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Photo Credit: Darla Woodley @red_socks_photography
By Kira Slator
Strathcona High School
Brimming with comedy and holiday charm, St Joseph High School’s stage rendition of A Christmas Carol provided a delightful twist on the classic Christmas tale, while still remaining faithful to its source material.
This particular adaptation, penned by Charles Ludlam for his Ridiculous Theatre Company, staged its debut performance in 1979. A humorous but faithful rendition of the original novel by Charles Dickens, Ludlam’s A Christmas Carol follows the tale of a tetchy Ebenezer Scrooge as he is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future. Faced with the truth of his own mortality and the results of his misanthropic ways, Scrooge finds redemption and reconciliation in this comical yet heartwarming Victorian melodrama.
Throughout this production, several actors stood out as being distinctly dedicated to their renditions of these much-beloved characters. Reese Yushchyshyn as the Ghost of Christmas Past and Anya Markowski as Ebenezer Scrooge delivered particularly moving performances, portraying their respective characters in distinctively endearing ways. Yushchyshyn stood out particularly, delivering an elegant yet sage performance as Christmas Past that truly lent an ethereal air to the least sinister of the spirits. Markowski approached her character more uniquely, leaning more into the humorous side of Scrooge rather than the miserable, waspish nature most commonly portrayed; this more comical take proved a refreshing interpretation and successfully aided in the creation of a lighter, more festive atmosphere than the more depressing one typically felt. Altogether, the cast proved extremely talented, with Yushchyshyn and Markowski particularly delivering captivating performances from beginning to end.
The highlight of this production lies in the unique portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Future, played by Brigid Dafoe. The costume department, consisting of Cas Vargas, Emily Kim, Luke Untereiner, and Drina Dela Pacion had a vision and most certainly hit the mark as rather than resorting to the effective yet unoriginal grim reaper-esque portrayal, this production decided to take an alternate route. Shrouded in a gauzy mesh of black robes and balancing on a four-legged stilt-like contraption, this Ghost of Christmas Future was ominous and bordering on bestial, providing a completely terrifying representation of an already frightening character. An additional costume worth noting was that of Jacob Marley (Max Holly); encircled with chains that rattled ominously with every step, Holly certainly left the audience with a feeling of steadily growing unease throughout the duration of his scenes. All in all, these costumes were expertly designed, allowing for a visually stunning production; the care and effort put in by the costume department was evident, and it most certainly paid off.
Overall, this festive production of A Christmas Carol by St. Joseph High School proved to be a resounding success. Brimming with festivity and the cherished nostalgia of Christmases past, this rendition certainly cemented its status as a holiday classic. Dickens’ timeless narrative, expertly brought to life, left an indelible mark, inviting the audience to embrace the holiday season with a renewed spirit of compassion.
Photo Credit: Darla Woodley @red_socks_photography
By Avery Pelletier
Morinville Community High School
A familiar, yet fresh way to settle into the Christmas season, St. Joseph High School’s Production of Charles Dickens’s yuletide classic, A Christmas Carol had no shortage of spirit.
Written in just six weeks, Dickens’s 1843 novella A Christmas Carol has proved to have lasting power far greater than its creation period. Since it’s release, this tale of four ghosts and a grumpy businessman has remained a quintessential piece of Christmas literature, lending itself to adaptations à la The Muppets, Disney, and a stage play with book by Charles Ludlam, performed by St. Joe’s own Company of Saints.
As the leading curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge, Anya Markowski had the audience in stitches. Markowski’s characterization was incredibly consistent, and held a certain familiarity; something like a mix of the character we’ve all come to expect from Scrooge and Jim Carrey’s beloved rendition of The Grinch. Her physical acting elevated an already humorous performance, and each line was perfectly punctuated by the actress’s keen sense of comedic timing. However, Markowski was no one-trick-pony. As the story progressed, she navigated Ebenezer’s journey from emotional turmoil to unabashed glee with earnesty, and with a swift heel click, showed the audience that the Christmas-loving side of Scrooge had been eager to emerge all along.
