All the usual suspects, well mostly, and a few new ones, haunted ones if you will, are taking up residency for Christmas this holiday season at the more than one hundred year old Ivoryton Playhouse and you are cordially invited to join the festivities, even if they are serving pizza rather than Yorkshire pudding. Until Sunday, December 15, Jacqueline Hubbard, the Playhouse’s Artistic Director, has written a world premiere English inspired pantomime from her homeland and is directing it to welcome the season, with songs sung by her Nana and mother, and comic moments from her life, all wrapped with a big red bow around a traditional tale of Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol," combining casts from two worlds, one from Ivoryton itself and the other from the world of ghosts. The results are amusing and humorous and touching, with a compelling message about compassion, understanding and love.
When a bad storm knocks out the electric power at the playhouse, just after the cast has finished a performance about Scrooge and Marley, the reality that the theatrical troupe is suffering financially and is in trouble becomes apparent. Suddenly this group of actors from 2024 is joined by another troupe, this time ghosts who performed the same show but long ago on every Christmas Eve as this is their favorite show. Why are they here and what do they want? To Arthur Cavendish who runs their group, they are royalty. He believes this is his last and only time to take on the role of Scrooge, a part he has long coveted, but he feels his son Eddie has ruined his chances. The animosity between the father and son is unfortunate, as Arthur will not accept Eddie’s sexual identity and fights him on his life choices.
Eventually the two casts bond, Arthur learns that Eddie must be true to himself, love comes to the forefront and a message of acceptance rises to the surface and instead of a few “bah humbugs” the hope that “God bless us, everyone!” rings true. The best song of the production is the rousing folk tune “Mrs. Moore, don’t have any more, Mrs. Moore.” Kudos to the lively cast who bring the show to life so convincingly: Michael Barra, Victoria Bundonis, R. Bruce Connelly, Olivia Fenton, Sam Given, Miles Hanna, Johanna Regan Milani, Emma Needleman, Dan Noble and Vivianna Velasquez. Mark Ceppetelli is in charge of music direction and arrangements, Francesca Webster, choreography, Martin Scott Marchitto, scenic design and Elizabeth Saylor, costume design.
For tickets ($60, seniors $55, students $25-if available Thursday last minute after 6 pm 50% off ), call the Ivoryton Playhouse, 103 Main Street, Ivoryton at 860-767-7318 or online at ivorytonplayhouse.org. Performances are Wednesday at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., Thursday at 7:30 p.m,, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., and Sunday at 2 p.m. Watch for the thousands of Christmas lights that are hung every year.
Let the flavor of England invade your senses this holiday season as Jacqueline Hubbard brings a taste of her homeland to Ivoryton for a merry menu of British and American joy.
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