Behind-the-Scenes: Managing “Christmas” at SCR

Members of A Christmas Carol's stage management team: (L to R) Mariann Papadopoulos, Talia Krispel and Becca Sharpe

It’s the holiday season again and—trying to navigate through shopping lists, work and perhaps the worst of all, traffic—it can be a stressful time. Now imagine managing a production that is 36 years old, a holiday tradition for countless families and there’s only about two weeks for the show to come together.

Some of the lucky few in charge of stage managing A Christmas Carol took time to explain just what a stage manager does and what it’s like to jump onto SCR’s annual production while getting into the holiday spirit.

Talia Krispel, Stage Manager

How long have you been with this production and what are your main duties? 

This is my second year with the show. I joined the stage management team last year for the 35th anniversary. I manage the rehearsals, create the daily schedule with the director, arrange costume fittings, provide support to the actors and stage crew, and I call the show during performances. There's a lot to call—more than 300 cues!

What was it like for you to join a production that’s been going on for move than three decades? 

It's a very fast process. We say it's like running to catch a freight train. There's a lot of information to take in! The atmosphere is wonderful, warm and generous. Everyone loves doing this production so the room is always filled with joy. One of my favorite days is when all the adults come together for the first time. There's just so much love and happiness to be back in the room working together again.

How do you describe what a stage manager does?

We have a bit of a unique function because we serve as the assistant to the director and production staff during rehearsals. We provide and maintain all communication within all the departments—including director, designers, front of house, staff and actors.

During performances, we arein charge and help maintain the director’s artistic vision of the show. We “call” the show, making sure all the lights, sound and scenery happen when they're supposed to.

How do you get into the holiday spirit? 

By working on A Christmas Carol!  I grew up in Southern California, but live in New York City. This production has brought me back to SoCal and has allowed me to be with my family during Christmas.

What’s a favorite holiday memory?

 It was years ago when Phantom of the Opera was in Los Angeles. My mom had seen it multiple times and I was just dying to go. I knew all the songs by heart! I remember my mom handing me a card at Christmas and in my child brain, I thought, "Well this is going to be a boring present." Little did I know, Phantom tickets were sitting inside. I was so thrilled! To this day, I still remember watching that chandelier fall for the first time.

Mariann Papadopoulos, Stage Management Intern


How long have you been with this production and what are your main duties? 

This is my first time with SCR's A Christmas Carol and I couldn't be more excited about it! My main duty for this show is moving Scrooge’s bedchamber. I also assist in making sure actors are in place, setting props, resetting scenery and helping everything run smoothly.

What was it like to join this production as a fresh face?

The way it was explained to me was that it's like a Mack truck chasing a train that has already left the station—and that is entirely accurate. Everyone has been helpful and supportive through the process of learning this production, even though I felt like I was so far behind. It felt like walking into a big part of your family you didn't know you had.

How do you describe what a stage manager does?

My quick answer is simply that we create magic. Yes, you need the actors. Yes, you need costumes, scenery and lights, but you need someone to put all those things together in that way that makes theatre so magical. Sure, a stage manager isn't alone in that task, but they are a huge factor in it.

How do you get into the holiday spirit? 

It doesn't take me too much to get into the holiday spirit! Let me listen to some Christmas music, watch some Christmas movies, with hot chocolate and get my nails done all festive-like and I'm ready!

What’s a favorite holiday memory?

It’s something that still happens every year. My parents always told me and my brother that if we didn't believe in Santa, we wouldn't get presents. So, you bet we believed—and still do—in Santa, or the spirit of him, at least.

And every year on Christmas Eve, we download the Santa tracker app to watch him fly around the world and see where he has been and where he will go to next. It definitely keeps the spirit of the season alive for me.

Becca Sharpe, Stage Management Intern

How long have you been with this production and what are your main duties? 

This is my first season with SCR and therefore my first experience with A Christmas Carol. As an intern, my responsibilities consist of following and updating the previous year's paperwork and keeping up with everything in the rehearsal room. I help set up for rehearsals and make sure everyone has everything they need to get the show back in their bodies in the short time we have during rehearsals.

Then, when we get into technical rehearsals and the run of the show, I help make sure the show happens safely and effectively for everyone involved.

What’s special about being part of a show that’s been running this long?

From the first day of rehearsal, everyone who has done the show at least once was ready to go and excited to help teach us the ropes. Everyone involved is incredibly kind and helpful; it's a fun show to be on.

How do you describe what a stage manager does?

Stage management is a team of people who are responsible in ensuring that the artistic integrity of what the designers and directors dream up is maintained. It's our job to make sure each and every little part of the show comes together to create and complete the big idea.

How do you get into the holiday spirit? 

It always takes me a little while to get into the holiday spirit. And that usually involves snow. This is my first winter on the west coast. I moved here from Virginia Beach, by way of St. Louis, four years ago. It wasn't until the Christmas lights were hung in the backstage hallways that I finally felt like it was time. Christmas lights will get me every time.

What’s a favorite holiday memory?

Last Christmas, I worked a show in St. Louis and couldn't go home to see my family. Everyone on the show—cast, crew and band—all came to my house and we cooked together, had a fire pit, played music and spent Christmas together as a family. It never ceases to amaze me how we find family through each other.

Find out more about A Christmas Carol

Behind-the-Scenes: A Fascination for Detail Work

The more detailed, the better for John Gaddis IV. In his role as assistant technical director, he assists Technical Director Jon Lagerquist and Master Carpenter Amanda Horak by tracking and managing the flow of materials that apply to the physical makeup of the set. Gaddis also helps find solutions to problems ranging from how to make it “rain” to repairing broken tools. Another responsibility is “over hire”—the extra people often needed to supplement the staff with assembling or taking down a set or when a show needs assistance to be built within the given time frame. A major part of Gaddis’ job involves making sure the scenery is set up at SCR’s support facility in a manner helpful to the scenic artists so that it will look great for each show and then expediting the flow of scenery to and from the facility efficiently.

All of this requires an aptitude for detail, and his comes naturally—his father is a gifted wood craftsman and his grandfather was a sign painter in the years before pre-printed or pre-programmed art adorned things such as billboards, buildings or trucks.

For 28 years at SCR—and through more than 300 productions—Gaddis has put his natural talent and skills to work.

“I’m always learning and getting to work with a variety of materials such as wood, foam, steel, paint, plastic, plumbing, electrical and water for such things as rain,” he says. “I also fill in the gaps wherever needed to keep things moving. The attention that we pay to all of these details means that the quality of what we do is very good.”

