‘A Christmas Carol’ comes to Cache Valley
One of the most popular Christmas stories in history, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol”, will be presented Dec. 20, 21 and 22 in the Ellen Eccles Theater on Main Street. The production is being orchestrated by Unicorn Children’s Theater in cooperation with Smoke Productions, a local theater production company.
The production of “A Christmas Carol” was a Cache Valley tradition for several years, and was presented in Utah State University’s Morgan Theatre, said Unicorn Theater president Ruth Call.
This year, the tradition is revived in the spacious Ellen Eccles Theater as a full-scale production, Call said.
The presentation of the play in the Ellen Eccles Theater “lends an importance to the play,” she said.
Several seasoned actors also enhance the quality of the play. Playing Ebeniezer Scrooge is Vosco Call, who has performed as Scrooge several times in past performances of “A Christmas Carol”. Also returning are Ron King as Jacob Marley and Dan Merket as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Ruth said.
Merket’s great stature makes him “a magnificent stage presence” as the Ghost of Christmas Present, she said.
Also participating as narrators are community favorites such as USU theater students Vanessa Ballam-Brenchley and Eric Van Tielen, Ruth said.
The collaboration of community actors and theater technicians with USU theater students make “A Christmas Carol” a very diversified undertaking, she said.
“[Christmas] is a time of year when we feel like giving something to the community, to add to their celebration and pleasure,” Ruth said.
During the holiday season, people are looking for activities that enhance the experience of being together as families and friends, Ruth said.
“Christmas is the perfect time to produce a play,” she said. “[‘A Christmas Carol’] is really a celebration of Christmas, and the place it is being produced in is beautiful.”
Tickets for “A Christmas Carol” are on sale now at the Ellen Eccles Theater box office for $7.50 a seat. Performance time is at 7 p.m. More ticket information can be obtained by calling the Ellen Eccles Theater box office at 752-0026.