Happy Holidays, Natchez and the Miss-Lou! Natchez Little Theatre is ready to add to your holiday festivities with its original family holiday musical production of “A Natchez Christmas Carol,” by Layne Taylor, adapted from the Charles Dickens’ classic.

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. this Friday and Dec. 16; this Saturday and Dec. 17; and Dec. 13. Two Sunday matinees are at 2:30 p.m. this weekend and Dec. 18 at the Natchez Little Theatre at 319 Linton Ave. at Maple Street in Natchez and all tickets are $15.

A benefit/preview performance will be today for NLT’s Dawn Taylor Memorial Youth Scholarship with $10 tickets, and all proceeds will go toward the annual $500 scholarship NLT gives a local area youth to help with college tuition.

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 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, played by Don Vesterse, is visited by the ghost of his old business partner, Jacob Marley, played by Dwight Williams, 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 Katie Borum, Lee Dellinger and Lynn Mann, 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 by an adorable Caleb Curtis, 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” and “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” add additional holiday flavor to what has become a Natchez holiday tradition.

I am directing a very talented cast of newcomers and veterans with an incredible orchestration created by the late Tommy Jackson and the able assistance of musical director, Roderick Whitley.

Don Vesterse has created beautiful, colorful, holiday sets.

Bryan Carroll is as Bob Cratchit; LaCourtney Harness is Mrs. Cratchit and the Cratchit children are played by Michael Ware, Diamond Nicholson and Perraniqua Champ.

Scrooge’s nephew is played by Steen Williams with Rebeka Merrit as his wife, Eliza, and Kristyn Merrit, as her sister, Olivia. Lee Dellinger is Mr. Fezziwig and Jordan Waller is Belle Fezziwig.

Dwight Williams plays the young Jacob Marley; with Steen Williams as Ebenezer as a young man and Riana McLemore as his little sister, Fan. The citizens of 1869 Natchez are portrayed by Beverly Adams, Lenifer Adams, Morgan Mizell, Kaytlyn Walker, Rocheller Green, Patricia Ware and Krystal Bowman.

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.

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.”

God bless us everyone!

 

Lynn Mann is the director of “A Natchez Christmas Carol” and is on the Natchez Little Theatre Board of Directors as vice president of production.