well. Grab your purple socks and have a great holiday season with Donny and Marie.
Running Time: Two Hours and 20 minutes with one intermission.
Donny and Marie Christmas at the National runs through December 7th 2014 at the National Theatre which is located at 1321 Pennsylvania Ave NW in Washington DC. For tickets, click here.
