聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 The annual Dickens play hosted by Cornerstone Theatre was a huge success. This year鈥檚 play 鈥淐arol鈥� was, as always, based on Charles Dickens鈥� work 鈥淎 Christmas Carol,鈥� but with a modernized setting.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jesse Twietmeyer wrote the script this year, while his mother Dianne wrote the music with help from Jesse, Samantha Twietmeyer (Jesse鈥檚 sister), and Clay Johnstone.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The production focuses on Jonathon Anderson (Lane Easton), a Wall Street mogul who was once a hard working straight arrow, but made his money off an insider deal. Anderson is visited by the spirit of his friend, Jackie (Laurie Fornwald), who warns him he will be visited by three ghosts: Ghost of Christmas Past (Sandra Campbell), Ghost of Christmas Present (Denise Singleton), and Ghost of Christmas Future (with a twist character).
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The play retraces how Anderson became the man of today and why the relationship with his nephew Patrick (Homer David) is so toxic. When Anderson鈥檚 eyes are opened to this through his ghostly experiences, he vows to make it right.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The performance featured a lot of local talent including Nicole Gervais, Garth Herman, David Slykhuis, Brayden Hill, Joretta King, Ashton Lisitza, Sandra Campbell, Karsyn Gervais, Bryanne Forcier, Monte McNaughton, Wendy McNaughton, Naomi Twietmeyer, Fred Perry, Don Carter, Bertha Isleifson, Craig Savill, Meagan McAuley, Leola Hirtle, Kyle Bye, Zadie Gervais, Hyra David, Kass Schultz, Vashti Wardrope, and Rayanne Poirier.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Additional Chorus and Dancers: Marion Biram, Candy Bye, and Dianne Twietmeyer.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Choir additions: Clay Johnstone and Linda Coffey
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Choir pianist: Lori Brown
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Directors: Jesse Twietmeyer and Dianne Twietmeyer
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Prompter and Assistant Director: Colleen Easton
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Choreographer: Evelyn Cullen-MacCuish
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sound Design: Will Elliott
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Sound Assistant: Lauri Nobel-Briner
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Stage Design and Muralist: Paul Twietmeyer
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Stage Design Assistants and Painters/Lights: Samantha Smyth and Eryn Dickison
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Special Effects/Videography: Jesse Twietmeyer
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Rehearsal Pianist/Programs: Michele Amy
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Band: Michele Amy, Terry Fraser, Claude Poirier, Tom Richards, Morgan Turk, Jesse Twietmeyer, and Paul Twietmeyer
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Singage and Billboard Design: Marilyn Carter
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Promotion and Ticket Coordinator/Nice Guy: Don Carter
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Box Office: Fengch茅 Flowers
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 The performance was very much enjoyed by sold out crowds each evening. In addition to the weekend performances and Sunday matinee, the Cornerstone Theatre group also opened up their dress rehearsal on Wednesday, Nov. 29, to anyone wanting to see it and free up tickets for weekend performances.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Many in the crowd were asking questions of whether or not it was a performance that could be seen in a larger centre or if it was unique to Carlyle; while others marvelled at the voices of the cast including people particularly blown away by Lane Easton, Sandra Campbell, and Homer David 鈥� although they complimented everyone鈥檚 performances.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 A group of ladies from Oak Lake were particularly pleased to have attended Dickens for the first time and were very happy they were able to take in not only the day鈥檚 events, but an evening at the theatre as well.
