Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre rings in the holidays with the stage adaptation of the popular movie, A Christmas Story: The Musical. Now on stage for the first time at Beef & Boards, the Tony Award-nominated show features all the fun of the film!

Set in the 1940s in the fictional town of Hohman, Indiana, the musical follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker and his quest for the Holy Grail of Christmas gifts — an Official Red Ryder carbine-action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. Rebuffed at every turn with a similar echoing response, Ralphie plots numerous schemes to achieve his desperate desire for the coveted BB gun.

Ben Kistner, a seventh-grader at Zionsville West Middle School, makes his Beef & Boards debut in the starring role of Ralphie. Returning to the Beef & Boards stage are Eddie Curry as Jean Shepherd (the narrator), Amy Bodnar (Mamma Mia!) as Mother, and Don Farrell (Mamma Mia!, Into the Woods) as The Old Man.

All the iconic scenes from the movie are featured, with a versatile score that ranges from gentle ballads to show-stopping full-ensemble numbers such as “Ralphie to the Rescue!,” “A Major Award,” “Sticky Situation,” “Up on Santa's Lap,” “Somewhere Hovering Over Indiana” and the inevitable “You'll Shoot Your Eye Out!”

A Christmas Story: The Musical is rated PG and is on stage for 44 performances through Dec. 31. The final performance is a New Year’s Eve celebration that includes dancing to live music after the show and a champagne toast at midnight followed by a breakfast buffet. Tickets range from $45 to $70 ($89 for all seats for the New Year’s Eve Celebration), and include Chef Odell Ward’s holiday buffet, fruit & salad bar, unlimited coffee, tea, and lemonade.

For reservations, visit beefandboards.com or call the box office at 317.872.9664 anytime between 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays. For complete show schedule, visit beefandboards.com.

A Christmas Story: The Musical is presented in partnership with the Indiana Historical Society, presenting its Festival of Trees from Nov. 15 through Jan. 4 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis. The holiday exhibit features 92 elaborately themed trees and special experiences including a replica of the living room from the film "A Christmas Story". For more information, visit indianahistory.org/events/festival-of-trees.

Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, Indiana’s only year-round professional dinner theatre, has been serving up exceptional entertainment since 1973.

Fact Sheet

WHAT: A Christmas Story: The Musical
Book by Joseph Robinette; Music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul

WHEN: Nov. 21 through Dec. 31, 2019

Weekday/Saturday Evenings
Doors open at 6 p.m.; Buffet from 6¬:30 to 7:30 p.m.; Show at 8 p.m.
November: 21, 22, 23, 26, 29, 30
December: 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20, 21, 27, 28, 31

Weekday Matinees
Doors open at 11 a.m.; Buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Show at 1 p.m.
November: 27
December: 4, 5, 11, 12, 18, 19

Sunday Evenings
Doors open at 5 p.m.; Buffet from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.; Show at 7 p.m.
December: 1, 8, 15, 22, 29

Saturday/Sunday Matinees
Doors open at noon; Buffet from 12:15 to 1 p.m.; Show at 1:30 p.m.
November: 24, 30
December: 1, 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28, 29

WHO:
Director - Eddie Curry Choreographer - Ron Morgan
Musical Director - Kristy Templet Costume Design - Jill Kelly Howe
Lighting Design - Ryan Koharchik Sound Design - Daniel Hesselbrock
Set Design - Michael Layton Stage Manager - Ed Stockman

Starring:
Ben Kistner as Ralphie
Eddie Curry as Jean Shepherd (Narrator)
Amy Bodnar as Mother
Fender Brokamp as Randy
Don Farrell as the Old Man Jack Clark as Flick
Locklan Gardner as Schwartz Claire Kauffman as Esther Jane
Macy Franklin as Mary Beth Austin Lizama as Scut Farcus
Dylan Acquaviva as Grover Dill Lanene Charters as Miss Shields
Ensemble: Joey Boos, Aaron Choi, AnnaLee Marcée, Jennifer Martin, Brett Mutter, Peter Scharbrough, Sally Scharbrough, Christine Zavakos, Emery Allen, Sylvie Templet

WHERE: Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre 9301 Michigan Rd., Indianapolis, 46268

TICKETS: Available at beefandboards.com, or by calling the box office at 317.872.9664 between 10 a.m. & 7 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, or 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays. Tickets range from $45 to $70 ($89 for the New Year’s Eve celebration) and include the holiday dinner buffet, fruit & salad bar, and select beverages.

WEB SITE: For tickets, more information, or show schedule, visit beefandboards.com

After being triple dog dared by Schwartz (Locklan Gardner), far right, Flick (Jack Clark) touches his tongue to the icy flagpole where it becomes stuck in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of "A Christmas Story: The Musical". Photo © & courtesy of Patricia Rettig

Sounding out the word on the size of the wooden crate that contains his unknown crossword puzzle prize, The Old Man (Don Farrell), left, sounds out “fra-gee-lay,” and determines it must be “Italian” as Mother (Amy Bodnar) smiles in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of "A Christmas Story: The Musical." Photo © & courtesy of Patricia Rettig

Ralphie (Ben Kistner) is shocked upon unwittingly uttering the “queen mother of dirty words” in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of "A Christmas Story: The Musical". Photo © & courtesy of Patricia Rettig

After having his mind go blank on the lap of Santa (Brett Mutter), Ralphie (Ben Kistner) crawls back up the slide to get his Christmas request right in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of "A Christmas Story: The Musical". Photo © & courtesy of Patricia Rettig

The Old Man (Don Farrell) proudly holds up his crossword puzzle prize as Mother (Amy Bodnar) watches in dismay and his sons Ralphie (Ben Kistner), left, and Randy (Fender Brokamp), right, watch in awe in Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre’s production of "A Christmas Story: The Musical". Photo © & courtesy of Patricia Rettig