The daily Astorian., November 16, 2017, Page 11, Image 11

NOVEMBER 16, 2017 // 11
GEORGE VETTER PHOTOS/CANNON-BEACH.NET
LEFT: The Cratchit family in “A Christmas Carol: The Musical” RIGHT: Ebenezer Scrooge confronts carolers while Bob Cratchit watches on.
Fergus has recruited a cast that’s
not only one of the Coaster’s biggest
— 30 actors in all — but also one of
the widest-ranging in terms of expe-
rience. The time-tested skills of stage
veterans like Darren Hull (who plays
Scrooge), Richard Bowman (Jacob
Marley) and Ann Bronson (the Ghost
of Christmas Present) are augmented
by a generous infusion of new blood.
Among the newcomers are Port-
land transplant Bennett Hunter (as
both Young Scrooge and Fred An-
derson), retired Lutheran Pastor and
Seaside resident Rob Bjornstad (Mr.
Fezziwig), and Brittania Williams (the
Ghost of Christmas Future), late of
Salt Lake City.
“I’d say it’s about a 50-50 split of
old-hands and newcomers,” Tronier
said. “Some of them are doing their
first show for us, and some are doing
their first show ever, of any kind!
We’re getting people who are here just
because they love the story, and it’s
great to see that kind of enthusiasm.”
This excitement has proven crucial,
given the challenges of the produc-
tion. Unlike previous musicals, which
relied on the live accompaniment of
a pianist, or a small ensemble just
offstage, “A Christmas Carol” is
performed to a prerecorded, comput-
erized track.
This gives the show a much fuller,
orchestrated sound than is usual for
community theater, but it requires
a far more exacting discipline on
Ebenezer Scrooge and Tiny Tim
the part of the players, who have to
negotiate complex choreography and
near-constant singing without missing
a beat.
“Having the score on a computer
gives us a little more flexibility than
just a simple backing track — you
can adjust the tempo and change the
pace as needed,” Sweeney said. “It’s
helpful in that it gives us a bigger
sound, but we really have to keep an
eye on our conductor, Ryan Hull, to
keep ourselves in line.”
Interestingly, it’s Coaster veterans
like Emily Dante, who plays both
Mrs. Cratchit and Scrooge’s mother,
who find the adjustment the most
daunting.
“It’s been a while since I’ve done a
musical, so that makes it a little chal-
lenging. Most of the time when I’m
doing music these days, I’m playing
my own, so to sing to someone else’s
means I have to have … timing,” she
said, laughing.
She’s in good company, as this
“Christmas Carol” is a family show in
the truest sense. Several cast mem-
bers, and the director herself, have
brought their children along as part
of the ensemble; four of Dante’s five
kids are involved in the production,
including 10-year-old Clayton as Tiny
Tim, making his debut on the Coaster
stage … almost.
“Most of my kids have been here
in utero,” Dante said. “I think they’re
kind of used to it.” CW