His interest in the technical side of theatre started early—in high school—with productions such as My Fair Lady and Flowers for Algernon. He always has been drawn to the look of the sets. His first professional production, Dracula at the Ahmanson Theatre, caught his attention because of its specific style: done in black and white, except for a red rose and a few other small red elements.

SCR's 1987 production of Glengarry Glen Ross with Richard Doyle,
Don Took and Hal Landon Jr.

In his youth, Gaddis saw shows at SCR including Volpone by Ben Johnson (1978, with Hal Landon Jr., who made a great impression on him), A Life in the Theatre by David Mamet (1980) and The Merchant of Venice (1981). His interest and work in theatre continued through junior college and then at the University of Oklahoma where he earned his BA in technical theatre.

“Theatre has a certain quality that reflects the human condition and it’s done in a way that is easy for people to relate to,” he says. “Not many other things can do it that well.”

After joining the SCR staff, Gaddis’ first production was Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet (1987). He counts a number of productions as memorable, including:

• A Christmas Carol (1987-now): “I’m most proud of this production; I think it’s one of the best shows we do.”
• Pirates by Mark W. Lee (1991): “It’s my favorite—the set looked like the back of a ship.”
• The Ballad of Yachiyo by Philip Kan Gotanda (1996): “The style, which used puppetry, was unique and beautiful to watch.”
• Theatre for Young Audiences series: “These shows are a good way for kids and their families to have an exposure to theatre. I hope they continue coming to see plays as they grow up, and become our next generation of audiences.”

Through the years, the variety of work and creativity have kept things interesting for Gaddis, along with the “numerous friendships and the opportunity to work with great designers.”

How a Phantom (Tollbooth) and Spirits Led to Acting Success

Alex Knox in Euyrdice.

Molly Gutman and Knox in the 1995 Theatre Conservatory Players production of Mother Goose on Trial.

For Alex Knox, a stopover at a tollbooth started his path to an acting career, and it began at South Coast Repertory. He was nine years old when bounded onto the stage as Tock the Watchdog in SCR’s Young Conservatory Players’* production of The Phantom Tollbooth. He took his acting lessons to heart and now enjoys a lively career in theatre, film and television.

Knox initially sought out theatre as an opportunity to be part of an ensemble, something he readily found through acting classes in SCR’s Theatre Conservatory.

“We were a team, but without having to compete against other students,” he recalls. “We focused on listening to each other. That was very useful as I started my career and, I have to admit, I loved the group warm up games. That’s where we could jump around, make noise and not get into trouble!”

In 1995, he auditioned for SCR and was cast as Peter Cratchit in A Christmas Carol, a seminal experience for him because he workedworking with founding company members like Hal Landon Jr. as Scrooge, Richard Doyle as the Spirit of Christmas Past and others.

“I remember watching the ‘grownup’ performers waiting backstage quietly for their cues and seeing how sacred each performance was for them,” he remembers. “That taught me what a privilege it was to perform onstage. I still feel that way.”

In 2013, he played Orpheus in SCR’s production of Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice—a performance that earned raves from StageSceneLA, which called him and co-star Carmela Corbett, “two talented, charismatic young actors we are sure to be hearing much more from.”

The 1995 production of A Christmas Carol with Knox, third from left, Hal Landon Jr., John Ellington and Laurie Woolery.

Knox is a member of Antaeus Theatre Company, where he has performed in shows from Macbeth to the hit radio play, “The Thin Man.” He received kudos on both coasts for his one-man show, No Static at All, and he played Freddy in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion at the Pasadena Playhouse. He earned a BFA in acting from the University of California Santa Barbara and his graduate degree from the Yale School of Drama. 

In 2013, he returned to A Christmas Carol as a ‘grownup’—Ebenezer as a Young Man—a role he has again in 2015.

“It’s amazing now to be an example for the young actors. I try to set the tone with a reverence for the theatre, the play and my fellow performers. I also love bonding with the kids. When there’s a sense of fun and trust backstage, that shows up in the play onstage. Being with them all is a great reminder that working in the theatre is fun. There’s a reason it’s called a ‘play.’”

Check out current acting classes at SCR.

*Now called Summer Players

An "A Christmas Carol" Kid All Grown Up

Sanaz Toossi first came to South Coast Repertory as a curious teen in the Theatre Conservatory. There she found her love for theatre—and a home. As a conservatory student, Toossi performed in many Players' productions and twice in A Christmas Carol.

Toossi (far right) in a Teen Players production.

These days, she's now one of the conservatory assistants and also has worked in the Literary Department as festival assistant for the Pacific Playwrights Festival; she also recently completed a literary internship. In November and December, she is adding another SCR credit to her resume as she returns to A Christmas Carol in an entirely new role—child wrangler. What is a child wrangler? Toossi explains and recounts some of her favorite SCR and A Christmas Carol memories.

What exactly is a child wrangler?
It sounds like I herd horses, but in general, a child wrangler basically keeps track of the child actors backstage. In A Christmas Carol, the wrangler leads a pre-show warm-up, assists with quick changes and makeup...most importantly, does not lose the kids. This might involve herding.

You practically grew up at SCR. When and how did you first get involved?
I did! I could not hold down an extracurricular activity. I tried everything, and I was either terrible or completely uninterested. When I took ice-skating lessons, everyone in my group—except for me—kept getting bumped to the next level. We played this game in which we were supposed to skate through the teacher's legs, and I found that game absurd and had a breakdown on the ice (which is hilarious to me now). So I went home and told my mom that I hated ice-skating. She said, "You hate everything; you have to find something". I thought I might like acting, so I Googled "acting classes orange county" and guess what I found...

Toossi in A Christmas Carol in 2006,
with Jennifer Parsons.

What is your history with A Christmas Carol?
I played Martha Cratchit twice when I was a student in the conservatory when I was 14 and then 16. Martha is the oldest of the Cratchit bunch, and she's awesome. I know the show and many of the actors in it very well, so my mom and I go see the show every year. We like to discuss little changes after.

What’s your favorite A Christmas Carol memory?
I can't think of anything specific, but what has stuck with me all these years is how fun it was being onstage with Danny Blinkoff and Jennifer Parsons, who play Bob and Mrs. Cratchit. After all these years, I still have dreams where I'm onstage, Jenny's looking at me, and I cannot remember my lines.

What are you looking forward to the most this time around?
I'm looking forward to working on the show while not being a hormonal teenager with homework! Also, this show really gets you in the Christmas spirit—I'm going full Christmas this year. Hats, tinsel, all of it. I'm going to be a Christmas terror. Get ready, friends and co-workers.

