DEWAYNE HOLLOWAY
montcnews2@windstream.net
MOUNT IDA – For a handful of nights the Montgomery County Council for the Performing Arts will be transforming the confines of the Roosevelt Auditorium into a Victorian spectacle as they present Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.”
The play, which is an adaptation by John Jake, is one of the most recognizable Christmas stories of all time. Dickens’ first edition sold out in just six days and has never been out of print and remains one of the most popular holiday stories to date. It has been adapted to musicals, movies and operas performed across the media spectrum.
The familiar tale features Ebenezer Scrooge, a miserly old businessman, and a host of characters that range from Tiny Tim to the Ghost of Christmas Present. It follows Scrooge’s transformation from a penny pinching old grump into a generous compassionate neighbor and friend.
As the play progresses Scrooge is visited first by his old partner Jacob Marley and then by three ghosts that share Christmas’s past, present and future. It is through these visions that Scrooge regains his love for others and the holiday.
It is often mentioned as heavily influencing the use of certain holiday phrases. Although ‘Merry Christmas’ had been around for around 300 years, it wasn’t until Dickens used it in “A Christmas Carol” that it became a common phrase during English holiday parties. The infamous words, ‘BAH HUMBUG!!!’ are synonymous with the story’s lead character, and one will often hear a miser, or grumpy old man called a ‘Scrooge’ during the Christmas holidays.
The MCCPA will present four performances of “A Christmas Carol.” There will be three afternoon performances and one evening performance.
The first opportunity to witness a performance will be Sunday, December 2, at 2 p.m. There will be two more 2 p.m. performances Saturday, December 8, and Sunday, December 9.
The December 8 performance will be a special ‘dinner and a show’ performance thanks to a partnership with Shack Attack Pizza in Mount Ida. Those who attend this Saturday performance will be able to take their ticket to Shack Attack Pizza for a dinner buffet. The buffet will be served from 4-7 p.m. that Saturday. Tickets for this special Saturday performance will be $25 per couple, or $15 per individual. Children under the age of 13 eating the buffet will be charged 50 cents times their age for a meal.
The play features Gary McWilliams as Ebenezer Scrooge. This marks McWilliams’ theater debut, but he brings a wealth of performance experience thanks to his Youtube channel and homesteading demonstrations.
He headlines a cast of local favorites and special guests from other acting troupes.
The lone afternoon performance will be held Monday, December 3, at 7 p.m.
Ticket prices for the December 2, 3, and 9 will be $8 per adult and $5 for students and senior citizens.
