‘Nick Saint’ doesn’t seem interested in characters

Producer Craig Ruff's original musical "Nick Saint" will perhaps please those desperately looking for a show that their kids might enjoy -- providing the kids' exposure to good theater has been limited.

Rory Johnston's book is freely adapted from "Miracle on 34th Street." This time out, the young girl, Jennifer (Logan Linehan), is in a wheelchair; Santa (Mr. Saint, played by Jeff Fleming), is a maintenance man who lives in the girl's New York City apartment building; and the girl's cynical, single mother, Barbara (Robin Keagle), is a toy-department store employee.

The plot gets going when the local gossip rag -- The National Busy Body -- sends a Clark Kent-ish reporter, Benny (Robert Routin), to investigate Saint's claim of being Santa. Everyone is softened by the man, and by the end, even the gossip rag is singing about how wonderful Christmas is. And Benny winds up being an old flame of the mother's and rewins her heart.

The story is placed in an amusing, storybook setting (by Johnston), and the climax features a marvelous bit of magic with Santa beating up the bad guys with the help of toys and stuffed animals that suddenly come to life. There's also some fine choral singing from the nearly three-dozen-member cast and a couple of charming performances.

The nimble, middle-aged Mark Clark, with a mad, chipmunk look and a ponytail that suggests he has yet to grow up, makes for a perfect cartoon villain (named Lance Boyle, no less). The young Chase Daniels is a born scene stealer as a friend of Jennifer's who takes delight in being the center of attention. And Linehan is likable, whiny and vulnerable as the girl who needs so desperately to believe in something other than the present.

But Johnston's book is uninteresting, and his characters aren't specific. He and Guy Maeda have created some catchy tunes, but Johnston's lyrics are often generic and laborious. (Sample: "I don't know why life is so rough/ I don't know why life is so tough.") There's no evidence that the playwright and songwriters really know or have any interest in these characters.

And the ending takes a nasty turn. Jennifer winds up believing in Santa so wholeheartedly that she -- it's a miracle! -- is suddenly able to walk. Is Johnston suggesting to the wheelchair-bound that they can't walk simply because they don't believe hard enough?

Anthony Del Valle can be reached at DelValle@aol.com. You can write him c/o Las Vegas Review-Journal, P.O. Box 70, Las Vegas, NV 89125.