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| Show 51 of 2016 |
A Territorial Christmas Carol has been playing at the Pollard Theatre in Guthrie, Oklahoma for twenty-nine years. This adaptation, written by Stephen P. Scott, is original to the Pollard and is their annual best seller.
This show had all the charm of the original with a local twist, being set in the land run days of the Oklahoma Territory. I really enjoyed the production. You could certainly tell this was not their first rodeo as everything was flawless from beginning to end.
The show starts in a territorial family's home on Christmas Eve. They welcome some visitors who offer gifts. One visitor, an Englishman named Charles, does not have anything to offer the family for letting him stay so he offers a story instead. He sets up the classic Dickens tale and the cast pulls down floor to ceiling drapes to reveal the set for the rest of the show. This little detail was simple, but the timing and drama of it was fantastic.
I thoroughly enjoyed James Ong, who portrayed Scrooge. His portrayal of the character was not sinister, but almost had a comedic edge to his meanness. Timothy Stewart, playing Charles, the narrator, spoke with a flawless English accent and guided the audience through the tale alongside young William played by Michael James at the performance I saw. These characters were throughout the show which allowed the audience to remember this was a story being told. All of the actors played numerous roles which challenged them to develop distinct characteristics for each character.
As I have a technical background I can love the scenes being played out, but the technical aspects of a show will always make a break a show for me. The set was my favorite part of this show. The set changes were seamless. They employed two turntables which allowed for a stationary set to change from Scrooge and Marley's office, to Scrooge's home, to the Crachitt home, and so on. The use of two small scrims along with fantastic lighting highlighted the ghosts of Christmas Past and Present and the stories they showed poor Scrooge.
This show fell into the 'friend's show' category. Eli Fortney, the son of my college friend Amanda, was a member of the Cast A Children. Eli has done many shows and I look forward to catching this talented young man in many more to come.
Overall this was a fantastic show that would put even the coldest Grinch or Scrooge in the mood for Christmas. I will certainly see it again in the coming years and I would recommend it!
For More Information:
Production: A Territorial Christmas Carol
Company: The Pollard Theatre Company
Venue: The Pollard Theatre
City: Guthrie, OK
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