Gabriel Olmsted as Scrooge, Susan Osborn as Christmas Present, and 2006 cast members as the Cratchit family in "A Christmas Carol" to play Dec. 16 through 19 at the Orcas Center. Photo courtesy of Margot Shaw.
The cast and crew for the farewell performance of “A Christmas Carol” later this month was announced at the first rehearsal on Monday, Nov. 30.
The Orcas production of the Dickens’ classic was begun in 1999, when Jim Bredouw, Funhouse founder, musical composer and now Orcas Park and Rec District Commissioner, conceived the idea for a new version and asked Deborah Sparks, Theater Productions Manager for the Orcas Center, to help him mount the production. Sparks agreed to adapt and direct the play, with the stipulation that Bredouw compose one new song for each production. This will be the fourth and final run of “A Christmas Carol” but it will be recorded for copyright purposes.
Gabriel Olmsted has reprised the role of Ebenezer Scrooge in each production and will return for this year’s performance.
Dave Zoeller will again play Scrooge’s long-suffering clerk, Bob Cratchit, as he did in the 2006 production. Mrs. Cratchit will be played by Holly King, and her son Evan, will appear as Tiny Tim, whose line, “God Bless Us, Every One!” rivals Scrooge’s “Bah! Humbug!” as the play’s most famous utterance.
Rounding out the Cratchit family will be Monica Connell, Hannah Kate Lewis, Rhys Thompson, Paris Willson, Jules Mann, and Abby Rueb, as the newly-cast Granny Cratchit.
The Ghost of Christmas Past will be played by Gracie Thompson (a role she stepped into in 2003 when Conrad Wrobel developed laryngitis, Susan Osborn will once again play the warm-hearted Ghost of Christmas Present, and Che Blaine will bring a Phantom-like presence as the Ghost of Christmas Future.
Henry Moe and Indy Zoeller will play young and younger Scrooge and Jim Walsh will play dead Scrooge. Grace McCune will play Belle, Scrooge’s lost love, and Frank Michels will again appear as Ali Baba. Matthew White will step into the role of Turkey Boy.
Bob Littlewood will once again be the Narrator and Mr. Fezziwig; Pat Littlewood will be Mrs. Fezziwig. Audrey Moreland and her daughter Sabina Smith Moreland will portray the spectres Greed and Ignorance. There will be countless youngsters as street urchins, dancers and villagers; and adults will acts out the parts of bill collectors, partygoers, street vendors and dancers.
Scrooge’s employer, Marley will be played by David Densmore, and John Clancy will again be Scrooge’s nephew Fred, with Mimi Anderson playing Fred’s wife. The singing villagers will be played by members of Orcas A Cappella under the direction of Dennis Bonner.
The den of thieves will be populated by Freddy Hinkle playing the Head Thief, and Carol Bee, returning to Orcas to play Mrs. Pinchit, (as she did in the 2003 version of the production). Tika Thorson, Penny Sharp-Sky, Susan Osborn, Donna Laslo, Miel Bredouw and David Densmore will play other thieves, with Martin Lund sitting in for Jackie Parker in the role of the Mad Keyboard Thief.
Robin Freeman and Penny Sharp-Sky will be the Dance Captains. Other crew functions will be performed by Terra Armstrong , KT Juorgan, Greg Books, Anne Bredouw, Jim Bredouw, Yuriko Bullock, Loren Dickey, Marsha Gillingham, Monique Gincig, Pete Moe, Mark Padbury, Iris Pavitt-Parker, George Post and Jeni Sanders. Kathy Walsh heads the Costume Department.
And Jim Bredouw’s new musical composition will be sung by Grace McCune’s Children’s Choir.
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.
