LAKE COUNTY — Come share the spirit of the holiday season with a free live radio broadcast of “A Christmas Carol” performed on the stage of the Soper- Reese Community Theatre at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 20.
Just about everyone is very familiar with one version or another of Charles Dickens” “A Christmas Carol,” but have you ever had the story read to you? This “Ghost Story of Christmas” is particularly well suited to the medium of radio ? where your imagination provides unlimited special effects. By the way, did you know it was an English custom in the 1800s to tell ghost stories on Christmas Eve? This came from the old pagan Yule celebrations of Saturnalia and the Winter Solstice.
When Tony Palermo wrote his radio adaptation of “A Christmas Carol,” he meant to take the audience back to Charles Dickens” original purpose for writing the story some 160 years ago. His version is based on the production done by Orson Wells in 1939, staring Lionel Barrymore.
Palermo”s radio tale seeks to play up the ghostly aspects of the story ? but in the context of the 19th century Christian beliefs. Ebenezer Scrooge holds terrible, anti-social attitudes, but for a reason. His character is based upon Charles Dickens” regrets for his own personal behavior ? in not being kind enough to his fellow man, in not being charitable enough to unfortunates; in fact, Scrooge”s history is modeled upon Dickens” early life.
Dickens” major literary themes were memory and forgiveness. He believed that through experiencing the joy and sorrow of memory, you could learn to live properly in this world; hence Ebenezer Scrooge”s redemption is carried out by memory, example, and fear.
When Dickens wrote this story in 1843, the Christmas holiday was celebrated by going to church and there were a few gifts for children. Dickens converted the 12-day Yuletide feasts (largely of pagan origin), which had been held in large country manors, into smaller scale celebrations that could be held at work, home and among friends. The feasts, children”s games and punch were popularized by the story and revolutionized the holiday. If you view Dickens” Ghost of Christmas Present as a variant or prototype of a pagan Father Christmas or Santa Claus, you will realize that nearly everything about our modern Christmas comes from this most favorite Dickens” tale.
Before the actual reading, demonstrations will be given showing how the sound effects are made, a little background about radio dramas and the hand signals that come into play with directing for the radio. We will be reading the script and producing on stage sound effects, and the voice artists will be coming and going from the microphones. There will be children on the stage singing carols at the appropriate cues given by the director.
It is not merely a group of people sitting on the stage reading. It will be a magical experience for the artists and for the viewers and listeners as it unfolds on the stage and at the same time on the radio.
A cast of 12, directed by Soper-Reese Artistic Director Bert Hutt, will present the live radio broadcast of this classic tale of redemption performed live on stage at the Soper-Reese Community Theatre and broadcast on KPFZ 88.1 FM, community-supported radio for Lake County. This program is underwritten by the generous donations of CPS-County Air Properties, BitSculptor and Lake County Publishing and is free for everyone who comes to the theater or has a radio.
The Lake County Arts Council thanks you, the community, for your support. Please join us for this free presentation at 5:30 p.m. Dec. 20.
