Typically Ebenezer Scrooge is a miserly and greedy curmudgeon who wishes Christmas and good will to mankind a hearty "bah, humbug." What, however, might happen if the mean spirited character Scrooge were morphed into a female version? For the intriguing and comic answer, look no further than Seven Angels Theatre in Waterbury where its Stage Seven Community Players are taking just that premise and running with it all the way to Thursday, December 22 for your entertainment pleasure.
Come enter the world of Earlene Babcock, comically brought to life by the vivacious and fun loving Michelle Gotay in the original work "The Christmas Carol at Earlene's Diner," written by Artistic Director Semina DeLaurentis as a continuing saga at the famous Pottsville diner and motel that always seems to be on the verge of bankruptcy.
Earlene wasn't supposed to play Scrooge but the actor in question forgot that the show must go on and is nowhere to be found. The gungho Earlene is tapped to save the day by her creative and hard working stage managing assistant Kelsey, played by an energetic Carey Cannata. Just like in the Dickens original, Scrooge now known as Ebbie, is approached by her long dead partner in business Jacob Marley (John Fabiani) who arrives on Christmas Eve to warn that Ebbie is going to suffer the same fate as he, for all his greediness on earth.
To that end, Ebbie is visited by three ghosts, a hip swirling Michael Sacco from the past, a jolly bearded man from the present (Timothy Cleary) and a vision from the future who resembles a Star Wars character (Matthew Conroy). Ebbie learns what her lack of regard for mankind has cost her as she sees how she has mistreated her clerk Bob Cratchit and his ailing Tiny Tina (Zoe Kindt) and her nephew Fred (Alexander Niatopsky). Along the way a medley of lovely Christmas tunes are sung by this talented community cast, with spirit and glee, almost thirty in all.
A slightly tipsy Billy Bob (William Wilson) provides a good recipe for a liquid fruit cake, Thomas Chute adds an Irish flavor and later a solemn song, Earlene delivers a hearty "12 Steps of Christmas" and we even get a sing along. All in all, this enthusiastic troupe is having a great time on stage and taking the audience along for the sleigh ride, thanks to director Semina DeLaurentis.
For tickets ($39, 18 and under $20, Family 4 packs $99 for 2 adults and 2 children), call Seven Angels Theatre, 1 Plank Road, Hamilton Park, Waterbury, at 203-757-4676 or online at www.SevenAngelsTheatre.org. Performances are Tuesday to Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Now is the time to make your reservations for Stand Up, Count Down New Year's Eve Comedy Night on Saturday, December 31 at 6:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. to usher in the New Year with hilarity, courtesy of New York comedians John Ivarone, Liz Barrett, Ellen Karis and Frankie Pace. Also mark your calendar for the weekends of January 13-15 and 20-22 when Showstoppers! Broadway comes to Seven Angels led by master maestro Tom Chute from WATR radio. The January 14 show features an added bonus of an opening night party with great food.
Watch Earlene save the day, save the diner and the motel and create a lot of laughter in the process, guaranteeing a happy holiday of good wishes along the way.
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