By Cindi Sansone-Braff
Photos: Ana McCasland
Don’t Miss Theatre Three’s Spectacular 38th Annual Production of “A Christmas Carol!”
In 1881, the American journalist Kate Field wrote in praise of A Christmas Carol, “In December 1943, all England was aroused from its selfish slumbering by the sound of a carol. It was no carol sung by a bird; it was sung by a man, and that man was Charles Dickens.”
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A Christmas Carol was the first of many Christmas stories penned by the illustrious English author Charles Dickens. Dickens was amazed by the strange mastery in which this story seized him, how he wept over it, laughed, and wept again as he wrote this beloved Christmastime novella. In the evenings and late into the night, he would walk through the back streets of London for hours, mile after mile, consumed by the characters and the tale they were telling him. Amazingly, he completed this holiday masterpiece in just six weeks.
What makes Dickens stand out as one of the greatest writers of the Victorian era is the timeless, unforgettable, fictionalized characters he created that touched the hearts, souls, and minds of his readers. Perhaps, one of Dickens’ most memorable characters is Ebenezer Scrooge. I mean, come on, who hasn’t heard of Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly, mean-spirited businessman who makes a miraculous transformation for the better after being haunted by the ghost of his business partner, Jacob Marley, and three Spirits?
Theatre Three’s Executive Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel has portrayed Scrooge nearly 1500 times! To many Long Islanders, Mr. Sanzel is the quintessential Scrooge. His stellar performance Saturday night reflected his years of painstaking study of this ghostly Christmas morality tale in an earnest effort to understand the essence of the soul of Ebenezer Scrooge. The richness and depth of characterization Mr. Sanzel displayed blew me and the audience away. In “Christmas Yet to Come,” I fully expect to see Mr. Sanzel continue to amaze us with the enormity of his talent.
When the play begins, we are eerily reminded, “Marley was dead … There is no doubt about that.” The echoing;)
Theatre Three A CHRISTMAS CAROL Jeffrey Sanzel, Julie Friedman, Alexa Eichinger, Dylan Rumble, Patrick Hutchinson, on steps Scott Hofer of this indisputable reality made Stephen T. Wangner’s dramatic portrayal of the remorseful ghost of Jacob Marley, draped in chains, all the more spine-chilling.
Danielle Pafundi is utterly ethereal as the Ghost of Christmas Past. The two six-year-old girls sitting behind me were awestruck when Ms. Pafundi appeared in her magnificent white gown, looking like a cross between a bride and a fairy princess. One of the little girls whispered, “I really like her.” I am sure if any of us were to be visited by a specter in the night, we would choose to be haunted by the angelic Ms. Pafundi.
As The Ghost of Christmas Present, Scott Hofer displayed his comedic genius and garnered many belly laughs, providing the audience with much-needed comedic relief. Other sources of great humor came from Mr. Hofer’s delightful portrayal of the lovable Mr. Fezziwig, Scrooge’s first employer. Ginger Dalton was magnificent as Mrs. Fezziwig, a down-to-earth loving wife. The onstage antics and chemistry between this couple were a source of pure joy whenever they graced the stage. As their loving daughter, Belle, Samantha Fierro gave a standout performance. Belle was also Scrooge’s fiancée, who broke off their engagement when she came to see just how greedy and obsessed with money he had become.
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Theatre Three A CHRISTMAS CAROL Scott Hofer, Jeffrey SanzelPerhaps one of the most dramatic onstage moments occurred when the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come ominously appeared, donning a larger-than-life costume that Sean Amato expertly manned. This Spirit reveals some future tragic events, including the death of Tiny Tim, if Scrooge doesn’t correct the errors of his ways. Mr. Amato also made for a very likable Fred Halliwell, Scrooge’s kind, forgiving, family-oriented nephew.
I always love seeing Theatre Three veteran actor Douglas J. Quattrock in anything he does, but he is most endearing as Bob Cratchit, the long-suffering employee of Scrooge. Mr. Quattrock’s touching solo was one of the show’s highlights. As Bob Cratchit’s devoted wife, Linda May gave a moving and heartrending performance. Kathleen Arabelle Han made for an adorable Tiny Tim. With her charismatic stage presence, she is a superstar in the making.
Every aspect of this show is polished and professional, and a standing ovation goes out to Theatre Three’s top-notch creative and technical team. The outstanding lighting and sound design by Robert W. Henderson, Jr., and Randall Parsons’ awe-inspiring set design and authentic Victorian costumes greatly added to the overall success of this production.
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Theatre Three A CHRISTMAS CAROL The Entire CompanyIn today’s modern world, where every day is Amazon.com Christmas because everyone buys whatever they need or don’t need all year round, it can be a daunting task to figure out what to buy your friends and family members. Treating them to a night out at the theatre with you would make a fantastic gift. Theatre Three’s yearly holiday tradition of presenting Jeffrey Sanzel’s every evolving adaptation of this beloved Christmas classic would be a great venue to ring in the holiday season and create a memory that you and yours will remember forever.
A special shoutout goes to the rest of the stellar cast, including Steven Uihlein, Ava Andrejko, Ellie Dunn, Alexa Eichinger, Samantha Fierro, Griffin Fleming, Julie Friedman, Skye Greenberg, Patrick Hutchinson, Brooke Morrison, Michaela Reis, Dylan Paige Rumble, Vivian Leigh Rumble, Jennifer Salvia, Addyson Urso, Hannah Waller, and Cassidy Worrell.
Theater Three’s magical performance of the timeless classic A Christmas Carol is a holiday must-see! The show runs through December 30. For tickets, call the box office at 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.
Cindi Sansone-Braff is an award-winning playwright. She has a BFA in Theatre from UCONN and is a member of the Dramatists Guild and the Long Island Authors Group. She is the author of three self-help books, Grant Me a Higher Love, Why Good People Can’t Leave Bad Relationships, and Confessions of a Reluctant Long Island Psychic.