A down-home version of Charles Dickens’ classic tale

Staff report

SALEM

Salem Community Theatre usually presents “A Christmas Carol” every other December.

This year, however, the production takes a different slant on the classic Dickens tale with “A Country Christmas Carol, The Musical,” which opens Friday and will run for two weekends.

The show is directed by Sue Vollmar, with musical direction by Joseph McKim, and features a cast of 21.

The action takes place in rural Marley County and brings down-home life into the familiar story of redemption and reunion. All the characters are there, but with some unique variations.

Banker Scrooge, played by Ron Altomare, is the cranky man with a bad case of Christmas blues. Instead of the poor Bob Cratchit, this version brings Bobbie Jo Chratchit (Shannon Evans-Whitehill), a young widow with two small children, Jane and Tim (Shannon’s real-life daughter and son Paige and David Whitehill).

Keeping the family spirit intact is Shannon’s husband Brian, who portrays Dwight, Scrooge’s lovable but ne’er-do-well nephew.

Linda McKim returns to the SCT stage playing dual roles of Lavinia, a good-ol’-girl with big hair and an even bigger heart, as well as the Ghost of Christmas Past. McKim also serves as assistant director. Other country Christmas spirits include Richard Cole and Kennedy Close as the Ghost of Christmas Present and the Ghost of Chrismas Yet-to-Come, respectively.

Other characters include Steve Halas as Scrooge’s former partner Jacob Marley, Dave Wack as Doc Chase, Kathy LeGaurd as Doris Peach, Dana Wilke as Scrooge’s young sister Fanny, and Terry Vest as Scrooge’s father. Rounding out the cast are Jessica Halliday, Samantha Riggs, Megan and Olivia Gromely, Samantha Vest, Mellisa Short and Darian Sharp. Tanya Thomas is the narrator.

The score contains show-stopping ballads and snappy two-steps, all sung by a feisty crew who deal head-on with life’s joys and heartaches. “With this treatment,” said Vollmar, the director, “it becomes a real family-friendly testimony for goodness and generosity.”

Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 2 p.m. Sunday; with an identical schedule Dec. 11-13. For reservations, call 330-332-9688.

There will also be a daytime performance Dec. 9 for school-age children.