The supporting cast provided a jovial contrast to Scrooge’s grouchiness, instantly uplifting the energy of the scene with tidings of Christmas cheer. Sage Bodnarek as Ebenezer’s Nephew was perhaps the most cheerful of all, personifying the Christmas spirit with wonderful charm. In terms of “spirit” in the literal sense, Max Holly’s entrance as Marley certainly spooked the audience! He showcased convincing physicality as the chain-bearing former business partner of Scrooge. Additionally, Reese Yushchyshyn's portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas Past was the perfect balance of light-as-air serenity and a firmness as unwavering as the past itself. The costuming choices for all four ghosts were visually appealing and fitting for the characters, with many pieces built from scratch by the costuming team of four. In particular, the choice to have the Ghost of Christmas Future in a simple black cloak, looming above Ebeneezer on 4 stilts was visually striking, and matched the impending sense of doom created in the scene.
The centerpiece of the production’s set- a two story, rotating building was definitely nothing to Scrooge at. Built entirely by St. Joseph’s construction students, the multipurpose building could be rotated 180 degrees and combined with other, smaller, set pieces to establish the location of each scene. Maneuvering the building was no easy feat, and at times, the complex set changes temporarily interrupted the show’s flow. Despite this, the skill of the actors meant the audience would be pulled back into the world of a Victorian Christmas Eve the moment the lights came up and the dialogue resumed.
St. Joseph High School’s A Christmas Carol was a humorous take on a time-honored tale that was sure to put a smile on people of all age’s faces, from the Tiny Tims to the Ebenezer Scrooges.
Photo Credit: Darla Woodley @red_socks_photography
By Rosalie Briggs
Strathcona High School
Sometimes all a Scrooge needs to change their attitude is a new perspective, heartfelt kindness, and a few Christmas spirits. The Company of Saints at St. Joseph’s High School brought the holiday energy to life through their production of A Christmas Carol. This classic tale, originally a novel by Charles Dickens and now a play that is a tradition for many, follows the story of Ebenezer Scrooge. Initially a wealth-driven man who has no regard for the holidays, we follow Scrooge on a path through Christmases past, present, and future, led by spirits who hope to spark a change in his ways. This production’s depiction of this journey was incredible, bringing individuality in their choices without straying from the original story, and expressed the love and warmth of A Christmas Carol flawlessly.
The cast and their performances were incredible, displaying a truly immersive scene with their expressions, line delivery, and body language. The ensemble had several moments where they were silent, or working a scene around a character they could not see, and their ability to act through these restrictions was impressive. Anya Markowski’s portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge was truly amazing, always in character, and she brought an impeccable sense of humor to the often melancholy character. Her Scrooge was dislikable, yet sympathetic, serious when the story calls for it but engaging and humorous at the perfect times. Max Holly's depiction of Jacob Marley, Scrooge's deceased business partner, was also standout, with his tense and scary appearance followed by the heart-wrenching discovery that his selfishness leads him to an afterlife as a lost soul. By far the eeriest part of the production was the Ghost of Christmas Future played by Brigid Dafoe, unrecognizable in a stunning costume. Fully cloaked and on all fours on stilts, Dafoe’s spirit was terrifying and beautiful, paired with red lighting and staticy ambient sound, painted an unsettling picture of the reality of Scrooge’s selfishness.
The tech for the show was outstanding, especially considering the time limits that many of the crew faced, many being taken on late or filling in other’s roles. Light and sound were both greatly designed and well balanced, but the big showstopper was the set. The main standout was a massive building piece, one side being the outside of a house, the other a convertible space, either the inside of a building or a bedroom. A working staircase on the side led to a higher level balcony area, and it was clear that this piece was constructed expertly. Taking around six running crew to rotate, the set was practically its own character, and it was truly gorgeous. The costuming was also spectacular, period accurate and put together by students, including several handmade pieces, which helped bring the whole cast together in the world they were portraying.
The message of this story is, and always will be, one of love and kindness, and the Company of Saints portrayed it with tons of skill and hard work. Despite the challenge of adapting such a classic story, and on such a tight timeline, St Joseph's drama program did incredibly.
Photo Credit: Darla Woodley @red_socks_photography
By Paige Taylor
Strathcona High School
St. Joseph’s Catholic High School’s Company of Saints brought to life their interpretation of the classic, A Christmas Carol to get into the Christmas spirit. Having only four short months to put together a well-known tale for the public proved a challenge, but nevertheless was pulled off effortlessly and with style.
A Christmas Carol was originally written as a short novel by Charles Dickens in 1843 and was written in just a few short weeks! Its popularity rapidly grew throughout the centuries, being adapted into film in 1951 and eventually a theatrical performance in 1990. Now it is one of the most well known Christmas fables in the 21st century. Its story of personal growth and self-reflection through the aid of one’s past, present, and future, make the story one of life-lessons as well as joyful entertainment for all stages in life.
