Christmas has come early for 17 Squamish residents.
After a two-year hiatus, Between Shifts Theatre is bringing Charles Dickens' classic winter tale to life. A cast of 17 is stepping into the shoes of Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and Mr. Bah Humbug in A Christmas Carol. But unlike the inaugural act in 2011, some surprises are in store for the man infamous for not dealing well with change, co-producer Lisa Schaer said.
"It is going to be a new twist on an old tale," she said.
Most people are familiar with the "plum pudding and turkey" version of A Christmas Carol, co-producer Prentice Geary stated in a press release. Although it never fails to pump the Christmas spirit into the holidays, Geary hopes this year's production will breathe fresh air into the tale.
"By gender bending the roles and going outside the box in the design, I hope to rekindle that first time you experienced this wonderful story," Geary said.
Ebenezer Scrooge's tale is one of redemption, a theme that strikes a chord in most people's lives, Schaer said. We all face moments in which we can choose to do nothing or make life better or worse, she said.
"[The theatre] just wanted to revisit it and revamp it," she said. "The costumes are going to be bold and over the top."
The play drew a large turnout to auditions, with a lot of new faces, Schaer said. Five youth will take to the stage - Jospehine Iacavone, Julianna Magee, Sonoma Brawley, Taija Milne and Glenn Gentil. Their enthusiasm has fuelled rehearsals, Schaer said.
"They have such great attitudes," she said.
The show runs from Nov. 28 to 30 and Dec. 4 to 7 at the Eagle Eye Theatre.
Tickets cost $20 and $15 for students and seniors. Tickets can be bought at Republic Bicycles in Brackendale or at Billie's Flower House downtown or online at www.betweenshiftstheatre.com.