You work in many aspects of theatre—is there a favorite part of theatre to work in?
That's tough because I've been fortunate enough to work with really great people who have made each job enjoyable. But a few things...I will tell you that it'd be a tough sell to get me to act on a stage again (to no fault of anyone's). Acting is hard and scary and I'm getting lazier with each year. The responsibility of stage management would probably send me into cardiac arrest. I've loved working in literary—seeing playwrights' brains work, witnessing a new work develop, seeing a director's take on things. But I think working in our conservatory has been very rewarding for me. Giving kids a place to be themselves—the same place where I got to be weird—is important to me.

Sanaz with playwright Dipika Guha during her literary internship.

You’re also a playwright; can you tell us more about that?
I grew up in the conservatory and I loved acting here. But I always secretly knew I didn't want to be an actor, and yet I knew I loved theatre. I realized what I loved about the theatre were the words, the page coming to life. It was more fun for me to imagine what the actors would say in my head than it was to say it myself. So now I write plays! Some are funny and some are really not funny. I always try to include inappropriate jokes. I love writing more than anything. Maybe it'll be something I pursue, maybe it won't. And some days everything I write is stupid and pointless, but it's still what I love most in the world.

What has been your favorite show at SCR?
Vietgone by Qui Nguyen. Hands down, 100 percent, I have never seen a show so impactful and bright and important. My parents, like Nguyen's, immigrated to this country from a conflicted area, and as a writer, it's been really important to me to tell their story. Until I saw Vietgone, I had never seen a story like that treated with such passion, and humor and sincerity. It changed how I think about my own writing.

Sanaz in rehearsal for her play Nobody's Child.

Have you had a mentor who has provided you with guidance on theatre issues?
I met Theatre Conservatory director Hisa Takakuwa when I was 13 and I knew immediately that I wanted to be friends with her. Aren't those the best friendships? The ones where you sort of pick each other? She cast me as an evil troll in a Summer Players and we've been friends ever since. She has supported me through everything. I have come to her with every rash decision and crazy idea and she talks me through it, always truthfully and always with love. She's the reason why I'm in theatre; she encouraged me to write. I cannot imagine what my life would have been without her. While she's been my best teacher and best director, what's been really cool for me is how I've gotten to know her as a friend. Because she's brilliant and sharp, of course, but Hisa is hilarious and just so fun to be around. And one of my favorite things to do is just kick it with her in her office and make weird jokes. There are lots of people who can shape you as an artist, but it's so cool, I think, to be able to call that person your friend.

Learn more and buy tickets.

Unwrapping "A Christmas Carol"

For 11 months out of the year, the sets, costumes and props for A Christmas Carol are carefully packed away, waiting for their time to shine in the spotlight. Now they’re out of storage and waiting patiently to be used in rehearsals and be loaded onto the Segerstrom Stage for performances that run Nov. 27-Dec. 27. View the slideshow to see the set pieces as they wait in SCR’s scene shop.



Having trouble viewing the slideshow? Try watching it here.

A Snowy Night at SCR: Auditioning For "A Christmas Carol"

The kids of A Christmas Carol from left to right, Lauren Lyons, Rachel Bailey, Catherine Mitchell, Aoife McEvoy, Jamie Ostmann, Kennedy Haynes, Carissa Diller, J.T. Casey, Colin Root, Jack Matthews, Sean Kato, Hudson Mattingly Stefanello and Louis Alvarez Tonkovich (missing: Rachel Charny, Kiana Kamm and Nick Trafton.)

“It’s Christmas Eve. Imagine what’s around you—a snowy night, crowded streets, festive decorations. It’s just you and your imagination. Have fun!”

That’s Theatre Conservatory Director Hisa Takakuwa, inspiring young actors as they take part in an improvisational pantomime (a street scene in 19th-century London), the first step in auditions for A Christmas Carol.

As many as 75 students in the Kids and Teen Acting Programs try out, and 16 are chosen (double-cast in eight roles). Auditions are open to all students in the third year of training and above and second-year students recommended by their instructors. (First year students may audition for the role of Tiny Tim, which is cast separately.)

In class, they’ve been taught the importance of process over product and reminded that auditions should be a learning experience. “I encourage them to listen, be flexible, try new things and show a positive attitude,” Takakuwa says. “If they do all that, they’ll feel really good— no matter the outcome.”

During step two of the audition, the young actors read scenes from A Christmas Carol. They’re called in groups that represent the ages of the characters they’ll portray—from the youngest Cratchit daughter, Belinda, to the oldest boys, Peter Cratchit and Ebenezer as a student.

A week later, everything is repeated—in front of a larger crowd. (Takakuwa is joined by Director John-David Keller, Casting Director Joanne DeNaut and Casting Assistant Stephanie Marick for “callbacks”).

Within a few days, Takakuwa sends personal letters to those who didn’t make it. “I remind them to be proud of doing their best and most confident work. They’ve learned how to audition!”

But if the phone rings—you’re in!

Those who made it range from first-timers to more experienced young actors.

Nick Trafton and J.T. Casey

Kennedy Haynes

Colin Root and Hudson Stefanello

Carissa Diller and Kiana Kamm

J.T. Casey and Nick Trafton, who alternate in as Boy Ebenezer, are “old pros,” having been in the Summer Players production of Mary Poppins. In that audition, J.T. learned, “You have to be prepared. I was expecting the unexpected this time, and the first audition felt good. I thought I nailed it in the callback, but there were a lot of kids who were really good.”

Nick had been nervous at the Mary Poppins audition because it was his first play. “I was a little more relaxed this time since I knew what to expect,” he recalls. “After the first audition, I was hopeful. When I walked into the callbacks and saw Mr. Keller I thought to myself, ‘stand up straight and look professional.’”

Kennedy Haynes is a third-year student, who has been waiting for the chance to audition for A Christmas Carol since she was eight years old. “I felt confident about my improv,” she says. “But I walked out of the callback thinking there was no way I would get a role—it was so quick, and I thought quick usually wasn’t good!”

Hudson Stefanello and Colin Root alternate as Turkey Boy. Hudson is in his second year and was recommended by his instructor. “It was an honor to be chosen,” he said. “I was excited about auditioning because I love the play and was dying to meet the man who plays Scrooge.* I wasn’t nervous because I blocked out everyone to focus on the character and the improv.”

This is Colin’s second time auditioning for A Christmas Carol. “Looking back on last year, I realize that I wasn’t ready,” he admits. “But this time I felt I would get a role because I took the director’s advice and applied it to the audition. I made better decisions and was more open.”

