The Christmas holiday season officially begins today, bringing with it nostalgic emotional baggage that ranges from joy to sadness, eager anticipation to consuming dread, and many points in-between.
As you deal with the challenges and opportunities confronted while doing your best to appropriately celebrate the season, Darke County Center for the Arts (DCCA) offers a respite from the hustle and bustle, a meditation on the true meaning of Christmas, and ultimately inspiration to stimulate your energies and buoy your spirits while working to establish or maintain your own valued traditions essential to enjoyment of this cherished seasonal celebration. DCCA’s presentation of A Christmas Carol at Henry St. Clair Memorial Hall on Dec. 17 will whisk you to a far-away but familiar world, presenting a timeless story that has warmed hearts and inspired comfort and joy ever since its publication in 1843.
For many of us, no Christmas season is complete without some contact with Dickens’ classic tale. Many people traditionally read the story each December, others watch their favorite version on screen; but actually seeing the moving events unfold live on-stage before your very eyes provides the ultimate holiday experience for those of all ages. Performed by the North County Center for the Arts National Touring Company, A Christmas Carol contrasts strong and unforgettable images of darkness and despair, light and joy to vividly recreate the world of Ebenezer Scrooge as he confronts the ghosts of Christmases past, present, and future. Beloved traditional carols of the season woven throughout the show evoke the sounds of fondly remembered holidays firmly embedded in your own memory, bringing them to vibrant life once again.
Christmas traditions around the globe are intertwined with A Christmas Carol, which was written during a period when old values were treasured while new customs were fondly embraced. The very phrase “Merry Christmas” was popularized by A Christmas Carol, which also introduced “Bah! Humbug!” into the English lexicon. Scott H. Severance, who directs the show and stars as Scrooge, says that although Dickens himself could never have known what an enduring work he created, A Christmas Carol moves audiences to “laugh, cry, gasp, and think upon the wonder of the Christmas season.”
This production of A Christmas Carol utilizes a cast of 16 beautifully costumed professional actors who move in seamless splendor through multiple cinematic projections and haunting special effects from one familiar scene to another. The delightful script features a healthy dose of humor along with heartfelt sentiment to recreate Victorian England in a manner audiences of all ages can effectively experience.
So bring the entire family or treat your entire staff or enjoy a special gift to yourself this Christmas season. A Christmas Carol will brighten your mood and soothe your soul, bringing light and joy to a meaningful holiday celebration that will resonate throughout the New Year and beyond. Tickets for A Christmas Carol are $25 for adults and half-price for students, and can be reserved by contacting DCCA at 937-547-0908 or [email protected], or purchased at DCCA’s office located within Greenville Public Library as well as online at www.CenterForArts.net.
