Happy Holidays!

For the 12th consecutive year, Natchez Little Theatre is proud to present its original family holiday musical, “A Natchez Christmas Carol,” adapted by NLT Artistic and Executive Director Layne Taylor from the Charles Dickens classic. Its premier was on December 3, 2004, and it aired on Mississippi Public Broadcast live on Dec. 24, 2004.

Creating the role of Ebenezer Scrooge was Don Vesterse, who is making his final performance as the crotchety old miser who finds redemption by the visitations of four spirits. Don has played Scrooge in all but two of the twelve performances and won Best Actor in a Musical in 2009.

The story is set in Natchez in 1869, with historical Natchez figures, period Christmas carols and costumes to make an enjoyable family outing for the holidays! “A Natchez Christmas Carol” will run at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and at 2 p.m. Sundays at the Natchez Little Theatre at 319 Linton Ave. at Maple Street in Natchez from Dec. 1-20, 2015. All tickets are $15 for those who are not a member of NLT. There are two matinees on Wednesday, Dec. 10, for local schools.

This beloved Christmas tale is about Jacob Marley, who died on Christmas Eve seven years prior and left his home and his half of the bank and cotton brokerage firm to his partner, Ebenezer Scrooge. Marley was a stingy old man, and Scrooge happily carries on the tradition. Scrooge doesn’t believe in charity, and he is certain that those who do are just lazy and looking for a handout.

Scrooge’s entire life is money and his business. He shuts out his nephew who is the only relative he has and he makes his employee, a freed slave named Bob Cratchit’s life miserable. But Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, played by Wade Heatherly, who warns him that if he continues to live his life in such an unchristian and uncharitable way, he will spend all eternity trying to make up for it.

Three other ghosts, played by Addison Laird, Layne Taylor and Justin Roland, show Scrooge the error of his ways. Because of what he sees and learns, Scrooge opens his heart to the people around him, especially towards the Cratchits and their crippled son, Tiny Tim, played Tony Fields, IV, in his NLT debut and learns charity and love.

Throughout the show, popular Christmas songs such as ‘In the Bleak Midwinter,’ ‘The Twelve Days of Christmas,’ ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,’ ‘Silent Night,’ ‘Here We Come a Caroling,’ ‘Joy to the World,’ ‘Hark the Herald,’ ‘Christmas is Coming,’ ‘Sweet Little Jesus Boy,’ ‘What Child is This,’ “Go Tell it on the Mountain,’ ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ and many more add additional holiday flavor to what has become a Natchez holiday tradition!

Shemeka Ware is directing a very talented cast of newcomers and veterans with an incredible orchestration created by the late Tommy Jackson, with additional music provided by Tema Larry and Shemeka Ware. Shemeka serves on NLT’s Board of Directors and has performed, assistant directed and choreographed numerous plays and musicals at NLT. She is the first African-American director at NLT, making her directing debut this summer on Disney’s “Peter Pan.” Don Vesterse, Sarah Carey, Jenna Aldridge and Myla Waddill created beautiful sets from Shemeka’s design. And it is exciting to see this popular show with a fresh new vision.

Terrence Robinson portrays Bob Cratchit; Sara Davis is Mrs. Cratchit and the Cratchit children are played by Jasmine Jackson, Jaylon Coleman, and Ava Pinder. Scrooge’s nephew is played by Tim Leak in his NLT debut with Leah Schwarting as his wife (NLT debut), Eliza, and Ashleigh Johnson and Riana McLemore as her sister, Olivia. Layne Taylor is Mr. Fezziwig and Ashleigh and Riana are Belle Fezziwig. Chandler Johnson plays the young Jacob Marley; with Tim Leak as Ebenezer as a young man, Bradley Richardson as Ebenezer as a boy and Adair Carey and Kaylee Richardson as his little sister, Fan. The citizens of 1869 Natchez are portrayed by Denzel Fort, Courtney Fleming, Patricia Ware, Sara Davis, Sarah Carey, Myla Waddill, Melinda Laird, Leah Schwarting, Maggie Waddill and Sarah Grace Stewart.

The box office opens one hour prior to each performance and reservations are highly recommended by calling NLT at 601-442-2233 or toll free at 1-877-440-2233. You may purchase tickets on-line at www.natcheztheatre.org or email us at NatchezLT@cableone.net.

May your holidays be merry and blessed and I hope you will bring your family and friends to Natchez Little Theatre in December to enjoy “A Natchez Christmas Carol!”

 

Layne Taylor is the artistic and executive director of the Natchez Little Theatre.