Second-year students Carissa Diller and Kiana Kamm were recommended by their instructors. Kiana, who likes sewing, pantomimed making beautiful dresses in a tailor’s shop. “I felt confident doing the pantomime again in callbacks, but I didn’t think I would get a part. This was my first audition, and I was just very happy to have the experience.”

Carissa thought she might have made it to the callback. “SCR has a very good audition process because they treat you well and make you feel comfortable. I learned to be calm and listen to instructions. I felt like I did a good job, but didn’t expect to get a role because so few kids get chosen.”

How did they react when the phone rang?

Carissa: Super happy.
Hudson: Screaming, “I’m Turkey Boy—I get to meet Scrooge!”*
Kennedy: This is completely RAD.
J.T. It was like a dream come true.
Kiana: So excited—I was ready to pass out.
Nick: Excited—and relieved. It’s going to be great working with professional actors.
Colin: Beside myself with joy—excited to meet the cast.*

*And, of course, they’ll all get to meet the cast, led by SCR’s Scrooge—Hal Landon Jr., playing the role for his 36th season.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL

A Christmas Carol runs on the Segerstrom Stage Nov. 27-Dec. 27, 2015. 

Children’s roles are double cast. Actors with † appear Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at noon. Others appear in balance of performances.

OLIVER SHELLEY:
RICH BOY:
RICH GIRL:
YOUNG GIRL ABOUT TOWN:
TEEN GIRL ABOUT TOWN:
CHIMNEY SWEEP:
EBENEZER AS A BOY:
FAN, the sister of Ebenezer:
“TINY” TIM CRATCHIT:
BELINDA CRATCHIT:
PETER CRATCHIT:
MARTHA CRATCHIT:
WANT:
IGNORANCE:
TURKEY BOY:

J.T. Casey, Nick Trafton†
Sean Kato, Louis Alvarez Tonkovich†
Carissa Diller, Aoife McEvoy†
Kiana Kamm, Kennedy Haynes†
Jamie Ostmann, Lauren Lyons†
Hudson Mattingly Stefanello, Colin Root†
J.T. Casey, Nick Trafton†
Jamie Ostmann, Lauren Lyons†
Jack Matthews, Catherine Mitchell†
Carissa Diller, Aoife McEvoy†
Sean Kato, Louis Alvarez Tonkovich†
Rachel Bailey, Rachel Charny†
Kiana Kamm, Kennedy Haynes†
J.T. Casey, Nick Trafton†
Hudson Mattingly Stefanello, Colin Root†

Learn more and buy tickets.

Inside the Scenic World of "A Christmas Carol"

The cast of the 2013 production of A Christmas Carol. Photo by Jim Cox.

South Coast Repertory’s annual production of A Christmas Carol is a tradition for many families in the Orange County area. For more than three decades, parents and children have come to look forward to the Charles Dickens classic on SCR’s stage. Some parents now were the children who first experienced the wonder of the classic holiday tale. And during the passing decades, the production has had few changes. Hal Landon Jr. has played as Scrooge since its inception, many cast members regularly return over multiple years and the designs have largely remained intact.

Although, some audience members with hawk-like eyes may have noticed a few changes to the set design within the last decade.

Originally designed by Cliff Faulkner in 1980, the set design began to be updated over a five-year period between 2002 and 2007. Scenic designer Tom Buderwitz took on the task of refreshing one section each year from Scrooge’s bedroom to the Cratchit’s House to the proscenium arch.

“I was fortunate that the machine of this design—how it moves and functions—as originally designed by Cliff works really well,” says Buderwitz. “I was then able to focus on the character and details present in each of the individual set elements I was updating. Charles Dickens has long been one of my favorite writers. His descriptions of places and characters are so detailed and evocative. My favorite part has always been trying to make those descriptions come to life with truth.”

These descriptions even extend to the images found around the stage and lining the proscenium. They may have caught your eye, but exactly what are they?

They come from a series of etchings called "Pilgrimage to London" by Gustave Dore. They depict the difficulties of life in early Industrial London during the mid-nineteenth century. Faulkner incorporated them to represent the hardships many of the characters faced during that time. Buderwitz also updated a few of these images during his revision on the design. Find out more about the images and see a gallery of the “Pilgrimage to London.”

Check out the comparison of changes before and after the update:
Learn more and buy tickets

Go Behind the Scenes with Our Young Actors (Part Two)

Young actors from A Christmas Carol: (top row) Blogger Sophia Utria, Joshua Myran, Maximos Harris, Bloggers Zoe Hebbard and  Emily McDaniel, Mitchell Huntley, Blogger Benjamin Susskind, London Walston.
(middle row) Alexis Cueva, Bloggers Olivia Drury and William Lynam.
(bottom row) Bloggers Karoline Ribak, Katherine Parrish, Jacqueline Vellandi, Aoife McEvoy and Bella Browne.

Our Bloggers

Olivia Drury (Young Girl About Town), age 13. Olivia has been studying acting at SCR for two years and started performing in plays at age five. She played Troy in High School Musical and Burt in Mary Poppins. “I was a huge tomboy.”


Will Lynam (Turkey Boy), age 11. Will has been studying at SCR for two years. Fun fact: “I am very good with technology and I can fix most computer problems."


Emily McDaniel (Belinda Cratchit), age 11. Emily has been studying acting at SCR for three years. She has two pet bunnies named Toki and Sugar. “I am bananas about bunnies!!”


Aoife McEvoy (Tiny Tim), age 10. Aoife has been studying at SCR for two years. Fun fact: “I’m named after an evil queen who turns children into swans in Irish mythology.”


Zoe Hebbard (Belinda Cratchit), age 11. Fun fact: Zoe is a competitive ballroom dancer.


Katherine Parrish (Martha Cratchit), age 16. She’s been studying acting at SCR for four years and is an avid Broadway musical theatre fan.


Karoline Ribak (Fan), age 17. She has been studying at SCR for nine years and previously played Belinda Cratchit in A Christmas Carol back in 2007.

Sophia Utria (Fan), age 16. She has been studying at SCR for two years. Fun fact: she has a twin sister. “We can sometimes read each others' mind.”


Jacqueline Vellandi (Tiny Tim), age 10. She started in SCR’s Youth Conservatory when she was eight and just finishing third grade. She loves SCR and can’t wait to be a Junior and Teen Player. She likes to write scripts, hold auditions and then run rehearsals and perform shows with her Barbies and Legos.

Our young bloggers performed in A Christmas Carol more than two-dozen times now. We asked them to talk about different milestones during the production.

