A Christmas Carol: December 3–5, 2009
Holiday Favorite Haunts the Indian Hills Stage
Scrooge and the infamous ghosts make their appearance at Indian Hills December 3–5 at 7:30 p.m. Indian Hills Community College Theatre will present A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, adapted for the stage by Anthony Palermo and directed by Indian Hills Theatre Director Ronelle Willadsen. Admission is free for this holiday event to be held in St. John Auditorium on the Ottumwa campus. Due to anticipated popularity, it is recommended that patrons reserve seats in advance by calling the Arts and Sciences Office at (641) 683-5144 Monday–Thursday.
Overview
A Christmas Carol was first published in 1843 and almost instantly found popularity as a Christmas novella bringing Dickens both literary and financial success. Today, it is one of the most popular non-Biblical Christmas stories. Dickens referred to the Victorian story as his “ghost story of Christmas.”
Willadsen said “Over the years, A Christmas Carol has lost much of its ghost-story status. We will be returning this production to its Victorian roots and focusing on the eerie, spooky aspects of its ghost stories.”
A Christmas Carol is the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, the sole survivor of the accounting firm Scrooge and Marley. On Christmas Eve, Scrooge is being his usual miserly self by chasing off those who are soliciting donations for the poor and scrutinizing his lone employee Bob Cratchett for wanting Christmas Day off. He even criticizes his nephew, Fred, for celebrating a holiday that has “never put a penny in any man’s pocket.” That night, Scrooge is visited by three ghosts that warn him of the pitfalls of the path he has chosen to take in life. They offer him the chance for redemption—to change his future for better.
Indian Hills Theatre Director Jennifer Boyenga said “A Christmas Carol is one of those stories that just touches people’s hearts, no matter how many times it is seen.”
Cast and Crew
A newcomer to the Indian Hills stage, Thad Overturf (Ottumwa) is playing the miser Scrooge. The Ghosts of Christmases Past, Present, and Future are being played by Shaye Wilson (Ft. Madison), Joe Nikas (Knoxville), and Thomas Ready (Pella). Scrooge’s nephew, Fred, is played by Mitch Bean (Columbus Junction) and Fred's wife, Kate, is played by Shelby Stufflebeam (Moravia).
The Cratchett family includes Eric Freeman (Albia) as Bob, Kayla Heckart (Ottumwa) as Mrs. Cratchett, Melissa Holzhauser (Ottumwa) as Martha, Bryce Taylor (Muscatine) as Peter, Miranda Rains (Sigourney) as Belinda, and Curtis Ripperger (Melcher-Dallas) as the lame child, Tiny Tim.
Many of the actors are portraying several characters in A Christmas Carol. Performers include Aaron Jackson (Ottumwa), Tonya Bales (Albia), Tim Larson (Centerville), Jessica Williams (Eddyville), Hilary Bruner (Eddyville), and Cassie Peitz (West Point).
Technical positions in A Christmas Carol include Sound, Lighting, and Scenic Builder Ben Froah (Newton), Stage Manager Jessica Williams (Eddyville), Props Mistress Kayla Heckart (Ottumwa), and Costume Crew Peter DeKluyver (Los Angeles).