November 11, 2008
No humbug: ISU Theatre presents
‘A Christmas Carol’ Dec. 5-7, Dec. 12-14
Nearly all members of the audience know the plot and the outcome, but they keep returning to ISU Theatre’s production of “A Christmas Carol.”
Based on the classic Charles Dickens novel, “A Christmas Carol” will be performed Fridays and Saturdays, Dec. 5-6 and 12-13, at 7:30 p.m., along with matinee performances on Sundays, Dec. 7 and 14, at 2 p.m. All performances will be held in Fisher Theater on the Iowa State campus.
“I would guess 95 percent of the audience knows the characters and the plot,” said director, Jane Cox, professor and program director of ISU Theatre. “It’s a story that appeals to practically everyone.”
“A Christmas Carol” is the story of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge and those he has known in his lifetime. Visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, Scrooge is brought to redemption by his nephew, Fred, who will not give up on his uncle and an employee, Bob Cratchit, and his family who show more compassion than Scrooge deserves.
Cox said the play takes audiences on an enjoyable journey. “‘A Christmas Carol’ takes you on a journey from a feeling of ‘bah humbug’ to a true feeling of season,” she said. “It’s wonderfully redeeming and satisfying.”
This season marks the sixth time ISU Theatre has presented “A Christmas Carol,” produced about every three years. This year’s version will again be faithful to the original Dickens story, said Cox.
A cast of more than 45 includes ISU students along with adults and children as young as age 4. Jeff Mason, a performing arts major from Storm Lake, has the role of Scrooge. Michael Rubke is Marley and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future are played by Melanie Adam, John Flotho and Nick Juelsgaard, respectively. Bryce Larsen is Bob Cratchit.
Admission is $14 for adults, $12 for senior citizens and $7 for students. Tickets can be purchased at the Iowa State Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, or by calling 515-233-1888.