How does it feel performing onstage, in front of sold-out houses?
Jacki: It feels like a dream come true!
Olivia: It's a feeling that really cannot be put into words. It's like everything around you just disappears and you can't feel or remember anything other than that moment. It is truly a feeling like no other, kind of like electricity.
Aofie:  I like it when I can hear people in the audience laugh or gasp. I want to make them feel emotions and get involved in the story.
Karoline: The audiences' energy creates the magic and brings our story to life.

Are you still discovering new things about your character?
Karoline: I'm constantly challenging myself to break routine and find ways to keep my interactions real and fresh.
Benjamin: In the party scenes, I play a character without a name.  I haven't really thought about this, so I have been coming up with his story as the shows go on.
Jacki: I keep finding out new things about Tiny Tim—like he's really energetic even if he is sick and weak. I’m working on showing that excitement he feels inside.

Were you nervous before opening night?
Sophia: Surprisingly, no. We had been rehearsing for this moment, and everyone was ready.
Emily:  I couldn't sit still all day. I was shaking when the lights dimmed for the show to begin. But once I got out on stage I felt great, not scared at all. I loved it!
Olivia: I was very nervous backstage. But, once I was waiting to enter and heard the excited murmurs of the crowd trying to find their seats, I just took a deep breath, and stopped being nervous. I thought "This is what I love to do, so why am I nervous?"

What do you do backstage when you’re not onstage?
Sophia: Costume changes!
Benjamin: I have so many that I don't even get to talk and rest during intermission.
William: I have to do a really quick costume change for one of my scenes.  If I take too long then the other actors in my dressing room squirt me with a water bottle to get me to move a little faster. It is a fun way of keeping me on track.
Olivia: If I am not changing costumes, I hang out with the other actors in the dressing rooms or the green room. We usually play chess and talk.
Karoline: Our chess games backstage are extremely intense.

Any fun backstage stories?
Aoife: Backstage we like to make up names for the characters that don’t have official names. We gave Turkey Boy the name Gregory Thomas Caspian III. We named two of the Fezziwig guests Beatrice and Esmeralda.
Emily: Daniel Blinkoff (Mr. Cratchit) taught me how to play checkers during intermission. One time, Karen Hensel (Mrs. Fezziwig) was about to go and she realized she had a Vons grocery bag caught on her hoop skirt.
Katherine: Our Red Team cheer before every show is "Roses are red and so are we!" We like to make a tunnel for Gregg Daniels (Marley's Ghost) to exit through before the schoolyard scene. And after every show, Daniel Blinkoff (Bob Cratchit) high fives us and says "Slap me five!"and we say "Gimme some change!"

Have your friends and family been able to see you in the show?
Zoe: Definitely! My grandma flew from Virginia to come see the show!
William: My parents and brother have seen the performance three times and I have had family fly in from three different states to watch me perform.
Emily: My mom has a ticket to every performance and my whole family has seen it. Even my Grandma who lives out of the country came to opening night.

Jacki Vellandi as Tiny Tim in A Christmas Carol

What's been the best part about being in A Christmas Carol this year?
Jacki: Christmas started in November for me, when I was cast in A Christmas Carol and I love Christmas—so that’s been awesome.
Katherine: I've loved making relationships with all these wonderful people I never would have met otherwise, including the actors, the tech crew and my crazy Cratchit family. I will never forget the time I have had doing this show; these wonderful memories will live with me forever.
Emily: I have been able to meet so many nice, kind people and I’ve learned new acting skills. My favorite part though is being on stage—I just love it!
Olivia: My favorite part is being with all the actors and the crew. They are so much fun to be around and are always very helpful. We have such a good time!
Zoe: Probably just getting to perform with all these professional adult actors. I learn so much stuff from them.
Aoife: I love everything about it!
Sophia: I love the holidays, and this year I got spend a lot of time this season doing what I love and being around people I have become really close to. Every day since the first rehearsal, there is something to celebrate or smile about. The whole cast and crew is so full of spirit, it's impossible not to be happy.
Benjamin: I think my favorite part about being in A Christmas Carol this year is being able to perform with professionals and being able to perform with Mrs. Argyros.
William: The best part of being in A Christmas Carol is being transformed into another period of time.
Karoline: Every member of the cast is warm-hearted, supportive and always there to make me laugh. I feel blessed beyond belief to work with such an inspiring group of artists. I cherish every second with my A Christmas Carol family and will always treasure the memories, wisdom and joy they have given me.

Read part one of this blog.

Bringing the Spirits of Christmas to Life

James MacEwan, Richard Doyle, Hal Landon Jr., Gregg Daniel and Timothy Landfield in the 2013 production of A Christmas Carol.

Ebenezer Scrooge is visited by four spirits who aim to change his ways and save him from a lonely, haunted end. Each spirit enlightens Scrooge about what he needs most—from humanity to love to a warning of what could be.

Gregg Daniel as Jacob Marley's Ghost.

The Ghost of Jacob Marley

“Mankind was my business!  The common welfare was my business. Charity, mercy, patience, kindness were all my business!  And now, I cannot rest.”

• Jacob Marley is the first spirit to visit Scrooge and warn him of his impending visits from the spirits of Past, Present and Yet-to-Come. He is punished to wander the Earth in chains for living a life full of avarice and uncaring attitude towards others. He warns Scrooge not only of what is to come but what he could become if he continues on his current path. Despite being the only spirit who personally knows Scrooge and the only friend he ever had, Marley is direct and as A Christmas Carol director John-David Keller puts it, “The least friendly.”
• Jacob Marley’s chains represent the selfishness he exhibited in life. He unwittingly forged it through his many careless acts, "I wear the chain I forged in life," replied the Ghost. "I made it link by link, and yard by yard; I girded it on of my own free will, and of my own free will I wore it.” (Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol) Jacob Marley died seven years before the events of A Christmas Carol.
• Many adaptations have stayed true to the Dickens descritions. Although, in A Muppet Christmas Carol, Jacob Marley is split into two characters, Jacob and Robert, played by the heckling duo Statler and Waldof.
  
  

Hal Landon Jr. as Ebeneezer Scrooge and Richard Doyle as The Spirit of Christmas Past

Spirit of Christmas Past

“These are but shadows of the things that have been. They have no consciousness of us.”

The Spirit of Christmas Past is Scrooge’s second visitor that Keller believes, “Is there to reawaken Scrooge’s humanity.” This shows Scrooge who he once was and the moments that have led him to be the curmudgeon he is. In the original novel, the spirit is described as a childlike figure with an illuminated head—similar to a candle—that is ever changing in number of arms and legs. The light it omits is often thought to represent the illumination of the mind the spirit presents to Scrooge.

