A VINTAGE-STYLE HOLIDAY CONCERT

A warmly nostalgic night of classic music, crooning, and dance

Imagine that it’s 1962. You and your spouse decide to get a sitter and go down to the “club” because they’re featuring an upbeat Christmas music show with dancers and a small live band. If the club did the show really well, it might look a whole lot like Cygnet’s seasonal offering. In fact, between great mid-century costuming by Janet Pitcher and period-appropriate hair and make-up (styled by the ladies themselves), if you pulled such a couple out of 1962 and dropped them into Cygnet’s audience, the only thing likely to stop them short would be the microphones, which somehow work without cords, wires, or visible sorcery.

And it’s not that creator/director Carlos Mendoza ever tells us that we’re actually going back in time, but the feeling is that of old-time stage and TV shows where glamour mattered, gender roles are fixed, and feel-good vibes are expected.

Richard Bermudez, Courtney Fero, Carlos Mendoza,
Stephanie Burkett Gerson, Ryan Fahey

The production includes very little talking at all; a few narrations here and there about the meaning of Christmas merely set the tone, not plot. This show is purely about enjoying the four (and a half; more later) singers brought together for this holiday classics tribute, accompanied by some beautiful choreography by Kristel Nichols and Mendoza.

Likely, you’ll know almost every song in the show (except perhaps a few in Spanish, if you’re as gringo as I am), so holding our interest comes down to musical director Lyndon Pugeda’s inventive orchestrations, the high quality of the performers, and some lovely dance work.

Stephanie Burkett Gerson

Most of the singing comes from two women (Courtney Fero and Stephanie Burkett Gerson) and two men (Richard Bermudez and Ryan Fahey). The casting is excellent, as they each bring different strengths to the stage.

Act I is sweet and cheerful, but also feels a tad light and glitzy — certainly well done, but not particularly substantial. In that act, we discover that Fahey is a solid crooner, Gerson has terrific range (hitting beautiful melodic high notes without belting or head tone), and that Fero has a sultry voice that could melt butter.

Tamara Rodriguez, Stephanie Burkett Gerson, Courtney Fero

Overall, the second act is meatier, if one can say that about holiday music. All four singers have more opportunity to show vocal prowess. The standout voice turns out to be Bermudez, who is a little underutilized in the first act, leading me to mistakenly think that perhaps he was good but not quite so memorable. Nope. They were saving his chance to prove me wrong for Act II. Bermudez is powerful in the show’s best number, “The Prayer” (if you can’t place the title, click here for the Céline Dion/Andrea Bocelli version), which he sings in the original Italian. His performance shines even brighter thanks to Gerson’s outstanding harmonies.

Richard Bermudez

Fahey nearly steals the spotlight leading off “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” but then tops himself with a rich opening to “Mary, Did You Know?” Fero is the most facially animated of the four, bringing a gentle naughtiness to “I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus,” a gorgeous melancholy to “Merry Christmas, Darling,” and inner turmoil to “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” Credit Mendoza for tackling the latter, which has become controversial in recent years. By replacing a lyric perceived as objectionable, and relying on the dance and expressions of the two singers, he restores a sense of playful innocence that’s hard to object to.

Stephanie Burkett Gerson, Richard Bermudez

The “and a half” mentioned earlier refers to Mendoza himself, who steps in briefly as lead singer for several Spanish Christmas songs. He delivers them with an infectious joy — even if you only know the word “Navidad.”

Adding energy to slower numbers that might otherwise lag, three professional dancers — Danielle Airey, Ashley Chavarria, and Tamara Rodriguez (who also joins in singing at times) — bring visual flair with a mix of ballet, modern dance, tap, and more.

Tamara Rodriguez, Ashley Chavarria, Danielle Airey

During “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,” the singers get a breather backstage while the dancers take over, supported by the live band: Martin Martiarena on bass, Danny Chavarin on percussion, and Pugeda on keyboards and as conductor.

Although the show is family-friendly, the lack of plot or large-scale production numbers may leave the under-20 TikTok crowd underwhelmed. For audiences between 20 and 50, enjoyment will depend on whether they’re inclined toward this cabaret-plus style of tribute.

Ashley Chavarria, Ryan Fahey, Danielle Airey

For those over fifty — or anyone looking for something Christmasy to do with people over fifty — Cygnet’s A Musical Holiday delivers exactly what it promises: a warm, nostalgic celebration of the season, powered by strong performances of holiday music we already love.

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photos by Rich Soublet

Cygnet’s A Musical Holiday
Cygnet Theatre
The Dottie, 2880 Roosevelt Rd. in Liberty Station
days and times vary; ends on Dec 28, 2025
for tickets (starting at $73), call 619.337.1525 or visit Cygnet

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