We got there early, my daughter and I, because we knew parking would be limited. Virtually every spot was taken, except an open spot right by the entrance.

It was the first “miracle” of the night.

My daughter had never visited the historic Haven Theatre, and the evening presented a great opportunity for some time just for us. After our tickets were scanned, we made our way to our seats and settled in for the night’s performance.

Before long, the small orchestra to our right started playing Christmas music and the curtains opened to reveal a large portion of the cast of “Miracle on 34th Street, the Musical.”

“Miracle” was originally released as a film in 1947 and has become a perennial Christmas favorite. It was based on a story written by Valentine Davies, who released a novelization of the film’s script after the movie’s release.

Later that same year, Lux Radio Theater released an adaptation of the story. Television versions were released in 1955 and 1973, and another film in 1994.

The musical version of the story was produced on Broadway in 1963, written by Meredith Wilson and entitled “Here’s Love.”

It’s this version that is performed so well by the cast and crew of Brookhaven Little Theatre.

Half of the performances are already done, with only three performance dates remaining: Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. each evening, and Sunday at 2 p.m. At the time of this writing, some tickets were still available for each showing. If you’re thinking about going, don’t think too much longer — buy your tickets. You can get them online through BrookhavenLittleTheatre.com.

If you’ve never seen any of the iterations of the story, I’ll try not to spoil it for you. It’s a story worth experiencing.

The plot centers around four main characters.

The first is a man named Kris Kringle, who plays Santa Claus for a parade and then for Macy’s Department Store in New York.

The second is Doris Walker, the woman who hires Kringle, and the third is her strong-willed daughter. Neither believes in anything they can’t see, hear or touch.

The fourth is the ladies’ neighbor, a young attorney who becomes involved with all three.

The story is whimsical fun and is not really so much about belief in Santa Claus as it is about belief in general, and about looking out for the best for other people. It’s a story of hope and happiness.

During the musical, I laughed, I cried and even got a little miffed.

Well, I didn’t cry, I winced in pain … because I hit my sore knee getting in my seat.

I got miffed a bit because the giant man sitting behind me tried to put his knees in my seat and kept grumbling about his kids and wife … to his kids and wife.

So those really had nothing to do with the production. But the laughter and the smile on my face was definitely because of the efforts of the talented men, women and children that made up this BLT “miracle.”

And when we exited the theater, fake snow was cascading down from the roof over the entrance, falling softly as it reflected the Christmas lights all around. Everyone I saw walk through it seemed to love it.

And I loved something else, too — an exchange between Walker and Kringle.

Walker: “I don’t think that there’s any harm in not believing in a figure that many do acknowledge to be a fiction.”

Kringle: “Oh, but there is. I’m not just a whimsical figure who wears a charming suit and affects a jolly demeanor. You know, I… I… I’m a symbol. I’m a symbol of the human ability to be able to suppress the selfish and hateful tendencies that rule the major part of our lives. If… you can’t believe, if you can’t accept anything on faith, then you’re doomed for a life dominated by doubt.”

So have a little faith, and if you can, go experience a miracle.

News editor Brett Campbell can be reached at 601-265-5307 or brett.campbell@dailyleader.com.