In December 2024, the West Bend Theatre Company presented another successful production of Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," directed by WBTC alumnus Tom Aldridge (Sylvia, 2023). Although WBTC has produced this show for 14 years at various venues in the area, this year's re-imagined adaptation was staged at a new venue, Cedar Theatre. The performance featured a reworked script, written by Elizabeth Mintie, that highlighted the enduring themes of the story, yet put forth the less-commonly considered notions of hope and redemption as the real winners of Dickens' timeless narrative.
The storyline wasn’t the only element of change - new, innovative costumes, hand crafted by actor Jest Pestlin, elevated the impact of several key characters including the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, as well as the iconic Ghost of Marley. Brad Mintie, our Technical Director, had a few tricks up his own sleeve to add to the special effects - lights, fog, and even a high-tech holographic fan that created magical images to enhance the scenes. The show would not have been complete without the musical underscoring and featured chamber choir directed by Music Director, Janice Westphal.
Residents of Cedar Community gave their stamp of approval as they were invited to view the final dress rehearsal before the performances began. Evidence of the success of this show lies in the return of actors year after year, adults and young people alike, that are excited to retell the story once again in a fresh and inventive way. Thank you to our additional production team members, Producer - Becca Sunde, Costumes - Pam Guiden, and Props - Kaite Kropidlowski, for making "A Christmas Carol” another year to remember. Look forward to hearing about what WBTC has in store for 2025 in the near future.
Written By: Becca Sunde
Photo Credit: Distinctive Memories Photography, Robyn Nichols 2024