A musical not just for Xmas
Last updated 11:41, Thursday, 19 June 2008
SCROOGE – The Musical is being performed at the Sands Centre for the first time next week.
Based on Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, Scrooge is a musical adaptation of the classic novel and will be performed by a cast of more than 60 youngsters from Stagedright Youth Theatre.
With a professional stage set, live orchestra, illusions and memorable songs featuring the Oscar-nominated hit Thank you very much, Stagedright promise a spectacular family show.
The musical is currently restricted to only a handful of groups nationally and was secured for a performance at The Sands Centre after months of negotiation.
With 237 lines and 14 songs in the production, seventeen-year-old Clark Wilkinson from Flimby plays the role of Scrooge.
“It has been a challenge to play a 63-year-old,” he said. “The musical follows Scrooge’s journey from a nasty and greedy old man to finding his true self.”
In the musical Scrooge goes from wearing a dressing gown to being Father Christmas and Clark also has to wear a professional theatre wig, beard, top hat and uses a walking stick.
Scrooge is Clark’s favourite show and he has seen it five times as his uncle, Mark Wilkinson, originally of Flimby, worked on the West End and touring production of Scrooge.
Clark, who played Marius in Les Miserables last year and recently finished a week-long run in Barnum at Maryport Civic Hall, said: “There is quite a transformation in the character I play. I think you feel for Scrooge in the end.
“If you have seen shows by Stagedright before you will know that we have a very high standard and I think Scrooge is going to surpass anything we have done before.”
A professional flying system, last use at the Sands Centre in the production of Peter Pan, is being used by the characters Scrooge and Jacob Marley. All 65 members of Stagedright will play roles in the £22,000 musical, sponsored by The Cumberland News, The Lanes Shopping Centre, M&M Scaffolding and Carlisle City Council.
David McNeill, director of Stagedright, said: “Although the summer may seem an unusual time to stage Scrooge, it isn’t just about Christmas. It is also about love, greed and the inner-self.”
Scrooge is performed on Friday, June 27 at 7.15pm and Saturday, June 28 at 2.15pm and 7.15pm. More seats have been made available and are on sale now from the box office on 01228 625222.
