Missouri State University’s Department of Theatre and Dance gets festive for the holidays with its stage production of Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.”

Show times are 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14-16 and 20-22, with a 2:30 p.m. matinee performance Nov. 17.

Tickets are $25 for adults, $22 for students/seniors. Special advance rates are available for students with an MSU ID.

All performances take place in Craig Hall Coger Theatre.

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Discounts on tickets with “Toys for Tots” donation

Additionally, audience members can celebrate the season by donating to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve’s Toys for Tots program, according to Mark Templeton, theatre and dance managing director.

“Receiving boxes have been placed adjacent to the Craig Hall box office,” Templeton said. “Anyone who donates a toy will be eligible for a $10 discount on an adult/senior/student ticket. One discount per toy received.”

Stage production of classic film honors “Connection” theme

“White Christmas” tells the story of Army buddies Bob Wallace and Phil Davis, a successful song-and-dance duo, who meet the musically talented Haynes sisters, Judy and Betty. Circumstances take all of them to a Vermont inn, where together they stage a big production.

“Romantic complications and misunderstandings threaten to derail the plan,” according to the story’s synopsis, “but love ultimately prevails.”

Like all of this season’s productions, “White Christmas” reflects the theme of “Connection.” According to director Sarah Wilcoxon, the pursuit of connection drives the plot.

“Each person is looking for a sense of belonging, and the main characters are working together to help their mentor feel the love and support of his community,” Wilcoxon said.

Audiences will enjoy timeless nostalgia

Wilcoxon said the production is keeping with the movie’s classic feel.

“Fans of the movie will get the same nostalgia they love from the stage show,” she said. “But the stage show isn’t a direct copy of the movie. There are several new songs and new dance numbers that will be very fun to experience.”

Wilcoxon and Theatre and Dance Music Director Heather Luellen have wanted to produce “White Christmas” for a long time.

“The music is timeless, and the dancing is incredible,” Wilcoxon said. “But for me personally, there’s an added element of nostalgia. My maiden name is Haynes, and I have one sister, just like the Haynes sisters in the show. My sister and I grew up watching the movie and singing ‘Sisters’ together.”

“There’s really nothing to beat the energy of a live production,” she continued. “When all the phenomenal design elements come together to support these excellent performances, it creates an energy that’s only possible in live theatre.”