Christmas play features local residents turned actor
Dec. 15—Prosecuting attorneys, insurance agents, pastors and others in Raleigh County will set aside their day jobs for a few nights this week in order to entertain the community with a Christmas classic.
As has become a tradition during the holidays, Theatre West Virginia will perform the Dickens Classic "A Christmas Carol" beginning Friday evening.
While other Theatre West Virginia (TWV) performances typically include actors from across the country, TWV General Manager Scott Hill said this performance features faces the community is familiar with.
"These are all folks that work with you ... there's all kinds of different professions that put down their regular work clothes and go to work at the theater through this holiday season," Hill said.
The first performance will take place 7 p.m. Friday, followed by a performance at 7 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday.
All the performances will take place at The Raleigh Playhouse and Theater located at 403 Neville St. in downtown Beckley.
Doors will open one hour before the show.
Due to a generous, anonymous donor, Hill said ticket prices will be discounted to $12.50 instead of the usual $25.
Hill said many of the performers have played their role in "A Christmas Carol" for over 20 years either in Beckley or in Mount Hope at the Princess Theatre.
Because the story is so familiar to these actors, Hill said they are able to put their own spin on it, which makes for a new and fun show every night.
"We have Keith Thompson that plays the narrator, and he's done this role multiple years with Scrooge, who is played by Michael Martin, and then you've got Marley, played by Brian Parsons, and these are all great local actors and they're not afraid to ad lib," Hill said. "So really the show is never the same ... each time, because of the way it's set up, it's almost a different show every night."
