Photos provided by Michael Brosilow

The 1970s children’s book turned television special, “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas,” isn’t nearly as ubiquitous as groundbreaking puppeteer Jim Henson’s “The Muppets” or even “Fraggle Rock,” but it nonetheless holds a special place in the hearts of its original viewers.

Despite flying pretty far under the radar throughout the subsequent decades, its presence increased after DVD, Blu-ray and streaming releases as of late, followed by a live musical featuring a soundtrack by Academy Award, Golden Globe and Grammy-winner Paul Williams (“The Muppet Movie”), plus a book by lead producer Timothy Allen McDonald and Tony Award winning director/choreographer Christopher Gattelli, which is currently in the midst of its Chicago premiere at the revived Studebaker Theater until New Year’s Eve.

Although a ton has changed in terms of entertainment and world affairs since it was initially released, there’s a certain comfort in hearkening back to a simpler time period and storyline when the recently windowed Ma (Kathleen Elizabeth Monteleone) and her son Emmet (Andy Mientus) can barely make ends meet, but are determined not to let bad luck get in the way of their Christmas wishes.

Cleverly combining both live actors in animal costumes and puppets straight out of Henson’s famed Henson’s Creature Shop, the plot follows the spunky mother and loving son as they each pursue Frogtown Hollow’s talent show without each others’ knowledge in hopes of winning a cash prize to buy each other their dream gifts.

Whether its the ongoing rehearsals or the competition itself, much of the charm comes from throwback tunes such as “Ain’t No Hole In The Washtub,” “When The River Meets The Sea,” “Our World” and “Brothers,” alongside a hearty helping of vaudeville-styled variety.

They generally adapt a country and roots flavor, or in the case of fellow competitive group The Nightmare, some psychedelic rock and roll, all possessing a lot more punch than its 20th century predecessor, thanks to a committed, comical and multi-faceted ensemble.

The 75-minute production forgoes an intermission yet effectively adds roughly a half-hour to the broadcast version, though the most noticeable change is the nixing of narrator Kermit The Frog, now owned by Disney, with Doc Bullfrog (Jordan Brownlee) fully taking his place.

Even so, there’s enough sweet sentimentality from all the other enjoyable characters to go around, especially as they point to the bonds of a loving family being worth more than the price tag on any present.

Jim Henson’s “Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas” continues at the Studebaker Theater through Sunday, December 31. For additional details, visit EmmetOtterLive.com and FineArtsBuilding.com/Events/EmmetOtter.

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