“I feel that modern life, in many ways, needs a little of the magic and the creativity of the old time fairy tales,” explained Suna Flores, the writer, director and mastermind behind the play, “Once Upon a Christmas Card,” opening at the Soper Reese this weekend.
Set in modern day, the action surrounds Jack, a troubled teen who”s in the middle of a rough Christmas. Jack”s father passed away a few years previously, his mother has just gone back to work and his once good grades have taken a turn for the worse.
Aside from Jack, in desperate need of some lifted spirits are his mother and the grouchy Principal Kinderman. Fortunately for these characters, some magical folk are headed to town to remedy their blues.
“Into this situation comes a group of fairy tale characters,” said Flores. “They”ve come to town looking for work out of work fairy tales characters need a job.” And what better job for enchanted characters than to spread Christmas cheer.
In addition to these, a very special gnome arrives in the area equipped with a magical Christmas card.
“The Christmas card has magic properties,” explained Flores. “It doesn”t tell people what they want to hear, it tells people what they need to hear.”
Throughout the play six different cards are revealed when the need calls for it, such as when Jack is feeling like a grouch and Principal Kinderman”s strictness gets the better of him. Among the inscriptions inside the three feet tall cards are, “Even principals need love, especially at Christmas time,” and “A Kinder man reflects the true Spirit of Christmas.”
However, as you”d expect in a situation like this, everything doesn”t go quite according to plan. “The card backfires on him because it says something that seems to make [Jack] worse rather than better,” said Flores. “… He spends the play trying to change that.”
And thus begins the rest of the production, which includes a principal with military-like tendencies, a couple of royal witches, a frantic gnome and a gang of teenagers.
By the end of the play, Flores hopes the audience will walk away with a smile and a feeling of Christmas cheer. “The main thing that you should get from the play is that family and sharing are the most important parts of Christmas,” she said.
Flores developed the idea for the play after feeling like people needed a little reminder of the more heartfelt things in life. “If you become too technical, if you become too regimented, if you become too goal oriented, where all you want to do is succeed … sometimes you loose track of the softer skills,” she said. “And I think many of the fairy tales are about softer skills.” Some of those skills include caring for people and relating emotionally to one another.
“If we can learn through having a good time, such as watching a play that lets you see some of those skills in action, then that”s a good thing,” Flores said.
Intended originally as a children”s play, Flores wrote Once Upon a Christmas Card for the Lake County Theatre Company last year. At the time, the company decided to go with a production of Peter Pan instead. Flores” play was put on the shelf for a few months, until she was approached to put on the production this year. She then reworked the script.
“I went back to work and made it into a more adult, family orientated, rather than kid oriented, production,” said Flores. In its more grown up state, Flores hopes no matter the age, everyone will find joy in the play.
“I”m hoping that people of all ages will find it entertaining,” she said.
While she was in the midst of rewrites, Flores heard some music from Mannheim Steamroller and she knew instantly that she wanted their music in the production.
“I don”t think any show is complete without music,” she said. “Their music is a creative arrangement of old time music But it”s a completely unique approach And I thought that would be a wonderful thing to accompany this show.”
She contacted someone from Mannheim Steamroller to get permission to use their songs. They asked for a copy of the play, and once they received it, they were happy to turn over their music for use in the production.
“We have their support to use all of their music all the way through the show,” she said.
Once Upon a Christmas Card is far from the first play Flores has written. She”s heavily involved in the Lake County Theatre Company and has written seven other productions, performed in Lake County and other areas. The significance of the theater keeps Flores coming back.
“One of the things that”s important to me is that our young people have a chance to perform and to show their skills and to feel important,” she said. “I feel that theater is an excellent way for people to make friends … for people to express their creativity.”
Flores makes sure that creative expression isn”t limited to children, but is available to all members of the community. Her plays are always a mixed cast, so that she can include both adults and kids in the enriching experience of the theater. “From the adults the kids learn acting skills, and from the kids the adults make friendships with these younger people.”
The adults who participate in the plays often have been with the Theatre Company for years, which makes the theater even more important to Flores. “A lot of our people that started out early in the game are adults that are performing on a regular basis,” she said. “I”ve been lucky to be here for 12 years and I”ve watched these kids grow up.”
Once Upon a Christmas Card offers a unique, completely local show that many other plays and events do not. “All of the things that happen in this play happen by and for the people of Lake County,” said Flores. “It”s special because it”s homegrown and it”s us.”
While many acts travel to perform at the Soper Reese, this show is something that”s a change of pace from more professional productions. “A lot of wonderful talent comes into the Soper Reese but a lot of time that talent is from out of town. It”s professional. And it”s a good thing. That”s not a bad thing at all,” she stressed.
“But it”s not local,” she commented. All of the artwork, the costumes and the lighting and sound are provided by community members. Flores doesn”t charge for her writing or directing services and everyone involved is strictly there on a volunteer basis.
“It”s special because it”s homegrown and it”s us. It”s by us and it”s for us,” she said.
Once Upon a Christmas Card presents performances at the Soper Reese over the next two weekends, Dec. 6 and 7, and Dec, 13 and 14. Each day the shows are at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $15 for center section seats and $10 for the side section.
Dubbed “Shows for Sharing”, the Lake County Theatre Company is collecting unwrapped toys and canned goods before the performances.
“Another part of the spirit of Christmas that we”re all concerned about is the people less fortunate,” said Flores.
During the play, the lobby of the Soper Reese will have two wheelbarrows where people can donate their items. After the performances everything collected will be taken to Lake Family Resource Center.
“Caring and sharing is as important a thing to learn from a show as anything else,” Flores said.
Jennifer Gruenke can be reached at 900-2019.
