NLT ready to add to Christmas spirit

Published 12:00 am Friday, November 26, 2010

Happy Holidays, Natchez and the Miss-Lou!

Christmas is coming and the Natchez Little Theatre is ready to add to your holiday festivities with its original musical production of “A Natchez Christmas Carol,” by Layne Taylor, adapted from the Charles Dickens’ classic.

The story is uniquely Natchez and set here in 1869, with historical Natchez figures, period Christmas carols and costumes to make an enjoyable family outing for the holidays!

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“A Natchez Christmas Carol” will start at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Dec. 3 and 10; Saturdays, Dec. 4 and 11; and Tuesday, Dec. 7. Two Sunday matinees are at 2 p.m. Dec. 5 and 12 at the Natchez Little Theatre on 319 Linton Ave. at Maple Street in Natchez and all tickets are $15.

There will be a benefit/preview performance on Wednesday, Dec. 1, for Out of the Darkness Ministries with $10 tickets, and all proceeds will go to that organization. Two student matinees are scheduled for 9 a.m. and noon Thursday, Dec. 2, and tickets are still available at $10 for area schools.

This classic Christmas tale is about Jacob Marley, who died seven years prior and left his home and his half of the cotton brokerage firm to his partner, Ebenezer Scrooge. Marley was a stingy old man, and Scrooge happily carries on the tradition.

Scrooge doesn’t believe in charity, and he is certain that those who do are just lazy bums looking for a handout. Scrooge’s entire life is his business, and he shuts out his nephew, who is the only relative he has, and he makes his employee, a freed slave named Bob Cratchit’s life miserable.

But Scrooge, played by Don Vesterse, is visited by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, played by Dwight Williams, who warns him that if he continues to live his life in such an unchristian way, he will spend all eternity trying to make up for it.

Three other ghosts, played by Vickie Green, Bo Allen and Ashley White, show Scrooge the error of his ways. Because of what he sees and learns, Scrooge opens his heart to the people around him, especially towards the Cratchits and their crippled son, Tiny Tim, played by an adorable Caleb Curtis, and learns charity and love.

Throughout the show, popular Christmas songs such as “In the Bleak Midwinter,” “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,” “Silent Night,” “Here We Come a Caroling,” “Joy to the World,” “Hark the Herald,” “Christmas is Coming,” “Sweet Little Jesus Boy,” “What Child is This,” “Go Tell it on the Mountain” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” add additional holiday flavor to what has become a Natchez holiday tradition! I am directing a very talented cast of newcomers and veterans with an incredible new orchestration. .

Edwin Smith is back as Bob Cratchit; Alethea Shelton is Mrs. Cratchit and the Cratchit children are played by Jessie L. Hayden III and Deanna Hayden. Scrooge’s nephew is played by Trey Price with Nicki Kelly as his wife, Eliza, and Kayla Kelly, as her sister, Olivia. Bo Allen is Mr. Fezziwig and Randa Morace is back as Belle Fezziwig. Nick Norris plays the young Jacob Marley; with Matt Fontenot as Ebenezer as a young man, and Katie Borum is his little sister, Fan. The citizens of 1869 Natchez are portrayed by Rose Temple, Christina Givens, Jala Pinckney, Cicely Lee, Brad Passman and Colby Passman.

The box office opens one hour prior to each performance and reservations are highly recommended by calling NLT at 601-442-2233 or toll free at 1-877-440-2233. You may purchase tickets online at www.natcheztheatre.org.

May your holidays be merry and blessed and I hope you will bring your family and friends to Natchez Little Theatre in December to enjoy A Natchez Christmas Carol!

Merry Christmas!

Tommy Jackson is the director of “A Natchez Christmas Carol” at the Natchez Little Theatre.