Scrooge (Gabriel Olmsted) and Christmas Present (Susan Osborn) look on as the Cratchit Family celebrate their meager Christmas. 2006 photo courtesy of Joe Floren.
Updated Dec. 18 at 11 a.m.
The cast and crew for the farewell performances of A Christmas Carol opened this years’ run of the play on Wednesday, Dec. 16.
As promised, Jim Bredouw, who, with Deborah Sparks adapted Dickens’ tale for an Orcas Island production benefiting the FunHouse, introduced a new song, “Maybe Something Sweet,” performed by Grace McCune and her children’s chorus, portraying street urchins.
The Villagers fill the stage to sing “Christmas is Coming,” until Scrooge (Gabriel Omsted) bustles grumpily on stage to berate his clerk Bob Cratchit (Dave Zoeller), his nephew (John Clancy) and philanthropical solicitors (Dave Roseberry and Bill Gincig) for celebrating Christmas and family. Cratchit responds singing “Here I Stay.”
Then Scrooge’s old employer, Marley, appears as a Ghost (David Densmore) to warn him that he will be visited by three Christmas apparitions — Past, Present and Future.
Christmas Past (Rhys Thompson) and Ali Baba (Frank Michels) in the 2006 version of "A Christmas Carol." Joe Floren photo.
Soon Christmas Past (Gracie Thompson) appears and Scrooge is reminded of the love he relinquished in the pursuit of wealth as Belle (Grace McCune) sings “My Heart is Breaking.”
When Christmas Present (Susan Osborn) comes to Scrooge, she admonishes him that the past cannot be changed but it can be “rectified.” They look on as the Cratchits celebrate their meager Christmas feast, singing “Blessed We Are.”
The spectral ghost of Christmas Future (Che Blaine) then appears to terrify Scrooge with a horrible vision of a future Christmas without the frail and saintly Tiny Tim (Evan King). Scrooge is reminded that, even though he may die friendless and despised, life goes on as a Gang of Thieves rob his own grave, singing “Give It To Me.”
Marley's Ghost (David Densmore), one of the several Ghosts to haunt Scrooge in "A Christmas Carol." Joe Floren photo.
The hard-hearted Scrooge is devastated, but when he awakens on Christmas Day to find himself in the present, he vows to “rectify” his past.
The entire cast reprises “Blessed We Are,” and following curtain calls, dance merrily through the audience at the Orcas Center.
A Christmas Carol will perform four more times this weekend, and will be recorded for copyright purposes. As always, the play is a benefit for The FunHouse, and will be performed Dec. 16, 17, 18 and 19 at 7:30 p.m., with an additional matinee performance on Saturday, Dec. 19 at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $24, $20 (Orcas Center members), $15 (students and seniors) and $7 (Saturday Matinee). They may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281.
When I lived on Orcas, I missed seeing this treasure.
Just a suggestion, to continue funding the Fun House, could the play/music be packaged and licensed to be performed by other companies. This could be a steady income for…ever probably, more than the ticket prices currently bring.
Hope to come back to the island some day.
When I lived on Orcas, I missed seeing this treasure.\
\
Just a suggestion, to continue funding the Fun House, could the play/music be packaged and licensed to be performed by other companies. This could be a steady income for…ever probably, more than the ticket prices currently bring.\
\
Hope to come back to the island some day.
When I lived on Orcas, I missed seeing this treasure.
Just a suggestion, to continue funding the Fun House, could the play/music be packaged and licensed to be performed by other companies. This could be a steady income for…ever probably, more than the ticket prices currently bring.
Hope to come back to the island some day.