Photo by John Eaton

Three members of the Coolidge Theatre cast for the play “A Christmas Carol” look for their costumes. Shown are (from left)Josiah Hicks-Lee who plays Scrooge’s nephew Fred, Coleen Evert who is Mrs. Cratchit and Rob Kathcart who plays Ebenezer Scrooge.

Hamilton-Gibson Productions and sponsor C&N Bank are offering seven performances of “A Christmas Carol” as part of the 38th Annual Dickens of a Christmas celebration in Wellsboro.

“A Christmas Carol,” one of the world’s most enduring holiday stories, was adapted into a play by Christopher Schario from the novella of the same name written by Charles Dickens.

First published in London, England 179 years ago in 1843, “A Christmas Carol” is the tale of miserly Ebenezer Scrooge, a coldhearted man who learns the value of love thanks to the intervention of three ghosts who come to haunt him on Christmas Eve. 

The mix of holiday cheer, whimsical humor, and a good dose of scary thrills combine with the timeless truths and themes in this story of a man’s redemption, making it one all can embrace.

Saturday, Dec. 3, Dickens’ classic ghost tale is being performed by one cast at 10:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in the Coolidge Theatre in the Deane Center for the Performing Arts at 104 Main Street in Wellsboro and by a second cast at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. in the Warehouse Theatre at 3 Central Avenue in Wellsboro. Each performance will be just over one hour. Admission to a Saturday performance is $20 at the door.

At 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 4 in the Warehouse Theatre will be the seventh and last performance of “A Christmas Carol.” Admission is Pay-What-You-Can at the door.

For the Warehouse Theatre production, Sylvia Duterte is playing Tiny Tim and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and serves as a narrator. Also in the Warehouse Theatre cast are Tom Walrath as Ebenezer Scrooge; Sarah Duterte as Mrs. Cratchit and the Ghost of Christmas Past; Kristine Worthington as Belle and Mrs. Fezziwig; Brian Kennedy as Jacob Marley, Bob Cratchit and Mr. Fezziwig; and Bryson Fuhrer as Fred Scrooge and the Ghost of Christmas Present. Director is Gabe Hakvaag. Music director is Cherilyn Ayres. 

For the Coolidge Theatre production, Asher Cuneo is playing Tiny Tim and the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come and serving as a narrator. Other Coolidge Theatre cast members are: Rob Kathcart as Ebenezer Scrooge and Coleen Evert as Mrs. Cratchit and the Ghost of Christmas Past. New this year are: Dawn McLelland  as Scrooge’s sister Fan and his jilted fiancée Belle; Noyes Lawton asBob Cratchit and Marley’s Ghost, and Josiah Hicks-Lee as Scrooge’s nephew Fred and the Ghost of Christmas Present. Director and set designer is Thomas Putnam. Gary Citro is piano accompanist.

The script for both productions is the same. The Warehouse performances are presented in a traditional proscenium setting. The Coolidge production is set somewhat in the round, with the audience on two sides.

“A Christmas Carol” features six actors, one who plays Scrooge and the rest portraying a number of different characters. Slight costume changes are made in view of the audience and the action of the haunting tale unfolds seamlessly. 

Much is left to the individual theatergoer’s imagination because the production celebrates the rich Dickens’ prose with the use of the “story theatre” form. Actors not only play characters, but also serve as narrators using the original Dickens’ language.

Tickets can be held up to 15 minutes before a performance. For tickets, go to hgp.booktix.com or for reservations call Hamilton-Gibson Productions at 570-724-2079 or email hamgib@gmail.com.