Family-friendly ‘Christmas Carol’ musical on stage at WWU
Dorian DeGraaff — who goes by Dori— just turned 7, and has the plum role of Tiny Tim in Western Washington University’s production of “A Christmas Carol: The Musical,” which opens Wednesday, Dec. 2, at Western’s Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theatre.
The score for the musical based on Charles Dickens’ classic novel was written by Alan Menken, whose music includes Walt Disney Animation’s productions of “The Little Mermaid,” “Beauty and the Beast” and “Enchanted.”
Dori was handpicked by director Deb Currier because she attended WWU’s youth drama summer camp, and, fittingly, played the role of Dory in the “Finding Nemo” musical at Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth. She also has four years of ballet performances under her belt with Northwest Ballet Theatre.
Dori has no stage fright, which is strange but good, says her mother, Regina Barber DeGraaff.
It’s a great mix of emotions all put together to make a spectacular play.
Jessa Parfet
8, actor“The tap-dancing number is amazing,” says Dori, and Fezziwig’s Christmas ball is her favorite scene.
Jessa Parfet, 8, who plays Martha Cratchit as well as a kid at Fezziwig’s party and an angel, says people should see the show because “some parts will make them laugh, some parts will make them scared and some parts may make them cry.”
“It’s just a great mix of emotions all put together to make a spectacular play,” she says.
Currier, 47, says the play is a wonderful opportunity to do a fun, community-minded holiday show for the whole family to enjoy.
Although the production is family-friendly, the Christmas Future character might be a little scary, says DeGraaff, so she wants to let children younger than 9 know about that.
Jerry McGarity is Scrooge, and although his version of adaptations of Dickens’ novel is the old black-and-white film classic from 1951 with Alistair Sims, he loves the musical version.
McGarity has been technical director for The Neighborhood Playhouse for the last 11 years, and might be familiar to Bellingham audiences for his roles as Templeton in “Charlotte’s Web,” the Tooth Fairy in “Goodnight Moon” and Toad in “A Year With Frog and Toad.”
I firmly believe that we go to the theater to either escape or examine the human experience.
Bellamy Ridinger
19, actor“Alan Menken has written some of the most beautiful music I’ve ever heard for this show,” McGarity says.
Bellamy Ridinger, 19, plays young Scrooge, the poulterer, and a charity man. Ridinger says “theater is a wonderful medium for telling stories and sharing the human experience.”
“I firmly believe that we go to the theater to either escape or examine the human experience. Actors act as a bridge between what humanity really is and what we allow ourselves to think and feel in our every day lives,” Ridinger says.
At best, Ridinger says, people can come away from the musical like Scrooge, thinking “ I can change the world; yes, it’s my duty!’ and, at the worst, heart-warmed after a great show.”
Danny Lacker, 22, who plays Marley’s Ghost, says “While it has a pretty particular group of individuals in mind, the show’s message is one that transcends the confines of this lens.”
“It’s simple, yet poignant: If you give a little love, you just might get some in return.”
Margaret Bikman: 360-715-2273, mbikman@bhamherald.com, @bhamentertainme
“A Christmas Carol: The Musical”
When: 7:30 p.m. Dec. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6; and 2 p.m. Dec. 5 and 6.
Where: Western Washington University Performing Arts Center Mainstage Theatre
Tickets: $17 adults, $12 students, at 360-650-6146, tickets.wwu.edu
This story was originally published November 25, 2015 at 4:01 PM with the headline "Family-friendly ‘Christmas Carol’ musical on stage at WWU."