Wednesday, December 4, 2024

A Christmas miracle at Morrisburg’s Upper Canada Playhouse

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What better way to celebrate the Christmas Season with family and friends than taking in a live performance of Miracle on 34th Street -— one of the most famous holiday stories of all time. This yuletide tale of a department store Santa who claims to be the real Santa Claus has endeared itself with people of all ages for decades.

This legendary story gets a lively musical and magical production on the Playhouse stage in Morrisburg, Ont. November 28 through December 15 when one of the theatre’s largest casts of actors and musicians bring this story to life on a revolving stage. The Playhouse will also feature several local children sharing the stage with the professional cast making the production a truly community celebration of the Christmas season.

The Playhouse Christmas productions always include live music to heighten and brighten the story and Miracle on 34th Street is no exception with a cast of talented actors who are also singers, dancers and musicians as well. “Music is a big part of the Christmas season,” remarks the show’s director, Donnie Bowes.  “It’s always a joy to work with multi-talented actors and musicians who can make a story come alive in so many different ways.”

This classic Christmas story set in New York City in the late 1940s is timeless. When an elderly man named Kris Kringle takes a job as Macy’s department store Santa, the entire city is soon filled with Christmas spirit, including a little girl named Susan who has had her doubts. He surprises everyone by claiming to be the real Santa Claus and is forced to prove it in court. It’s a wonderful Yuletide experience for the whole family complete with a concert of everyone’s favourite holiday songs.

Playing the central role of Kris Kringle is Daniel Michael Karpenchuk, who also appeared in the same role several years ago in The Playhouse’s first production of the show. He was a hit in the original production with audience members of all ages and especially with the children. Karpenchuk was also seen in Doris and Ivy in the Home, Drinking Alone and The Christmas Express. Joining him is a newcomer to the Playhouse stage, actor and musician Rita Dottor, who is also musical director for the production.

The cast also includes Playhouse favourites Sweeney MacArthur, last seen in this season’s Bedtime Stories and Alison MacKay, Chris George, Robert Clarke and Jess Vandenberg who starred in The Playhouse’s hit production of A Christmas Carol. Vandenberg also choreographs the show’s musical numbers. The production also features local actors and musicians Conor Veinotte and Caitlyn Acheson.

Public shows at 2 and 7:30 p.m.; School shows at 11 a.m. December 3 and 10

Call 613-543-3713 or 877-550-3650 or visit https://uppercanadaplayhouse.com/                     

—Upper Canada Playhouse

—AB

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