Farewell to old mentors, welcome to new friends and family.

• Author: Lauria, Dan
• Position: Musicals - A Christmas Story: The Musical

The great Charles Durning and Jack Klugman were two of my mentors. We would get together and Charlie always would say to me, "If you want to be a real actor, you've got to do at least one play on stage a year"--and I do. That may come as a surprise to some people who know me best from my TV work on "The Wonder Years" and "Sullivan & Son." Theater, though, is my true love. In New York, I starred on Broadway in "Lombardi," and I have appeared in "The Guys," "Other People's Money," and "A Bronx Tale."

Still, in a million years, I never thought I would be starring in a musical, but here I am, returning for my second run in a three-time-Tony Award-nominated musical. Now, just to set the record straight, I do not have to sing--or dance. I play the narrator, Jean Shepherd, the storyteller whose words inspired both this musical as well as the 1983 film on which it is based.

The movie, now a staple of the holiday season on TV, focuses on young Ralphie Parker, the kid whose sole Christmas wish is to find a Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun under the tree on Christmas morning. All of the moments that fans of the film love so much also are part of our show, plus some fabulous Tony-nominated songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, as well as a Tony-nominated book by Joseph Robinette that keeps you laughing throughout, yet is sure to leave a tear in your eye when the curtain falls.

How was I lucky enough to land in this incredible show? Well, I have the original Ralphie Parker to thank for that--Peter Billingsley. Peter, who played Ralphie in the film 30 years ago, now is a TV and film producer. One of his current projects is the sitcom "Sullivan & Son," which is where I come in. I play Sullivan. So, two years ago when Peter said, "Dan, how would you like to be in the musical version of 'A Christmas Story' that I'm working on? We're going to Broadway."

Peter assured me that, as the narrator, I would leave all musical responsibilities in the hands of the pros--and we certainly have plenty of them. The show features some of Broadway's brightest stars: John Bolton from...