If you ever wanted, I mean really, really wanted, a very special gift for Christmas, then you want to see Pennsylvania Youth Theatre (PYT)’s production of the beautiful children’s tale, “A Christmas Story; The Musical,” through Dec. 10, Charles A. Brown Historic Ice House, Bethlehem.

The musical, based on the movie, “A Christmas Story” (1983), has music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul and book by Joseph Robinette.

The movie is based on radio personality, storyteller and author Jean Shepherd’s (1921 - 1999) books, “In God We Trust: All Others Pay Cash” (1966) and “Wanda Hickey’s Night of Golden Memories and Other Disasters” (1971).

The delightful holiday musical recounts little Ralphie Parker’s quest to get the holy grail of perfect gifts for Christmas: a Red Ryder BB Gun.

It is a toy that every responsible adult in Ralphie’s life considers to be completely off limits for kids just because “You will shoot your eye out.”

Lochlan McCarthy (Ralphie) is in top form as a boy in this 1940s-era romp which brings his family, classmates, teachers, bullies, friends, cops and even Santa to life in a child’s-eye view of Christmas in Indiana.

Nick Conti (Jean Shepherd) is superb as he shares Ralphie’s inner longings and fears as the Christmas season counts down to Christmas day.

August Harrington (Old Man Parker, who thinks very highly of himself as “The Genius of Cleveland Street”) and Sari Misic (Mother) stand out as the stern but loving parents of Ralphie and his brother, Randy (Luciana Lovelace Keheras).

Kacey Mushrush (Miss Shields) turns in a stellar performance as the pretty teacher who assigns the class an essay that prompts Ralphie to imagine how his perfect gift could help him become a hero (in the song, “Ralphie to the Rescue”).

Musrush also sparkles as a speakeasy vamp as she and an ensemble of youths sing “You’ll Put Your Eye Out.”

Georgia McKeown is delightful as Flick’s mother. She also does good duty as Chief Elf and as a fairly dangerous waiter at the Parker family’s table.

Anyone who has ever stuck his or her tongue to a flagpole will appreciate the problem when schoolyard chum Flick (Sloan Bubser) accepts his buddy Schwartz’s (Katie Sweitzer) “triple dog dare” to touch his tongue to the icy-cold steel flagpole. In spite of the frozen tongue problem, they sing a great “Sticky Situation.”

Eloise Enea (Mrs. Schwartz) stands out as she reacts to her darling son being accused of saying bad words.

Alyssa Núñez (Scut Farkas) is terrifically taunting as the bully who rules the schoolyard. He is aided by sinister sidekick Grover Dill (Decklyn Muller). They are great as they lead the gang in singing “When You’re A Wimp.”

The department store’s wonderfully bad Santa (Michell Hendricks) disappoints Ralphie because he, too, believes that Ralphie shouldn’t have a toy that “will shoot your eye out.”

The performance featured the Red Ryder Cast, all of whom were marvelous.

Not credited, but nevertheless a humorous high point, is a blonde tyke who struggles mightily to put on her winter coat.

Villain (Savannah Marshall) is a delightfully suspicious character. The Bank Robbers (Alicia Hartzell and Victoria Josephs) are fun to watch, but clutch your pearls.

The Can-Can Girls (Eloise Enea, Lilly Robinson, and Delaney Hammer) perform a fun dance.

Costume Designer Bill Bauman has put together a wardrobe that is key to the scene-setting in the fast-moving story of children, family, townspeople, firemen, cops and fantasy characters.

The set design by Ellen Schmoyer is fantastic. It recreates believable decades of America past.

The music (Nick Conti) and choreography (Leah Rubart) results in a delightfully memorable performance.

“A Christmas Story: The Musical,” 7 p.m. Dec. 1, 8, 2 p.m. Dec. 2. 3, 9, 10, Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, Charles A. Brown Ice House, 56 River St., Bethlehem. 610-332-1400, https://123pyt.org/