“A Christmas Carol” was the star of the big show at Theatre Three, a non-profit community theater in Port Jefferson, New York, on Saturday, Nov. 17.
Port Jefferson has a tradition of presenting “A Christmas Carol” every year at the theater — the show is considered a Port Jefferson tradition and is what keeps Theatre Three afloat financially.
There are two sets of young actors and two sets of actors aged between 18 and 35 in this production. Each child actor is divided into two groups, the Holly and Ivy cast, with some starring in the first act and the others in the second, alternating the one-character role. This gives the youngsters an opportunity to continue their studies while participating in the 56 performances.
Charles Dickens’ novella “A Christmas Carol” set in Victorian London has been adapted into an original show by the theater company. It's a story about a greedy old man, Ebenezer Scrooge, who gets visited by the spirits of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come and by his deceased business associate Jacob Marley. On Christmas, after his nightmare, Scrooge appears as a kind-hearted person.
Several businesses in Port Jefferson were damaged by a flash flood in late September, resulting in about half of the 135 costumes for the show to be destroyed and replaced, including the entire men's costume section as well as several petticoats and dresses. $125,000 worth of damage was caused to the theater.
Marci Bino, actress and educational tour coordinator at Theatre Three, explained, “We have rebuilt ‘A Christmas Carol’ completely after losing everything during the flood. Traditional people will be intrigued by this new show. They’ll get to witness something completely new, “ he added.
A few of the costumes were purchased at a period costume shop, and other were built by costumes and accessories designer Randall Parsons, who is also the production designer. Other costumes were made and hand-sewn by costume designers Terissa Matteson and Toni St. John. They are accurate to the time period, which ranges between the Regency period and the Victorian era, which encompassed about 60 years of history. St. John and Matteson labored 50 to 70 hours a week to make up for lost time and damaged clothing.
St. John said, “We’re still dealing with it.”
A Christmas Carol has been a tradition on Long Island since 1935, sending family and friends to see it every year, adding new elements each time.
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