Based on the motion picture, A Christmas Story, is humorist Jean Shepherd's memoir of growing up in the midwest in the 1940s. The story follows 9-year-old Ralphie Parker in his quest to get a genuine Red Ryder BB gun under the tree for Christmas. Ralphie pleads his case before his mother, his teacher and even Santa Claus himself, at Goldblatt's Department Store. The consistent response: "You'll shoot your eye out." All the elements from the beloved motion picture are here, including the family's temperamental exploding furnace; Scut Farkas, the school bully; the boys' experiment with a wet tongue on a cold lamppost; the Little Orphan Annie decoder pin; Ralphie's father winning a lamp shaped like a woman's leg in a net stocking; Ralphie's fantasy scenarios and more. A Christmas Story is destined to become a theatrical holiday perennial.

A Christmas Story marks Walentowicz's sixth production as director for DHCT. His previous directing credits include Once on this Island, Miracle on 34th St., PAGE award nominees The Nerd (Best Play & Best Director) and Grease (Best Musical), and PAGE award winner Little Shop Of Horrors (Best Musical & Best Director).

Previous acting credits include The Mousetrap ( Major Metcalf), Godspell, Once On This Island (Tonton Julian), The Sword & The Scroll (Marius), Two By Two (Japheth), and The Elves & The Shoemaker ( Lockhart Cobblestone The Shoemaker) He is a former member of the National Thespian Society and a current board member of DHCT.