A Christmas Carol to be performed at Elementary School

A cast of 50 elementary, junior high and high school students will take to the stage for four performances of Charles Dickens? A Christmas Carol this weekend. Performances will be at the Rogers City Elementary School Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 7 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. The play is the first directed by Heather Pines as Drama Club advisor. The production came together rather quickly, as Pines was appointed to her job in October and hit the ground running. ?We did the play in half the time it usually takes to put one together and they are doing fantastically, thanks to all the dedicated students and parents,? she said. Cast in the lead is Robert McMaster as Scrooge while Kevin Ciarkowski and Andy Grambau share the role of Bob Cratchit. Morgan Suszek and James Bruning share the role of Jacob Marley.

The Cratchit family consists of Katy Fryske as Mrs. Cratchit, with Shawn Roby, Monica Urban, Victoria Bullock, Allison Streich, Meagan Koss, and Nikki Hayner as the Cratchit children. Quintin Kelly plays Tiny Tim. Brittney Hoffman plays the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jess Szatkowski is the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Ashley Quaine is the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

CAST MEMBERS include Mike Idalski, Ashley Munn, Jessica Ruppert, Karl Heidemann, Cassie Brege, Anna Kamyszek, Caleb Pommerenke, Josh Wirgau, Cassie Paisley, Phoenix Hogg, Regina Andre, Sara Pines, Kelly Vogelheim, Juliann LaBar, Kelleigh Lamb, Emily Barrow, and Ashley Budnik. Other cast members include Rachael Keffer, Nicole Grulke, Brittany Bade, Kaylee Travis, Tricia Kamyszek, Cayla Sweezo, Carly Claus, Alyssa Bober, Katie Darga, Dustin Peltz, Karlee Wilk, Heather Hentkowski, Veronica Kuznicki, Rebecca Meredith, Lindsey Claus, and Salena Heidemann.

A Christmas Carol is the classic Dickens tale about the joy and kindness of Christmas spirit and about a man who has forgot

ten how to love. Scrooge, bitter and unfeeling, says ?Humbug,? to charities, orphans, his family and love. ?I don?t have to like orphans, do I?? he asks. ?The whole world can if it wants to, but I don?t have to like orphans.?

SCROOGE IS given a chance to escape the dreadful fate of his late partner, Jacob Marley. Visited by three ghosts, Scrooge comes to remember a time when he was happy. The Ghost of Christmas Present shows Scrooge the Cratchit family and their Christmas goose, which is the size of one scrawny chicken. But what they have, they know how to share. Better, they know how to enjoy what they share.

?A Christmas Carol is a heartwarming, witty, and spirited show; great for the whole family,? Pines said. Admission is $5, while children under age five are admitted free. Tickets are available at Rogers City High School and at the door.