It's Christmas: The Musical at SM City Iloilo

It was one afternoon filled with music and songs plus a lot of fun and witty characters as SM Supermalls brings an all original musical extravaganza entitled It’s Christmas: The Musical. Ilonggos filled the beautifully Christmas garbed SM City Iloilo activity area to watch talents from Theatre Down South brought life to characters that include an elf, a toymaker, a fairy and a host of other magical characters.

It all begins during a Christmas shopping rush with a girl, tired of tagging along her father, makes a stop then fell asleep on a bench. When she wakes up, the silence and emptiness of the mall greeted her and she realized it was already closed.

Panic embraced her and all she could do then was sat in a corner and cry. She does not notice that a Mannequin in a nearby shop has moved out of its place and watched her curiously. She was startled and frightened at first when it spoke to her but then she realized its friendliness and the fact the she’s her only companion that time. Or she thought so …

A sudden and loud outburst came and a sky blue clad Fairy came running in, almost knocking out the girl, as she was in distraught about something. Her key, which brings everyone to life at the mall at night, is lost and if not found before daylight, disastrous things can happen. After that, the fairy notices the girl whom she first accused of stealing they key but as cleared by the mannequin, it was then the trio who started to look for it.

Then a playful yet grumpy Elf came to the picture and asked why everyone was in such a mood. He was then informed that the magical key is lost and he volunteered to help them solved the problem. The elf, as everyone knew was mean spirited and oftentimes create chaos among them – could he be the one? But the likely suspect mentioned that the last person he saw near the key was someone wearing green …

An eruption of emotions suddenly filled the place as a Chef entered the scene and claimed something very, very important thing stolen from him – his inspiration. Without it, he now can’t create his wonderful dishes and amazing concoctions for it is his inspiration that keeps him going though.

Holding his favorite kitchen tool – a rolling pin, everybody eyes him, for he was wearing his signature green apron. Hmmm, could he have stolen the key, to make up for his stolen inspiration? But the little girl told the Chef that inspiration comes from everywhere and imagination is often hand in hand with inspiration.

Completing the group of friends, the Toymaker came in and asked what the commotion was all about. He tells them he can concentrate on the new game he invented – he often ends up losing or short of his best score.

Could he have stolen the key, which he can use to win the game? Yet the little girl adept with the latest toys and gadgets showed him how it was done and for the first time, someone got the high score!

They all continued to explore the magical place looking for the magical key for without it, the Mannequin, the Fairy, The Elf, the Chef and the Toymaker will never be able to come to life again! With very little time left, they split up to find the key and the Little Girl, inquisitive as she was, finally comes face to face with the Mean-Spirited Elf and made him admits he was the one who stolen the key.

He was unhappy because no one ever lets him join in the fun so stealing the keys is his way of getting back at all of them. Once the others realize what is making the elf so mean-spirited, they immediately apologize for neglecting him and gladly welcome him into the fold. With everyone happy, they bid good-bye to the little girl.

The little girl then gets very drowsy and goes to sleep. She is soon awakened by her father. She has, apparently, only been asleep for a few minutes and everything that has happened to her is merely a dream. Or was it?

Seeing that, she feels bad that it was all just a dream; her father gives her some money to buy a toy as a remembrance of her day out at the mall. Upon paying, she opens her newly bought package and sees something extra special inside – a strangely familiar gold key.

Astonished, she turns back to the sales girl (who looks suspiciously like the Christmas fairy). The sales girl gives her a wink and holds a finger to her lips and the little girl smiles. And she looked around the mall, she saw familiar faces giving her smiles and winks as if to say “It’s our little secret…”

It’s Christmas: The Musical was directed by veteran theatre actor Michael Williams and features original songs especially arranged for show. From the opening to the finale and upon each characters entry and exit, it was full of catchy tunes and songs giving it the play more and life and fun.

The show featuring talents from Theatre Down South is part of the SM Supermalls treats for its clientele for the upcoming holiday season and has toured and will tour parts of the country in selected SM Supermalls.

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