• Due to the unique description of this spirit, many adaptations have interpreted the look and characterization of the spirit differently.
• In SCR’s production, the wand the spirit carries acts as a representation of the illuminating light that Dickens describes in his novel. His costume is also from an earlier time period.
• The Spirit of Christmas Past has been interpreted as elderly men, angelic women, children and even as a cab driver in the movie adaptation Scrooged.
• In a 2009 movie of A Christmas Carol the Spirit of Christmas Past receives an adaptation faithful to its Dickens description.
  
  

Timothy Landfield as The Spirit of Christmas Present and Landon as Scrooge

Spirit of Christmas Present

“They know me wherever they hum a Christmas tune, or have a Christmas thought, or remember some bygone Christmas Day and the hopes that went with it.”

Jolly, giant and only able to exist for a single year’s Christmas, the Spirit of Christmas Present offers Scrooge the idea of empathy and community. “He shows Scrooge what he is missing. The other aspect of life he needs,” Keller says. The spirit guides Scrooge to both moments of joy and festivity as well as moments of hardship. At the end of their journey he presents two children to Scrooge, Ignorance and Want. He warns him to beware of them and at the stroke of midnight fades away.

• The Ghost of Christmas present represents many of the Christmas ideals including generosity, empathy and celebration.
• He is typically first seen on a throne of a large feast in Scrooge’s home to further illustrate the idea of sharing one’s riches with the community.
• In Dickens’ novel he is able to freely change size and towers over Scrooge when they meet.
  
  

James MacEwan as The Spirit of Christmas Yet-to-Come and Landon and Scrooge.

Spirit of Christmas Yet-To-Come

“Spirit, I know that I, like all men, must die—but not having lived as I have! Not alone, unmourned, so poor in heart.”

A silent specter that leads Scrooge on his final journey through a Christmas that could occur if he continues on his path. A cold spirit who is reminiscent of the grim reaper, that offers Scrooge two forms of grief and as Keller puts it, “Who forces him to figure it out on his own.” The final moment with the spirit thrusts an awakening upon Scrooge and reinforces the idea that he shouldn’t waste time.

• The Spirit does not utter one line and simply points Scrooge towards his answers. J.D. believes, “He says nothing but at the same time says the most.”
• In the novel, Dickens does not refer to this character as a spirit or ghost like the previous two. He simply refers to it as a “phantom.”
• Scrooge is quick to dismiss the Spirits of Christmas Past and Present initially. When the Spirit of Christmas Yet-to-Come arrives, he is quick to seek its message and even begs mercy from it at the end of their journey.
• His interaction with the final spirit shows how much Scrooge has learned from his vistors.

Act now and get your tickets to A Christmas Carol before the spirits visit you!

Learn more and buy tickets now.

Go Behind the Scenes with Our Young Actors

Young actors from A Christmas Carol: (top row) Blogger Sophia Utria, Joshua Myran, Maximos Harris, Bloggers Zoe Hebbard and  Emily McDaniel, Mitchell Huntley, Blogger Benjamin Susskind, London Walston.
(middle row) Alexis Cueva, Bloggers Olivia Drury and William Lynam.
(bottom row) Bloggers Karoline Ribak, Katherine Parrish, Jacqueline Vellandi, Aoife McEvoy and Bella Browne.

Meet Our Bloggers

Olivia Drury (Young Girl About Town), age 13. Olivia has been studying acting at SCR for two years and started performing in plays at age five. She played Troy in High School Musical and Burt in Mary Poppins. “I was a huge tomboy.”


Will Lynam (Turkey Boy), age 11. Will has been studying at SCR for two years. Fun fact: “I am very good with technology and I can fix most computer problems."


Emily McDaniel (Belinda Cratchit), age 11. Emily has been studying acting at SCR for three years. She has two pet bunnies named Toki and Sugar. “I am bananas about bunnies!!”


Aoife McEvoy (Tiny Tim), age 10. Aoife has been studying at SCR for two years. Fun fact: “I’m named after an evil queen who turns children into swans in Irish mythology.”


Zoe Hebbard (Belinda Cratchit), age 11. Fun fact: Zoe is a competitive ballroom dancer.


Katherine Parrish (Martha Cratchit), age 16. She’s been studying acting at SCR for four years and is an avid Broadway musical theatre fan.


Karoline Ribak (Fan), age 17. She has been studying at SCR for nine years and previously played Belinda Cratchit in A Christmas Carol back in 2007.

Sophia Utria (Fan), age 16. She has been studying at SCR for two years. Fun fact: she has a twin sister. “We can sometimes read each others' mind.”


Jacqueline Vellandi (Tiny Tim), age 10. She started in SCR’s Youth Conservatory when she was eight and just finishing third grade. She loves SCR and can’t wait to be a Junior and Teen Player. She likes to write scripts, hold auditions and then run rehearsals and perform shows with her Barbies and Legos.

Every holiday season in SCR's A Christmas Carol, the young characters—from Tiny Tim to the Cratchits—are portrayed by students from SCR's Young Conservatory program. These young actors audition for the chance to be cast in the show, perform with professional actors and in front of thousands of audience members. For many of them, A Christmas Carol will be a new experience and they'll be sharing the experience with us throughout this 35th anniversary season for the show,

What are you most looking forward to from this experience?
Jacqueline: I can’t wait to perform with the whole cast!
Emily: Learning how to act in front of a large audience and also wearing all of the beautiful costumes and making quick changes like a professional actor!
Aoife: I can’t wait to have my friends and family watch the play. I've told them all about it.
Katherine: I'm excited to be experiencing the process of a professional production, including the rehearsals, the actors and the long run of the show. I've never done a show that runs for as long as A Christmas Carol, so it will be fun to learn what that is like and how it affects my performance.

What did you work on in rehearsals? Karoline: We worked on building character relationships and understanding the profundity of our interactions.
Jacqueline: How to commit to our characters. I want you to believe I’m Tiny Tim and not Jacki.
Emily: We worked on all of the party scenes and the dancing.
Olivia: We also learned all the songs that will be in the show.
Sophia: I think my favorite rehearsal moment so far has been "Wassail" from at the top of the show. The whole cast's shout of the final 'wassail!' at the end of the song, it just was a really cool moment.

What has it been like balancing school and rehearsals simultaneously?

