Beginning this Friday, Dec. 3, the University of Idaho Theater department will put on
“A Christmas Carol”, a free theater performance for all students to attend and enjoy. This show will play this weekend December 3 – 5 with matinee performances Dec. 11 and 12 at varying times. Since this show is free for all students to attend, it’s the perfect opportunity to watch the hard work of the theater department come to fruition and take a festive break from the stress of the end of the semester.
The play is a fairly traditional adaptation of this time-tested and beloved Christmas story, however it does differ in a few key ways from the original. This adaption was written by alumna Kendra Phillips who created her own adaption as part of the playwriting program here at UI. In this version, the story is told by an ensemble rather than only a few main characters, and it adds a whole new dimension to this familiar tale that will surprise and captivate audiences.
“Even though it’s the same story, we’re getting to see it in a fresh set of eyes and ears, and I think that’s what’s going to be really exciting for our audience,” Director and Assistant Professor of Acting and Directing, Craig Miller, said.
Another special addition to this performance is the fact that the character of Scrooge will be played by long-time faculty member David Lee-Painter who has been at UI for over 20 years. He has directed “A Christmas Carol” several times in past years, but this is the first time he will be joining students on stage in the role of Scrooge. Every aspect of this show is undisputedly UI-centric and unique, and that’s part of what makes it so special.
“Everything about the show is coming from the creativity of our department,” Miller said. “We didn’t shop around for somebody else’s script, we actually said we want to do our own Christmas Carol, so we tapped on one of our MFA students. Some of our alumni and faculty are in the show as well, so it’s really kind of a fun family affair.”
In total there are 30 cast members, ranging from UI students, faculty, alumni, and even Moscow community members, all of whom have been working tirelessly to make this performance the best it can be.
This adaptation of “A Christmas Carol” has something for everyone, from humor to horror (it is a ghost story after all), to heartwarming commentary on the human condition. Audiences of all interests are sure to be entertained.
Miller explained that this play has meaningful applications to our lives today – those who watch are sure to leave with something to reflect on this holiday season.
“It’s about humanity. It’s about how we treat each other and it’s about how we oftentimes get caught up in how busy we are that we don’t look up to make sure that we’re taking care of the people in our lives, or even coming up for ourselves to take care of ourselves,” Miller said.
Overall, this show is a surefire way to kick off the holidays and enjoy the talent of the UI theater program. There is no cost for UI students to attend, and tickets can be reserved on the UI Ticket Office Website.
“Come celebrate the fact that we can be back in a theater to see a good story told,” Miller said. “It’s a perfect excuse to take a break from all the studying for finals.”
Grace Giger can be reached at [email protected]