PACE 12 THE THUNDERBIRD MONDAY DECEMBER 7, 1987 'Scrooge' builds to great tradition THEATRE REVIEW BY DAWN DE BUSK The Christmas musical, Scrooge: The Stingiest Man in Town got better and better as each of its three acts progressed during the final dress rehearsal Saturday night. Director Doug Baker invited a group of students and other friends for a free showing of this year's Christmas production on Dec. 5. With a smaller cast than were in last year's production of Scrooge, many of the actors doubled parts which may prove to be confusing to some audience members who are not so familiar with the actors. Last year all of the Christmas carolers narrated the play and were friends of Scrooge's nephew who attended a rich Christmas party in Christmas present. But Julianne Crofts, who played a delightful Belle, also doubled as a socialite at the nephew's party which made one wonder if she were Belle transformed. This production used only a few props and fewer stage sets. The costumes in the Act 1 were drab; but got increasingly brighter and merrier so that by Act 3 they radiated Christmas. The only prop used for Scrooge's bedroom was his bed which the carollers twirled and lolled from their positions at the four posts of the bed. An unusual and effective concept was used for Jacob Marley's visitation and forewarning of the spirits to come. Bright lights in various shades were flooded across the screen in the back of the stage and over a distorted picture of Marley. The royal blue, blood red, and other shades were emotionally moving. But Marley, Bruce Gerry, looked like a creature from Dawn of The Dead. The carolers acted not only narrators but were physically involved in the story. They stood in Scrooge's bedroom, hit the stage with chains, and emitted ghostly noises. Later they dressed as reapers with the Ghost of Christmas Future. Act 1 ended uneventfully with no reason for the audience to want to return to see anymore of the play. But they were glad they did. Christmas Present, Tom Robinson, entered Act 2 with his powerful singing voice and stage presence. The emotional impact of the world's children. Ignorance and Want, played by Curtis Bret Crandall and Rachael Briggs, became more al Mark Mecham directs the Christmas carols which were sung during the lighting o I the trees and will also direct the 'Messiah' sing-in- Sing-i- n . involves community Cedar City's Messiah sing-in- , it's hoped, will become an annual event m its second year as a tun, l, community event rather than a polished performance, said Mark L. Mecham, director of the event and an associate professor of music. The Messiah sing-in- , which sprung up as a Christmas tradition 15 years ago in Chicago and Washington, D.C. simultaneously, includes SUSC students, faculty and members of the community performing some solo parts. Soprano soloists for this performance on Dec. 13 include Melissa Day, a theatre major; Jackie Riddle-Jacksoan adjunct instructor at SUSC; Sheila Johnson, an $USC employee; and Loreen Chisholm, a Cedar resident and music major at the college. Melinda Morrell and Amy Dalton will sing the alto parts. Tenor solos will be performed by communication major Mike Anderson and Frank Adams, a resident of Cedar City. Jay Wilcken, of Parowan; Phillip Lunceford, a music major; and Klark Black, an SUSC graduate who is now teaching in Las Vegas will perform the bass parts. ''Most of the community members are used to doing the sing-i- n as a rehearsed performance," Mecham said. "They know their scores and some have sang The Messiah in Salt Lake. This sing-i- n is much more casual. With this kind of event, there's not a person in the audience who's a listener," he added. The community orchestra and solo parts will rehearse Dec. 12 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Thorley Recital Hall. "Last year we performed with only an organ accompanist. This year we invited an orchestra to play The Messiah," Mecham said. The actual sing-i- n will be in the Thorley Recital Hall on Sunday at 8 p.m. This year the choruses which will be sung include: And the glory of the Lord, O thou that tellest, For unto us, Glory to God, FFallelujah, Behold the Lamb of God, Surely he hath born our griefs, Litt up your heads. Since by man came death, Worthy is the Lamb and the finale Amen. tree-for-al- The Christmas tradition Scrooge: The Stingiest Man in Town, a musical with a cast of SUSC students and community members, opens Monday night with its special family night. The entire family gets in for $15. The play runs through Saturday with curtain at 8 p.m. and a matinee at 2 p.m. on Dec. 12. A Christmas lane will be included in Scrooge's celebration. The Chris'mas Lane begins at the Music Building and has a toy box for donations to the needy. It starts prior to the play, at 7 to 7:40 p.m. each night of this week. Tuesday a Small Ensembles Concert including compositions by Bach, Mozart, Tschaikovsky and Britten, will be performed in the Thorley Recital Hall at 8 p.m. The performance includes members of the music department from teachers and faculty to students. The concert is free to both SUSC powerful with repetitions of Scrooge's own words by the carolers, "Aren't there any prisons? Aren't the work houses still open? Send them there." The brilliance of Christmas Present continued with scenes of the happy, thankful Cratchit family singing Yes, There is a Santa Claus, and the nephew's house brimming with games, dancing and colorful dresses. Although there were some strong voices in the play, such as Mindy Malloy's, Robinson's and Crofts', a problem with the microphones did not allow most voices access to the entire Auditorium. Many of the spoken lines were also inaudible. Act 2 ended with a sweet rendition of The Best Christmas Ever by Tim Cratchit, played by Jaymes Wheeler, by Chad Baker, and Crandall. Act 3 used all the carolers as reapers and when Scrooge repented young Scrooge and Although the singing does not fill the Auditorium , ' Scrooge ' is worth seeing as a continuing tradition at SUSC. Belle came out from under their hoods and joined in a trio with Mike Stasinos, who played Scrooge. Stasinos played the part of Ebenezer Scrooge with a certain strength. His physical appearance of thinness and boniness added to his was excellent. And scrooginess; his make-u- p each facial expression conveyed his character's attitude, gradual warming to Christmas and his agonizing repentence. Stasinos, however, does not have a strong singing voice, but then his part didn't necessarily require it. Act 3 ended with a much stronger finale of An Christmas than its beginning. The level of the actors also picked up momentum as the production continued. Granted, this was only a rehearsal, but despite the weak singing in this musical and confusion of doubling of actors, Scrooge is worth seeing simply as a Christmas tradition. bah-humb- students and members of the community. Mozart's Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail (The Abduction from the Seraglio) will begin its broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera at noon The station, located at 91.1 on over KGSU-FM- . the radio dial is continuing its Classical Saturday format. This program will be aired Dec. 12, Saturday. Rehearsals for the Messiah sing-i- n begin at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Thorley Recital Hall. The members and people singing solo parts v. orchestra should be at this one and only rehearsal. Everyone is invited to participate in Sunday's MqssJah sing-i- n at the Thorley Recital Hall. The sing-i- n which begins at 8 p.m. is directed by Mark Mecham of the music department and performed by students, faculity and community members who will sing solo parts.