Winter Theater Success

This past Friday and Saturday Night (December 9th and 10th) Jim Thorpe Highschool theater department put on a fantastic rendition of the Dickens’ Classic: “A Christmas Carol.” The play starred Junior Nicolas DiMaria as Ebeneezer Scrooge, with Kate Newsted and Ada Finsel dressed beautifully in red and green dresses as the narrators. A choice found with either comedy or grace depending on the scene, the entire cast used a British accent to say their lines. While this could have gone in a bad direction, it actually created a layer of immersion perhaps even beyond your typical high school production.

The entire cast began having fun with the crowd even before the curtains moved, with the mic checks generating giggles from parents, teachers, and friends in their seats. Chloe Tantala and Ethan Ruch both played into the whimsical side of their roles, giving a flare that lit up the stage but still gave the playful nature required to teach the lesson they had to. Tantala’s disposition is one personifying the foggy past behind us, and Ruch’s smile and warm voice show the joy of being with those in the present. and Out of the three ghosts,  an unexpected Lila DeJessa stole her scene not as a point in time, but as Scrooge’s deceased partner, Jacob Marley. Humbling the entire audience along with DiMaria as Scrooge, her energy moved her scenes, allowing the tension to be felt rather than just spoken. 

Along with DeJessa, Jonathan Duffy as Bob Cratchett did an incredible job of moving the audience. The purpose of the character of Bob Cratchett is to play as foil to Scrooge, showing the other side of the coin. Duffy took this task and ran with it, when in a scene with DiMaria the two play off each other like night and day. He may have fallen during opening night, but his ankle is in fact okay, and his performance in bringing this moral lesson was leagues beyond that. 

You can’t mention the cast without talking about the lead, Nicolas DiMaria. Seeing the stage makeup done up close was insane, he truly looked like the elderly Scrooge which takes talent from both the actor and the makeup team. Though the only thing that outshined his drastic appearance, was his time on stage. DiMaria held the attention of the audience even as the colorful side cast passed through. His ability to capture the audience and hold center is something that deserves applause. 

Stage crew is something that can be often overlooked, but they play a great role in how the audience takes the performance of the actors. If a set change isn’t completed flawlessly it can dampen the past scene and cause the audience to feel like it's dragging on. Due to the iron, stage director fist of Willow Gould, this was not the case in this show. Notable stage crew members that can be seen sliding furniture and switching backdrops are Hannah Anthony, Kyle George, and Kyra Eilber. Hannah Ebber is a notable mention, managing everything we don’t see. While sound and lighting had a few mishaps both nights, stage crew and especially costumes were the man behind the scene making sure everything went as perfect as it did. 

Dr Christ is certainly treated like what his name is consistently mispronounced as, and with good reason. With his Doctorate is music only rivaled by the now Dr. Butchko, he’s revived the theater department and made it something really special. He mainly enjoys working with the band, but with this group of students theater has really found a place in his heart. In spring he put on a production of “Hurry Up and Wait,” and this time it was “A Christmas Carol.” He’s definitely found the range of the group out with these, and now wants to put his education to work with a musical this upcoming spring. 

He really lit up both the band and theater department, the latter being something many thought would die out after covid. But now thanks to him it's back in full force, and he's all these students have to talk about. His upbeat energy and relatability are something this school has needed for a while. With him as a director and conductor nothing but the best should be expected from the Jim Thorpe High School arts department.

“Thespians,” as they call themselves in their Instagram bios, or the average person alike will agree this show was amazing all around. The energy they have together is hard to match, and with the upcoming “Adams Family '' musical in spring they will be able to grow even more as actors and stage help. Even then, this family is always looking for new members. If interested in being a part of the spring production for lights, backstage, or for auditioning for a role, come down to Dr. Christ’s room down the health hall. It's not hard to miss, it's pretty loud. Make sure to congratulate any member mentioned and others when you see them in the halls. This success will not be forgotten and more are yet to come.

-Kaylee Tate, EIC