Walpole Players’ “A Christmas Carol” An Annual Tradition

 “A Ghost Story of Christmas”

By Chuck Bingaman

            The Walpole Players present their second annual production of Charles Dickers’ “A Christmas Carol” Wednesday through Saturday, December 16 through the19th at 7:00 p.m. in the Town Hall Helen Miller Theater to benefit the Fall Mountain Food Shelf.

            “Rehearsals are going so well,” co-director Ray Boas said Tuesday evening.  “We’ve a tweaked last year’s production that was very well-received, and wait till you see the party scene we’ve put in this year!”

            Boas and co-director Tara Sad first produced the Players’ unique take on the 1843 classic last year with Boas creating the script from several previous stage adaptations and Sad taking a leading role in organizing the actors and staging.  Rather than a typical beginning-to-end play, the Players’ version is a series of vignettes telling Dickens’ magical story of redemption shown behind a large frame and a curtain of theatrical gauze that gives the impression of seeing a story from another time.

            The Players’ production is just over an hour—a very intensive hour—so it is perfect for a family experience.

            Boas’ carefully sculptured vignettes are tied together by narration he edited from Dickens’ writings and is presented by Walpole writer and actor Jim Skofield playing the role of Dickens.  Skofield’s deep and dramatic voice gives the whole production the gravity and grababilty that pull the audience in and open them to the emotions of the characters from the cold and miserly Scrooge to the ghosts and the family of Bob Cratchit. 

            Bill Pearre plays Scrooge again this year, the original “Baa! Humbug” Christmas spirit denier.  His painful and, ultimately, joyful journey from scoffing to celebrating the season is well-matched to Pearre’s onstage talents.  The 35 person cast also includes Gail Golec as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Laurel Perron as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Bill Perron as the Ghost of Christmases Yet to Come, Jim Baucom as Bob Cratchit, Tom Durnford as Marley, and Jack Pratt as Mr. Fezziweg.

            “A Christmas Carol” also includes an all-star crew of community participants including sets by Bill Perron, costumes by Barbara Kasper of The Costume Ladies, lighting by Ben and Dan Northcott, sound by Eric Merklein, poster design by Jan Kobeski and tickets by Kris Tyson.

            Each person attending will receive a special commemorative booklet on “A Christmas Carol” designed by Ray Boas and dedicated to his late wife Cathy “because she made a difference in the world.”  The booklet adds to the meaning of the event by putting "A Christmas Carol" in its historical context and includes notes on Victorian Christmases.  Refreshments after each performance echo the Victorian tradition.

            While there is no charge to attend “A Christmas Carol”, tickets are required for admission and those attending are asked to make a donation to The Fall Mountain Food Shelf by check or cash when they attend.  Ticket holders are asked to be in their seats 15 minutes before curtain time—6:45 p.m.—and any empty seats at that time will be given to latecomers without tickets. Because last year's performances were sold out, those interested are urged to get tickets immediately at Burdick’s Café, Galloway Real Estate, the Village Market and Real to Reel Video in Walpole.

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