Show with a view

‘The Corner Window’ at Rock Harbor ChurchIn what has become an annual tradition at Rock Harbor Church, a sizable ensemble is ready to deliver a gift to audiences beginning tonight -- a free Christmas performance.

Thirty-four actors, all church members, will present an original production of “The Corner Window,” co-written by Pastor Todd Proctor; Chad Halliburton, the church’s director of celebration and the arts; and volunteer Matt Akey.The musical drama debuted last December at Rock Harbor Church.

“It’s a contemporary telling of the Christmas story and how it relates to our lives today,” Director Evan D’Angeles said. “What drew me in is the chance to re-instill a traditional symbol, the Nativity scene, that tells a story in itself.”

Thanks to D’Angeles’ adaptation, this year’s production should look different to audiences who have already seen the show. A veteran Broadway actor who made his full-scale directorial debut in July with “Songs for a New World,” D’Angeles was again brought in to beef up the show’s visual elements.

“In essence, the words and scripts stayed the same,” said Halliburton, the show’s producer and artistic director. “He makes it even more realistic than it was last year.”

“The Corner Window” takes place on a modern-day Southern California street corner on Christmas Eve. The focal point is the Nativity display in a store window.

As the show begins, the audience sees part of the production’s set being constructed. A young child stands near a giant red door.

D’Angeles said the story has three interwoven plots. The first is an interplay between a shopkeeper named Gabby and a man who dresses as Santa Claus and sits on a nearby street corner.

“He’s the very best Santa in the neighborhood, but he’s basically a loner,” D’Angeles said.

Gaby courts the Santa Claus to come into her shop to learn more about Christmas, but he is a hard sell.

Townspeople walk in and out of the store to chat with Gaby and share their Christmas stories.

“I use the Christmas window as an antagonist -- a living, breathing, thing,” D’Angeles said. “People get responses to how it plays out in their lives.”

The other two stories involved family matters. Two sisters, Sydney and Julie, grapple with their perceptions of success. And a separated couple refocus on what’s important to them when their 7-year-old child runs away.

The boy’s “hope is that the Christmas story means restoration and reconciliation,” D’Angeles said. “When things go awry, Christmas always brings you back to family.”

D’Angeles has spent the past month working on the show, which runs 55 minutes. Amy Maier, who worked on “Songs For a New World,” designed the set. D’Angeles was also helped by assistant director Janet Calhoun, and professional stage manager Kim Hein.

IF YOU GO

* WHAT: Rock Harbor Church’s “The Corner Window”

* WHEN: Tonight, 6 and 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m., noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.

* WHERE: Rock Harbor Church, 345 Fischer Ave., Costa Mesa

* COST: Free

* CONTACT: (714) 384-0914 or visit www.rockharbor.org20051223irxrdpncKENT TREPTOW / DAILY PILOT(LA)Kathy Curran, left, and Phillip Lisa (as Santa Claus) on Thursday night perform a scene from “The Corner Window” at Rock Harbor Church.