The Backstage Story

I must admit that I do love Christmas! Who doesn't? Probably the most famous Christmas story is Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol. At the Terrace Plaza Playhouse it is their Christmas tradition to do the musical Scrooge, A Christmas Carol every year. Last year happened to be their 20th anniversary of the show. Last year is actually when I started performing there.
It is a wonderful show with a wonderful cast. I highly recommend it!
Let me describe something for you . . .
You're sitting in your seat at the Playhouse, a program lies in your lap, open to the page of the cast list of Scrooge, A Christmas Carol. Soon, the lights dim, you get butterflies in your stomach, it's starting. A man in the sound booth up behind you at the top of the rows of seats says into a microphone, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the Terrace Plaza Playhouse, please turn off your cell phones and enjoy this performance of Scrooge, A Christmas Carol!" you begin to applaud as the lights onstage begin to twinkle to life showing 1843 London, chimney sweeps begin to dance as the shops behind remain frozen, and as the sweeps leave, the little London townspeople and shops come to life and try to get people to buy "Hot Soup!" and "Toys for the Little Ones!" School boys and girls enter and line up to either side of the stage, two pickpockets get caught by a suspicious bobbie. Once again, they freeze and once the music starts, they sing. The opening number, one of the best. It is the number that can make or break a show. If it's good, then people can not help but love the rest of the show. If it's kind of unngh then it takes a lot to bring it back up. The opening number ends with all the people having their arms raised and them yelling "Merry Christmas!" and then exiting, soon people's attention will be directed to the upper stage where Scrooge himself is working with Bob Crachit and Fred's little speech about Christmas. What a Great Show!
But what people don't know, is what really goes into a show. All the time and effort people put into this. What people don't realize is that the actors, directors, and costume designers, along with stage crew are people who give up three months of their lives even more so for directors and costume designers.
Let me show you the Backstage Story of Scrooge, A Christmas Carol.
It all starts with the audition . . .
Actors look and see that the audition is coming up three months before December which happens to be the actual start of the show. They think of what song they are going to sing, practice, fill out the audition form, and on the day of the audition, go over to the Playhouse. They will sit on benches in the rehearsal hall with their stomach tingling and soon their name is called. The actors go in one at a time and are welcomed with open arms by the director and assistant directors, at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse, they truly do treat you like family.
About a week later (this year it was about 2 days) the cast list is up. The actors scan the list anxiously to see what part they were given if they were given one at all. I myself was given the part of Young Ebeneezer.
There are the first rehearsals, for practicing the opening number, costuming, blocking (setting up the scene), practicing, talking, acting, practicing, a little more blocking, and did I mention practicing?
As the time for the opening night approaches, the actors get Butterflies in their stomach, and soon, the doubts roll in: Will I forget my lines? What if I mess up and make a fool of myself? What if I do something wrong?
All of these thoughts are soon discarded as the actors go on stage, but we're not at that point yet in this post.
The dress and tech rehearsals are the last thing to to do before opening night, basically you run the entire show as it would be performed, only with no audience.
Soon, it is opening night, the actors wait backstage nervously speaking in whispers as the audience files into the arena and get ready for the show. The director gathers everyone into the rehearsal hall where it all started about two months previous and she gives a little pep talk, they practice the opening number one last time, and then they pray for courage and a good performance. And finally, they go to their positions on stage, where the actors, tired, worn, yet practiced and sharp, give you Scrooge, A Christmas Carol!
I hope that this gives you more respect for those actors who do this job, it is definitely more difficult than you could possibly imagine yet they do it well.
I encourage you to come and see this show at Beverly Olsen's Terrace Plaza Playhouse. It runs the following dates: Dec. 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 14, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 23. (By the way, if you want to see me as Young Eb. see the Ivy cast, Dec. 6, 9, 13, 16, 18, 20)
Like I said before, they treat you like family at that playhouse, the director and her husband (or as known to the audience as Christmas Past and Scrooge) are some of the best actors you could ask for (aside from myself and my family, yes, I guess that's kind of bragging, but if you don't believe me, come and see the show for yourself)!
Thank You for reading this post! And Thank You to the actors of Scrooge!
Until Next Time . . .
If you have any questions, comments, book recommendations, post ideas that you would like to see on My Miraculous Mind, email me at keatswinter@gmail.com!