Glenelg Gets Jolly

By Sarah Cipolla
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It was fun to watch and the students did a great job using sound effects and illusions. For example, when Jacob Marley, played by Freshmen, Aden Larson, paid a visit to Mr. Scrooge in his bedroom, there were intense flashing strobe lights, a dense fog, and the sounds of bells and

 chains clanking together. The stage crew was superb and was able to capture the erie essence of what it was like when Jacob Marley entered Scrooge’s room. Sydney Repole, a Junior at GHS, explained, “Our stage crew is amazing. They are quick and always make the stage look great.”

Having top notch stage crew really makes a difference, but so does having an amazing director. According to Senior, Reagan Yungmann, “We have a bunch of pre show rituals and games, but the best is when Mrs. Sharp talks to us.” She may include a few things to not forget like looking out at the audience or never turning a person’s back to the audience. In addition, she also includes a personal message of encouragement. For example, before showtime, Mrs. Sharp, the theater teacher at GHS, gave her final message, “I love you guys and you are enough.” These final word stuck with all of the cast as they performed the play, especially Yungmann. She took Sharp’s words to heart and confidently performed her part in the play.

Another key part of putting together the perfect production is having the perfect person to play the role of Mr. Scrooge. Cameron Denny has an excellent British accent, so there is no better person to portray Mr. Scrooge. To portray Mr. Scrooge, he sat slightly hunched over, looked very annoyed, and said the phrase, “Bah humbug.” He also used a very monotonous tone on all of his words, which contrasted the other cheerful actors in the play capturing the spirit of Scrooge’s personality.

Denny captured each emotion of Mr. Scrooge. He captured the fright and emptiness when Mr. Scrooge sees his own baren grave when he sees the ghost of Christmas future. He captured the understanding and change when Mr. Scrooge sees the Cratchit family come home without a Christmas meal. He captured the nostalgia of time gone by when Mr. Scrooge sees his childhood. Denny did an amazing job keeping the audience engaged.

Overall, A Christmas Carol, was an excellent display of the talent and devotion of Glenelg High School’s theater program. There is another opportunity to see the Glenelg High School theater department perform. Coming this spring, Chicago the musical will be playing.