A Christmas Carol with a Twist

Look out, Charles Dickens – the Farndale Avenue Townswomen’s Guild Dramatic Society is commandeering your Christmas classic.  

SUNY  Fredonia will offer David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin, Jr.’s hilarious “The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomen's Guild Dramatic Society Production of ‘A Christmas Carol’” as the second event in the 2005-2006 Walter Gloor Mainstage Series at Rockefeller Arts Center .  This farcical retelling of the Dickens’ tale will open on Friday, Nov. 4 at 8 p.m. in Bartlett Theatre.

 “The Farndale Avenue …Christmas Carol” can also be seen on Saturday, Nov. 5 and Thursday, Nov. 10 to Saturday, Nov. 12 at 8 p.m.  A matinee performance will be held on Sunday, Nov. 6 at 2 p.m.
 

General admission is $9.50.  Student tickets are $7.50.  To order, visit the Central Ticket Office in the Williams Center , located at the heart of the SUNY Fredonia campus, or call 716-673-3501.

“The Farndale Avenue…Christmas Carol” is one of 11 plays from a series written by McGillivray and Zerlin in the British style of “coarse theatre,” which generally includes a company of amateurs who struggle to do their best and find nothing but defeat, yet continue regardless to the bitter and hilarious end.  The play centers on the Farndale Dramatic Society’s decision to launch their production of “A Christmas Carol.”  Murphy's Law soon applies – from collapsing scenery to falling actors, missed cues to disappearing props, everything thing that can go wrong finds a way to go wrong.  The only thing never lost is abundant laughter for the audience.  

London daily newspaper The Independent praised the original production of “The Farndale Avenue…Christmas Carol,” calling the show “…another classic dramatic massacre that enthralls.”   The London Guardian critic enjoyed the “…hilarious moments of delightful inventive silliness.” 
 

“This is a first class farce to lighten hearts at Christmas with absolutely no sentimentality or moral snuck in at the end,” said Dr. James Ivey, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance and director of the production. “It is a must-see alternative to the traditional holiday fare, and is delightful fun to watch.”

The talented students of Theatre and Dance will compose the cast.  Kara Infantolino, a senior BFA musical theatre major, will star in the role of Mrs. Reece, a commanding and bossy troupe leader.  Neighborhood diva Thelma Greenwood will be portrayed by Grace Abele, a junior BFA Acting major who was last seen on the stage as Chairy Barnum in the successful 2005 spring musical “Barnum.”

Other SUNY Fredonia student-actors include:

• Autumn Stein as Felicity, a well-meaning but untalented amateur actress.  Ms. Stein will also cover a variety of roles in the play-within-the-play, including Half of the Ghost of Christmas Present, Fred, Little Fan and Old Joe.
   
• Eric Dieboldt as Gordon Pugh, the “long suffering stage manager” drafted to play the many roles that the Farndale ladies cannot manage.  Gordon’s acting abilities are even less prodigious than his less-than competent contemporaries.
   
• Nora Grace Sanchez as Mercedes, who shrugs off an injury incurred in a supermarket shopping basket pile-up to play Bob Crachit, Belle and a small boy. 
   
• Stephanie Faatz and Sanford Holsapple appear in the supporting roles of Gwynneth and Adrian, respectively.
   
• Scenic design for the production will be coordinated by Joshua Jeffrey.  
   
• Joanna Heary is costume designer and Kana Otaki is lighting designer. 

Each of the three respective student-designers is a member of the SUNY Fredonia BFA Production and Design program.  

Behind the scenes and on the stage, the “The Farndale Avenue…Christmas Carol” has been a pleasure for all of its participants. 

“These actors are having a fabulous time bringing this group of fictitious amateur thespians to life,” Dr. Ivey said.  “The show is a hilarious botch-up of the holiday favorite that turns into an evening of slap-stick and burlesque.  This production is a distinctive holiday twist on Dickens “A Christmas Carol” and a welcome Christmas romp for the whole family.”