Karoline: The rehearsal process forces you to re-shape your schedule and find an effective balance between theatrical and academic obligations. Overall, the adjustment definitely strengthened my sense of time management!
Zoe: It's been hard. I have been trying to hustle through all of my work during the day before rehearsal.
Katherine: Rehearsal doesn't leave a lot of time for me to study for tests and do my homework, but I'm getting it all done even if it does mean some late nights.
Will: The only difficult thing about balancing school and rehearsal is that I have very little free time, but this experience is well worth it.

What is one important thing you've learned so far?

Karoline: With such an extravagant piece, it is imperative that we constantly take risks and make bold choices as actors. Our general rule of thumb is to be flexible and make larger choices with each rehearsal—it is a goal to be asked to "tone down" a choice.
Sophia: That it is okay to make mistakes. No one is going to yell at you, the scene just picks up right up again and it gets better.
Olivia: How to listen and learn. While other people are rehearsing, you have to listen to the notes that they receive, so you can improve your own performance.
Will: How all of the small parts can come together to make a bigger picture.
Emily: I have learned that sometimes you need to make your own decisions and not wait for an adult to give you some advice.
Aoife: In between the lines you say, you still have to listen and react in whatever scene you’re in, so people don’t stop believing the story.
Jacqueline: In acting classes, you hear a lot about making strong choices. Now with the director, John-David, I really understand what that means—and how to make strong choices.
Katherine: My self-confidence has grown because of my experience thus far in A Christmas Carol. Just getting into the show really boosted my confidence, but also working with the adult actors and being a part of this amazing production have helped a lot.
Zoe: I have learned that I have to stay in character even when I am not speaking.

Here's more from our bloggers:

Watch Sophia Utria's personal video blog from rehearsal.



Check out photos from our bloggers Jacqueline Vellandi and Emily McDaniel.



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From Page to Stage: Dickens Takes Orange County By Storm Decade After Decade

The cast of A Christmas Carol including, center, John-David Keller, Hal Landon Jr., Richard Doyle and Karen Hensel.

For 35 years, John-David Keller and Hal Landon Jr. have shared a holiday tradition: directing and starring in South Coast Repertory’s production of Charles Dickens’ classic, A Christmas Carol. In addition to directing, Keller portrays Mr. Fezziwig. Landon is beloved as the curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge. Of course, the tradition began when Jerry Patch adapted the Dickens classic for SCR.

John-David Keller and Karen Hensel as Mr. & Mrs. Fezziwig

To this day, Keller prepares in much the same way he has every year:

“I try to read the Dickens novella every year because I ask the children in the cast to read it—that’s always their first assignment,” he relates. “The script is very faithful to the original. I believe that if you compare the Dickens book and the play that Jerry Patch wrote for us, you’ll see how very loyal Jerry was to his source. After all, it’s hard to improve on Charles Dickens!”

Recapturing the spirit of an old-fashioned Christmas was the vision of Patch SCR’s former resident dramaturg, Jerry Patch. In designing his version of A Christmas Carol, Patch concentrated on how the major themes of the story could most effectively be communicated on stage.

“I wanted families to be able to come to the theatre together and share an experience. Everyone from grandparents to grandchildren could be touched by the significant message of this classic story,” Patch says.

The story’s focus on humanity and regeneration continues to move audiences of all ages as they experience Scrooge’s transformation along with the character.

Daniel Blinkoff and Jennifer Parsons as Mr. & Mrs. Cratchit with the Cratchit Children

“This play is a celebration of family, peace and unity,” Patch explains. “It’s not just a British play, nor is it limited in scope to the 19th century. Scrooge’s didactic understanding of generosity, charity and mercy are ideal to be embraced by all people in all times. His story embodies the very tenets of American culture—you can change yourself, you can succeed beyond your means and, after undergoing metaphorical death, you can come back and live a better life. In other words, it’s never too late. This isn’t a complicated message, but it’s an important one nonetheless, and it’s the means by which we hope to touch our audiences.”

Keller believes the production gets an extra special because of all the new faces in the cast each year.

“There are 16 children in the show. Christmas for these lucky youngsters is one they’ll never forget,” Keller says. “I watch their faces. During rehearsal and I can see them grow with every passing day. It’s an intense learning process and they have more fun than anybody.”

Hal Landon Jr. as Ebenezer Scrooge with the Shelley family.

Landon has logged more than a thousand performances as Ebenezer Scrooge, but he says he will never be through working on the role.

“I’ve spent considerable time trying to figure out why Scrooge is the way he is and what makes a man shut down like that in terms of relating to the rest of the world. Why is he so obsessed with money?” Landon asks. “I’ve created an entire back story for Scrooge. For example, he’s not just lonely on that Christmas Eve when we see him; he has felt the same loneliness throughout his entire life, which is something I need to understand and respond to.

Landon imagines that Scrooge’s life totally changes after we leave him at the Cratchit home on Christmas Day.

“He has a lot of money, which he starts using for the common good. I like to think that his relationship with the Cratchits and with his nephew, Fred, becomes very close, which brings all of them a lot of joy. Scrooge is a symbol of hope for all of humanity because he proves without a doubt that anybody can change.”

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Who Are Those Kids, Anyway?

Back row: London Walston, Bella Browne, Jacqueline Vellandi, Aoife McEvoy, Emily McDaneil, Zoe Hebbard, Maximos Harris and William Lynam.  Front row: Alexis Cueva, Joshua Myran, Ben Susskind, Karoline Ribak, Sophia Utria, Katherine Parrish, Mitchell Huntley and Olivia Drury

South Coast Repertory’s annual production of A Christmas Carol has a cast of 25 actors who play 49 roles. Eight of those actors are kids, who play eleven of the roles. And those eight young actors are, in fact, sixteen!

Confused? In 1980, when SCR produced A Christmas Carol for the first time, no one, including the director—then, as now, John-David Keller—knew that the play would run annually for the next 35 years! But they did know that the kids’ roles should be double-cast, allowing the young actors every other day off to spend with their families during the holiday season.

So the kids were divided into two groups—and named after the Christmasy colors of “red” and “green.” Each team has its own performance days, but during rehearsals both teams are often called, so that one can watch the other onstage. According to Keller, “This is a wonderful way for the young actors to see their characters, played by other actors, and learn from the experience. It’s actually great training.”

But who are these kids and how do they get the enviable roles that range from Tiny Tim and his brothers and sisters (the Cratchits) to Scrooge and Marley as boys, to poor kids on the street, to beautifully costumed singers and dancers in the party scenes? They’re students in SCR’s Theatre Conservatory, 16 very lucky kids, who won their roles through audition after at least a year in the program.

