ANNA MARIA ISLAND – The Island Players were a hit with their online, two-night limited engagement of an original version of “A Christmas Carol,” their holiday gift to the community.
The hour-long performances took place on Dec. 18 and 20 with both the audience and the actors on Zoom. The virtual performances kept everyone safely socially distant, but provided the community with a much-needed return to the theater even though the Island Players’ Theater stage technically remained dark during the limited engagement.
Updated to reflect some of the issues of current times by director and writer Jeffrey Steiger, the play told the age-old story of Ebenezer Scrooge rediscovering his love of Christmas and humanity as he’s visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future through a Zoom feed. The longer the night goes on, the more Scrooge, played by Heiko Knipfelberg, realizes the errors of his way and rushes to make the Christmas wishes of those near and dear to him come true before time runs out.
Despite the challenges of not having a cast in the same location and performing on a virtual platform, the cast and crew behind “A Christmas Carol” put their all into the two performances and it was reflected in the joyous reception by virtual audience members.
As Scrooge, Knipfelberg was magnetizing, even through a computer screen. Joining him were James Thaggard as the Narrator, Dane Oldham as Fred, Mary Selke as Mrs. Lamb, Mikey Lynch as Bob Cratchit, Jay Poppe as the Ghost of Jacob Marley, Dianne Brin as the Ghost of Christmas Past, Judy Glynn as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Joanie Anton as the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come, Pamela Hopkins as Belle, Alice Cotman as Mrs. Cratchit and Joshua Hanley-White as the Boy.
Every member of the cast turned in a marvelous performance. Selke turned in a particularly loveable performance as Mrs. Lamb while Thaggard was a picture-perfect narrator sitting in his virtual library.
The special effects used by the cast were especially engaging, helping to bring the world of the theater into viewers’ homes. And while some of the effects were computer-generated, others, such as some of the backgrounds used, were the work of local artists engaged to help illustrate Dickens’ world. Visual effects for the limited engagement were managed by Steiger with stage management and soundboard services provided by Denise Handley. In addition to starring in the play, Thaggard also designed and edited the playbill delivered virtually to audience members.
While the play was provided as the theater’s free gift to the community, donations to the Island Players are always welcomed to help keep local theater alive during the pandemic. To donate to the Island Players, contact Peg Faarup at 941-778-7374. For more information on the theater, visit the Island Players website.
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