Staff
Thursday, November 28, 2002
Local stages will be on Christmas overload this month. Already open and playing through Dec. 14 is the
WESTERN STAGE''S Main Stage production of
A CHRISTMAS CAROL: SCROOGE AND MARLEY. This two-and-a-half-hour adaptation by Israel Horovitz remains faithful to the Dickens original, including making the Ghost of Jacob Marley a main character who remains on stage "commenting" on Scrooge''s progress throughout the play. Jeffrey T. Heyer leads a large cast. For an edgier, more low-budget take, check out Monterey Peninsula College''s
SRO/STUDIO THEATER, where
A CHRISTMAS CAROL plays Dec. 14-22. This one-hour abridged version stars Michael Lojkovic as Scrooge, and employs eight actors in a variety of roles. Next door on
MPC''s MORGAN STOCK STAGE, MERRY CHRISTMAS, GEORGE BAILEY runs Dec. 6-22. Based on the classic Capra film
It''s A Wonderful Life, this radio-style production (using the original Lux Radio script) will have a number of cameo appearances--look for Sam and Edie Karas, as well as Morgan Stock himself. And keeping to the same theme of hearth and home, Carmel''s
INDOOR FOREST THEATER revives its production of Thornton Wilder''s
THE LONG CHRISTMAS DINNER and
HAPPY JOURNEY TO TRENTON AND CAMDEN, running Dec. 6-22. It wouldn''t be a real Christmas season without the
NUTCRACKER ballet. We get three of them: this weekend''s production by the
SALINAS PERFORMING ARTS group (see Hot Picks);
DANCE KIDS OF MONTEREY COUNTY''s performance Dec.6-8, and 13-15 at the Golden Bough in Carmel; and
BALLET FANTASQUE''s show Dec. 21-22 at the Santa Catalina School.
ALL-STAR HIGH SCHOOL "LES MIS"... Next May 30, the Forest Theater Guild will mount a monumental production of LES MISERABLES at the OUTDOOR FOREST THEATER, with a cast of 100 drawn entirely from public and private high schools in the tri-county area. The script is a newly-released "high school edition," but HAMISH TYLER, drama teacher at Robert Louis Stevenson School, says "there''s absolutely no difference" between it and the Broadway musical. Monterey High drama teacher LARRY WELCH, who will direct Les Mis, says "it''s quite a coup" to have acquired the rights. Two summers ago Tyler brought an RLS production of Kiss Me Kate to the Forest Theater, and last year three local high schools brought their spring plays to the Forest for one weekend each. But this is the first time an all high-school play will be generated at the Outdoor Forest Theater from start to finish. Auditions will be held Jan. 10 and 17 in Salinas, and Jan. 11 and 18 in Carmel, and are open to any local high school student.
--SUE FISHKOFF
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