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Great River Players presents a comedic Christmas story you've never heard
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| Steve Johnson, left, plays Mr. Gower, the druggist in “It’s A Wonderful Life” with John Vance as Scrooge/George Bailey and Bill Reed as the Ghost of Christmas Present from Charles Dicken’s “Christmas Carol” in this weekend’s performance of a mixed-up comedy. Several holiday stories and traditions are twisted and turned at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. Sunday at the Grand Theatre in Keokuk. |
By Diane Vance/Gate City Staff Writer
What's your favorite holiday tradition? Do you have to watch the black and white version of “It's A Wonderful Life” or one of several versions of Charles Dickens' “Christmas Carol” on TV to make it Christmas for you?
Perhaps the more literary prefer the short stories, “A Child's Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas or “The Gift of The Magi” by O. Henry.
Does the season kick-off with football games or Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Are you partial to Frosty the Snowman or fruitcake?
No matter - everyone can be satisfied by attending the Great River Players' performance of “Every Christmas Story Ever Told - And Then Some!” this weekend.
Three actors, played by John Vance, Steve Johnson and Bill Reed, are planning a performance of Dicken's “Christmas Carol” with Scrooge, Marley, Tiny Tim and all.
Tired of the same show, they come up with the idea of offering a smorgasbord of holiday classics - taking the audience through some “holiday traditions” around the world, adding pop culture and giving homage to a wide variety of holiday stories - and then some!
With quick changes of props and costumes - hats, wigs and clothes - on stage (no nudity) Vance, Johnson and Reed channel a Christmas elf, the Grinch, Scrooge, Frosty, George and Mary Bailey, Clarence Odbody, Mr. Gower and others from Frank Capra's classic movie, James and Della Dillingham Young, Rudolph, Captain Ahab, Linus and others.
The sledding Norelco shaver will slide across the stage and balloon handlers in the Macy's parade get blown away.
Musical cues start the actors dancing Snoopy's happy dance and the “Nutcracker Ballet.”
The costumes and props will bring smiles to theatre-goers. Be it a a cone-head elf hat, a Viking helmet, long blond feminine hair or fruit (think Carmen Miranda!) the props are entertaining. Mixing story lines and traditions brings even more comedy.
The guys invent their own TV game show, something involving fruitcake, to get to a fruit-nuts-and-dating game.
Someone from the audience will be chosen to come on stage to participate in the dating game and another to represent “Cindy-Loo-Who.”
In the program notes, director Bobbi Lutzen thanks her crew and cast “whose talent and dedication made this job of directing almost unnecessary. The shared talent of everyone involved in GRP has helped me train in this, my first run as director.”
Tamela LaFoe is producer. Costume mistress is Deisy Harrington and prop mistress is Pru Backlin. Diana Kraus is house manager and Randy Sollenberger runs lights.
GRP T-shirts and travel mugs will be for sale in the theatre lobby at each performance.
Perhaps the more literary prefer the short stories, “A Child's Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas or “The Gift of The Magi” by O. Henry.
Does the season kick-off with football games or Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade? Are you partial to Frosty the Snowman or fruitcake?
No matter - everyone can be satisfied by attending the Great River Players' performance of “Every Christmas Story Ever Told - And Then Some!” this weekend.
Three actors, played by John Vance, Steve Johnson and Bill Reed, are planning a performance of Dicken's “Christmas Carol” with Scrooge, Marley, Tiny Tim and all.
Tired of the same show, they come up with the idea of offering a smorgasbord of holiday classics - taking the audience through some “holiday traditions” around the world, adding pop culture and giving homage to a wide variety of holiday stories - and then some!
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The sledding Norelco shaver will slide across the stage and balloon handlers in the Macy's parade get blown away.
Musical cues start the actors dancing Snoopy's happy dance and the “Nutcracker Ballet.”
The costumes and props will bring smiles to theatre-goers. Be it a a cone-head elf hat, a Viking helmet, long blond feminine hair or fruit (think Carmen Miranda!) the props are entertaining. Mixing story lines and traditions brings even more comedy.
The guys invent their own TV game show, something involving fruitcake, to get to a fruit-nuts-and-dating game.
Someone from the audience will be chosen to come on stage to participate in the dating game and another to represent “Cindy-Loo-Who.”
In the program notes, director Bobbi Lutzen thanks her crew and cast “whose talent and dedication made this job of directing almost unnecessary. The shared talent of everyone involved in GRP has helped me train in this, my first run as director.”
Tamela LaFoe is producer. Costume mistress is Deisy Harrington and prop mistress is Pru Backlin. Diana Kraus is house manager and Randy Sollenberger runs lights.
GRP T-shirts and travel mugs will be for sale in the theatre lobby at each performance.
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| Christmas performance kicks off Great River Players' '08-09 season |
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