Spreading the Christmas Cheer is exactly what Anya Markowski did in the role of Scrooge. As unlikely as it seems, Scrooge plays a key part in contributing to the spread of cheer. Despite his early ‘Humbug’ spirit, Scrooge experiences a whole rollercoaster of a night, visited by three spirits, all which show him parts of himself that he had forgotten. These spirits brought him on a long journey that helped him realize the errors of his ways and what he needed to do to fix it. Markowski beautifully transported the audience with her through the changes that her character underwent, with her expressiveness and committed physicality. In addition, her comedic timing was on point and really brought depth to the well-known character. The audience was captivated with every breath that she took.
With the voice of an angel and the presence of a ghost, Reese Yushchyshyn graced the audience with every character she played. Between the Ghost of Christmas past, the boy and one of the miners, she presented an entirely different stage presence each time she appeared. Christmas Past represents both new and old and Yushchyshyn found a nice balance between a youthful spirit and a wise one.
Despite their limited time frame, all of St. Joe’s students got together to help contribute to the making of their wonderful production. From sets, to costumes, to media, and a full dinner theatre, the departments of the school went over the top with their commitment and dedication. The construction class built the roughly 10 foot, rotating set piece that acted as the houses, office, and home of Scrooge that included an entire fold out bed and a second story! The culinary class prepared the meal for the dinner theatre portion of the performance - parents, friends, and family got to experience a combination of wonderful cuisine and the service of beloved Christmas characters. And last but not least, the PR team, composed of two students who are both new to Canada, designed everything in relation to posters, tickets, and playbill.
St Joe’s Company of Saints truly left the audience in awe and refreshed with spirit for the holidays!
Photo Credit: Darla Woodley @red_socks_photography
By Olive Carson
Strathcona High School
One of the hardest things to do is to change. Finding redemption and turning away from selfishness is a difficult path. However, St. Joseph High School’s production of A Christmas Carol, demonstrates that it is never too late to become a kind and compassionate person and by doing so, one will find forgiveness and love. Through the use of captivating characterization and brilliant technical elements, St. Joseph’s charming performance of this play left the audience with a meaningful reflection of the importance of compassion and love.
The story, A Christmas Carol was originally written as a book by Charles Dickens in 1843. Since then this classical tale has been told through movies, plays, and musicals. To this day it still remains to be an extremely relevant piece of literature as it explores themes of poverty, redemption, and the Christmas spirit. The play depicts the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, an old wealthy man who is filled with greed and spite. Even with the holiday season underway, his bitterness does not falter. Because of this, he is visited by the ghost of his dead business partner and ghosts of Christmas present, past and future, all warning him to change his ways. And with deep reflection, Scrooge learns to be compassionate.
An incredible aspect of St. Joseph’s production was the detailed characterization of each character. With the use of thoughtful diction and creative physicality of characters like Ebenezer Scrooge and Scrooge’s Nephew, the personality of these characters stood out and amplified the overall production. Anya Markowski’s Scrooge was continuously spitting out words and making mocking gestures, embodying the perfect image of a grump, while Sage Bodnarek’s Nephew always had a pep in their step and was always smiling. This contrast was so drastic that it enhanced the opening scene between their characters and elevated the character arc of Scrooge as we saw him slowly shift into a bubbly personality just like his Nephew. These clever choices in characterization clearly heightened the overall production.
An additional aspect that stood out was the lighting design created by Lois Datoc, specifically the spotlight aspect of the lighting. Each ghost that visited scrooge had their own spotlight colour that represented their key characteristics. Whether it be a red spotlight of warning or a blue spotlight of reflection and wisdom, each ghost had a lighting design catered for them, which significantly made a positive impact in the production. A specific moment that stood out was when Christmas Future arrived. With red lighting, fog, and a buzzing sound filling the theatre, everyone in the audience was instantly feeling the fear and unease Scrooge was facing at that very moment. The technical design told a story alongside the actors and created an artful world everyone was drawn into.
With excellent choices of characterization and tech, St. Joseph's A Christmas Carol truly showed the creativity and effort the cast and crew put into every detail of this show.
Photo Credit: Darla Woodley @red_socks_photography
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