University of Idaho’s Department of Theatre Arts will present a virtual adaptation performance of Charles Dickens “A Christmas Carol” to bring a touch of theater to the holiday season. The play, directed by Craig A. Miller and adapted for the stage by Kendra Phillips will be streamed online over Zoom for seven different performances in early December.
Phillips, a third-year MFA graduate student studying theatre arts with an emphasis in dramatic writing, has gone through the process of transforming a classic written story to a stage play adaptation to a virtual performance. Due to the constrictions of a Zoom livestream format, Phillips has increased the use of sound cues, character dialogue and a new addition of “caroler” characters to harness the message of the story in the most effective way possible.
“I wanted originally to use a lot of the narration from Charles Dickens, because every word he writes is so beautiful, and there were so many things that aren’t characters’ lines that we miss in a play,” Phillips said. “I created carolers…to transition scenes or help with something that would be really hard to do on stage.”
While Phillips drafted the adaptation of the play during the Spring 2020 semester, undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty involved in UI’s Department of Theatre Arts have been rehearsing remotely over Zoom since mid-October to prepare for the play under COVID-19 health guidelines. The performances will include full costuming, sound design and lighting to produce a transformative live streamed theater experience.
“I think theater artists are just stubborn, and we’re going to make theater no matter what,” Phillips said. “I think it’s proven how resilient theater is, that we’ve been able to find a way to still perform and connect even when we’re…not supposed to be connecting. “
David Lee-Painter, a professor of performance, 25-year UI faculty member and specialist within acting and directing will be starring in the lead role as Ebenezer Scrooge as recommended by Miller. Lee-Painter has had an active role in past UI live productions, but has continued his involvement with theater performance even in an unconventional fashion.
“It was challenging for me initially to not be with my fellow actors,” Lee-Painter said. “I think that passed pretty quickly. We got used to reaching through the screens and being in the scenes with one another.”
Lee-Painter has been working with the cast and crew of “A Christmas Carol” to not only manage the performance aspect of the play, but his individual costuming, lighting, props and other technical elements as well. While this has been a large shift from his traditional role in the theater, it does not waver his dedication to the performance.
“All of the arts have been adaptable,” Lee-Painter said. “We still crave that storytelling, and… we still all want to be moved and feel a certain sense of connectivity with other human beings, and this is our way to do it right now.”
Audience members can view the performance schedule and register to attend online under the “current season” tab of the Department of Theatre Arts’ online page from UI’s website. Performances will take place at 6 p.m. on Dec. 4, 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Dec. 5, 2 p.m. on Dec. 6, 6 p.m. on Dec. 11 and 12 and 2 p.m. on Dec 13. Admission is free for UI students, $10 for regular admission and $20 for family admission.
“I think the first and most important thing I want (the audience) to leave with is just a smile on their face,” Phillips said. “Really, I think it should be a hopeful story that there is redemption, (and) there is good in this world…No matter where you stand on the spectrum, it’s hard to see that, so I’m hoping that people will get that from this short little evening of theater.”
Katarina Hockema can be reached at [email protected].