LIVE THEATER AND MUSICAL
PRODUCTIONS AROUND EASTERN OREGON
3
CURTAIN CALL
DECEMBER 1�8, 2021
‘A Christmas Carol’ opens Dec. 10
By Lisa Britton
Go! Magazine
P
ENDLETON, ELGIN — The
Elgin Opera House is mov-
ing west this month to open “A
Christmas Carol” at Blue Moun-
tain Community College, before
returning to Elgin for the remain-
ing performances.
The new partnership between
the two entities aims to increase
theater opportunities in Eastern
Oregon.
“This is the fi rst show to start
the tradition,” said Grant Turner,
associate artistic director for
the Elgin Opera House, who also
plays Bob Cratchit and Fezziwig
in the upcoming production.
“A Christmas Carol” is di-
rected by Jon Kretzu, former as-
sociate artistic director at Artists
Reperatory Theatre in Portland.
The play opens Dec. 10 and
11 at BMCC in Pendleton. Shows
are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, and
at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on
Saturday. Tickets are $18 and
can be purchased online at www.
Western
Feed,
LLC
Pendleton, OR 97801
A CHRISTMAS
CAROL
The show will open at Blue
Mountain Community
College, then move to the
Elgin Opera House
Dec. 10 and 11 at Blue
Mountain Community
College
Dec. 17, 18, 21, 22 and 23 at
the Elgin Opera House
Tickets: www.
elginoperahouse.com
Grant Turner/Contributed image
Teagan Robertson, left, and Kevin Cahill rehearse a scene for “A Christmas Carol,” which opens Dec. 10-11 at Blue
Mountain Community College. Performances will be at the Elgin Opera House Dec. 17-18, and Dec. 21-23.
elginoperahouse.com.
The show then moves to Elgin
for performances on Dec. 17
and 18, then Dec. 21, 22 and 23.
The set, Turner said, is fairly
simple and easy to move be-
tween locations.
“We don’t have much of a
set,” he said. “Most of the work
is done by the actors and the
script.”
Shows in Elgin are at
7:30 p.m., except for Dec. 18,
which has two shows (2:30 p.m.
and 7:30 p.m.). Tickets are $18
for the orchestra level and
lower balcony, and $8 for the
upper balcony. Purchase tick-
ets in advance at www.elgin-
operahouse.com.
This version of Charles Dick-
ens’ “A Christmas Carol” was
created by combining several
versions and adaptations. It will
be, however, very familiar.
“One hundred percent, fun-
damentally ‘A Christmas Carol’
you know and love,” Turner
said.
He said it is presented
through a modern lens, and
focuses more on the character
of Ebenezer Scrooge.
“This is a play where we learn
why Scrooge is the way he is,”
Turner said. “We learn about his
backstory, and you understand
why he made the choices he
made.”
The cast of 18 all play two
parts, and sometimes three.
Kevin Cahill plays Scrooge — a
role he’s played many times over
the years with the La Grande
Shakespeare Company and then
at the Elgin Opera House’s Hale-
Turner Theater.
“We have a tradition of doing
‘A Christmas Carol,’ and Kevin
is always Scrooge,” Turner said.
“Scrooge is a role that fi ts him
like a glove — the redemption of
Scrooge is not easy to pull off .”
This is the fi rst time “A Christ-
mas Carol” will be performed on
the Opera House’s main stage,
with the new script.
(503) 317-3145
jon.westernfeedllc@gmail.com
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