'Miracle' is true spirit of the holidays

With whimsy and cheer, the touching story of Miracle on 34th Street was brought to life at Lindenwold High School. The play, based on a popular 1947 film of the same name, follows the story of a friendly old man whose insistence that he is actually the real Santa Claus leads to a resurgence in Christmas spirit as well as legal troubles when his sanity is called into question by the jealous Mr. Sawyer.

Jesica Counts (Doris Walker) and Dylan Bernard (Fred Gailey) delivered capable performances that maintained the emotional core of the play in the romance between their two characters. Even in scene with many other characters, such as when they are searching for Kris Kringle (Alexjon Martinelli) after his escape from the store, they maintain an obvious emotional connection. Kris Kringle himself worked well with the many child actors, most notably when he sang in excellent Dutch to a young girl.

Miss Adams (Shana Dixon), Doris Walker's cheerful assistant, was enthusiastic throughout the entire production. The two mailroom workers (Adriana Morales, Sarah Astor) brought wonderful energy and humor to their performances, making their one scene quite memorable and enjoyable.

The show contained thirty total scene changes. The changes were quick and efficient, especially when considering the scale and quality of the sets and props. Full-scale sets included Doris Walker's New York City apartment, the Macy's Flagship store on 34th Street, a court room, and more. The marketing for the show was also student-done, with (Zach Moore) creating the poster from scratch, incorporating many of the iconic images from the play into his design.

Lindenwold High School's production of Miracle on 34th Street showcased the talent and excitement of the whole school, from young children to high school students, and delivered a cheerful story about the true spirit of the holidays.