Patrick Tracy

Jennifer Tice as Mary Gilbert and Scott Phillips as toymaker A.C. Gilbert in Ron Lytle’s family musical, The Man Who Saved Christmas, currently playing at Altarena Playhouse through Dec. 16.

The return of Ron Lytle’s delightful musical The Man who Saved Christmas to the Altarena Playhouse is a real gift. The perfect way to kick off the holiday season, the musical is uplifting, deeply moving and hilariously funny.

Loosely based upon actual events, The Man Who Saved Christmas tells the story of A.C. Gilbert’s efforts to thwart a proposed ban on holiday toy sales while the United States was embroiled in World War I.

In 1917 the Council for National Defense proposed the ban to promote the sales of Liberty Bonds. Gilbert, an Olympian athlete, magician and the inventor of the Erector Set, made history when he traveled to Washington D. C. and successfully lobbied to allow toy makers to resume manufacturing toys.

In this version, Gilbert’s battle with the government plays backdrop to the developing love story between his secretary, Alice Finch (played by talented Alameda native Lisa Otterstetter) and reporter Johnny Eli (appealingly portrayed by Nephi Speer in his Altarena Playhouse debut).

Scott Phillips is again perfectly cast as the gruff businessman with a kind heart. In his bid to win over Alice and Gilbert, Eli runs afoul of dastardly factory employee Dixon. Dixon is deliciously despicable as portrayed by John Erreca, who is also the vocal director. Dixon’s farewell in “Dixon’s Turn” is laugh-out-loud funny.

The production, skillfully directed by musical director Tom Shaw, is full of wonderful music. Lyle Nort’s (Ron Lytle) performance of “Daddy Has to Leave You” is heartbreakingly tender and “What’s Wrong with the Grownups?” by Ellen (Zoey Brandt) and The Kids (Spencer Anderson, Maximilian Jennings and Erin Reilly) nearly steals the show.

The multi-talented Lytle penned, composed and directs this “new old-fashioned musical.” The cast includes Jennifer Tice as Mary Gilbert, Karli Anderson, Jepoy Ramos, Amy Leonards, William Loney, Mo Quintana and Steve Yates. Kathleen Edmunds captures the atmosphere with beautiful period costumes. The set design makes the most of Altarena’s intimate theatre space.

Altarena Playhouse is located at 1409 High St. The Man who Saved Christmas runs through Dec. 16 with performances Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. For more information, call 523-1553 or visit www.altarena.org.