The annual Dickens play hosted by Cornerstone Theatre was a huge success. This year’s play “Carol” was, as always, based on Charles Dickens’ work “A Christmas Carol,” but with a modernized setting.
Jesse Twietmeyer wrote the script this year, while his mother Dianne wrote the music with help from Jesse, Samantha Twietmeyer (Jesse’s sister), and Clay Johnstone.
The production focuses on Jonathon Anderson (Lane Easton), a Wall Street mogul who was once a hard working straight arrow, but made his money off an insider deal. Anderson is visited by the spirit of his friend, Jackie (Laurie Fornwald), who warns him he will be visited by three ghosts: Ghost of Christmas Past (Sandra Campbell), Ghost of Christmas Present (Denise Singleton), and Ghost of Christmas Future (with a twist character).
The play retraces how Anderson became the man of today and why the relationship with his nephew Patrick (Homer David) is so toxic. When Anderson’s eyes are opened to this through his ghostly experiences, he vows to make it right.
The performance featured a lot of local talent including Nicole Gervais, Garth Herman, David Slykhuis, Brayden Hill, Joretta King, Ashton Lisitza, Sandra Campbell, Karsyn Gervais, Bryanne Forcier, Monte McNaughton, Wendy McNaughton, Naomi Twietmeyer, Fred Perry, Don Carter, Bertha Isleifson, Craig Savill, Meagan McAuley, Leola Hirtle, Kyle Bye, Zadie Gervais, Hyra David, Kass Schultz, Vashti Wardrope, and Rayanne Poirier.
Additional Chorus and Dancers: Marion Biram, Candy Bye, and Dianne Twietmeyer.
Choir additions: Clay Johnstone and Linda Coffey
Choir pianist: Lori Brown
Directors: Jesse Twietmeyer and Dianne Twietmeyer
Prompter and Assistant Director: Colleen Easton
Choreographer: Evelyn Cullen-MacCuish
Sound Design: Will Elliott
Sound Assistant: Lauri Nobel-Briner
Stage Design and Muralist: Paul Twietmeyer
Stage Design Assistants and Painters/Lights: Samantha Smyth and Eryn Dickison
Special Effects/Videography: Jesse Twietmeyer
Rehearsal Pianist/Programs: Michele Amy
Band: Michele Amy, Terry Fraser, Claude Poirier, Tom Richards, Morgan Turk, Jesse Twietmeyer, and Paul Twietmeyer
Singage and Billboard Design: Marilyn Carter
Promotion and Ticket Coordinator/Nice Guy: Don Carter
Box Office: Fengché Flowers
The performance was very much enjoyed by sold out crowds each evening. In addition to the weekend performances and Sunday matinee, the Cornerstone Theatre group also opened up their dress rehearsal on Wednesday, Nov. 29, to anyone wanting to see it and free up tickets for weekend performances.
Many in the crowd were asking questions of whether or not it was a performance that could be seen in a larger centre or if it was unique to Carlyle; while others marvelled at the voices of the cast including people particularly blown away by Lane Easton, Sandra Campbell, and Homer David – although they complimented everyone’s performances.
A group of ladies from Oak Lake were particularly pleased to have attended Dickens for the first time and were very happy they were able to take in not only the day’s events, but an evening at the theatre as well.