Because so many kids want to be a part of A Christmas Carol (more than 70 audition each season), most of the cast is new each year. This season’s young actors, from 13 cities throughout Southern California, are Alexis Cueva/Katherine Parrish (Martha Cratchit), Joshua Myran/Mitchell Huntley (Peter Cratchit), Emily McDaniel/Zoe Hebbard (Belinda Cratchit), Jacqueline Vellandi/Aoife McEvoy (Tiny Tim), Karoline Ribak/Sophia Utria (Fan/Teen Girl), Olivia Drury/Bella Browne (Girl About Town), Benjamin Susskind/London Walston (Young Ebenezer/Oliver Shelley), William Lynam/Maximos Harris (Turkey Boy).

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Go Behind the Scenes with Our Young Actors (Part Two)

(top row) Grace O'Brien, Lindsay Elizabeth Frazin, Christopher Delfino

(bottom row) Jaden Fogel, Thomas McCarthy, Maddy Nickless, Jillian Tabon, Caitlyn Roum.

Meet Our Bloggers

Nika Natalie Aydin (Tiny Tim), age 8. Nika began acting in SCR's summer workshop and continues studying in the youth conservatory. She has previously performed in holiday concerts at her school, singing and dancing, but A Christmas Carol is her first time performing in a play.

Christopher Delfino (Turkey Boy), age 13. Christopher first began acting in another Christmas play when he was in the third grade. He first caught the acting bug while performing in the play How to Eat Like a Child and has been studying at SCR for two years.

Jaden Fogel (Young Ebenezer/Oliver), age 14. Jaden has been acting for three years and makes his A Christmas Carol debut. This past summer he performed in SCR’s Summer Players’ production of Annie.

Lindsay Elizabeth Frazin (Fan/Teen Girl), age 16. Lindsay began taking classes at SCR when her older sister was cast in SCR’s A Christmas Carol as Martha Cratchit and has been a part of the Conservatory for three years. A Christmas Carol will be her first time performing in a play.

Thomas McCarthy (Turkey Boy), age 11. Thomas has been studying acting at SCR for two years and A Christmas Carol will be his first ever play to perform in.

Maddy Nickless (Girl About Town), age 12. Madison started acting when she was five years old and has been performing in community theatre and studying acting with SCR for four years.

Grace O’Brien (Martha Cratchit), age 16. Grace has been acting for seven years, since she started studying in SCR’s conservatory. Since then, she has been in many plays and even played Belinda Cratchit in A Christmas Carol five years ago.

Caitlyn Roum (A Girl About Town), age 9. Caitlyn has been acting for three years and studying acting at SCR for two. In three years, she has performed in five plays with Newport Beach Theatre Arts and her school Davis Magnet School.

Jillian Tabone (Belinda Cratchit), age 10. Jillian started acting when she was six years old and has been studying acting at SCR for three years. She was previously in a production of A Christmas Carol at her school.

Our young bloggers have been performing A Christmas Carol more than two-dozen times now. In fact, the show closes on Thursday! We asked them to talk about different milestones during the production.

How does it feel performing onstage, in front of sold-out houses?
Caitlyn: It feels amazingly awesome and exciting.   It feels like I am really in the world of A Christmas Carol and everyone’s character is real.
Jaden: It feels weird being on stage. It's a different environment; we are actually affecting the audience. You can feel the emotion stretch across the whole stage.
Thomas: It's great to be on the stage in front of big crowds. There is no better feeling than hearing the audiences laugh or applaud.
Maddy: I love getting to re-tell this story.

Are you still discovering new things about your character?
Nika: Yes, I am still discovering things about Tiny Tim.  He enjoys little things like singing with his dad, being with his family and he really appreciates the food he gets.
Grace: You're never done in your process as an actor, so there is always something new to learn. The Christmas season has also helped me get into the spirit, making my character's emotions truer.
Lindsay: Yes, of course! When I'm waiting backstage, I often think of new ways to enhance my performance, such as subtle changes in tone, volume, etc.

Were you nervous before your opening night?
Jillian: I was extremely nervous and I asked Daniel Blinkoff (Bob Cratchit) for advice and he told me to use my nervous energy into my character. It is so wonderful to work with adult actors, because they can give good advice!
Caitlyn: To be honest, no, I wasn't because what would I worry about?   I trust all the people in the play.
Thomas: I was very nervous but the crew and other actors make everyone feel relaxed.
Christopher: Oh yeah! I didn't want to mess up, but as scared as I was before I got on stage, it all went away once I took the stage

What do you do backstage when you’re not onstage? 
Jillian: Dominic Brack taught me how to play slide!
Caitlyn: Change into costumes!  I have seven costume changes, so I go one after another.
Christopher: I love to play chess in the greenroom.
Jaden: Once, I am done with my costume change, I go to the wings and watch the play to get re-emerged into the story.

Any fun backstage stories?
Grace: Before going on stage Christopher, Caitlyn and I always chant “Break legs and break hearts.” It's lighthearted and silly, but helps ease our nerves.
Nika: My favorite backstage story is when Mrs. Fezziwig let me smoke her fake pipe.
Thomas: The cast and crew are going to do a Secret Santa!
Maddy: Everyday during the warm ups the tech crew come backstage playing star wars music to distracting us and we all laugh.

Have your friends and family been able to see you in the show?
Nika; Yes, my entire 3rd grade class from my school came to watch me. Every one loved the show. One of my friends was even inspired to join the acting classes at SCR.
Maddy: My family, friends, and my 8th grade drama class came to the performance.
Jillian: It is so fun to perform on a big stage with people you know cheering you on!

What's been the best part about being in A Christmas Carol this year?
Christopher: All the actors are like a big family, it is great hanging out with them, laughing and sharing this experience
Grace: The best part is being apart of the amazing A Christmas Carol family. We've all gotten so close and I love being with them! I am so lucky to work with such amazing actors and learn from them all.
Lindsay: Getting to do the "schoolyard scene" where Fan lightens up Ebenezer's day by telling him he's coming home for Christmas because it is the first scene in the play where love and the importance of family is openly expressed.
Thomas: The sound of applause is awesome.
Jaden: Working with all the adults I’ve learned so much.
Caitlyn: Just being on stage!
Nika: I love to be on stage performing the show in front of an audience.
Jillian: Seeing how the play has affected so many people.
Maddy: Performing every night and becoming a family with the cast.  This has been a dream of mine for the past four years since I began studying at SCR.

Nika Natalie Aydin's (top row, center) third grade class after a student matinee of A Christmas Carol.