Students in the Hull Theatre Arts Program recording their lines for ‘A Christmas Carol: A
Streaming Broadcast’ this past weekend. Pictured are, clockwise from top left, Austin Strong
(voice of Ebenezer Scrooge), Thomas Brazil (voice of Jacob Marley’s ghost), Music Director
Ian Barkon, and Estella Conley (voice of Belle). (Photos Courtesy Hull Public Schools)
The figurative curtain goes up this weekend on the Hull Theatre Arts Program’s virtual presentation of “A Christmas Carol: A Streaming Broadcast,” with the recordings being streamed on Saturday, Dec. 19, and Sunday, Dec. 20, at 8 p.m. each night.
The broadcasts will give senior drama club students the chance to have one last chance to put on a production, despite the ongoing restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“We chose ‘A Christmas Carol’ because it is a timeless story that speaks of hope and the power of humanity, which is something I think everyone needs a little bit of right now,” says the show’s director, Charles Jodoin.
The decision was made in September to convert the show, which features Hull theater arts students in grades 7-12, into a virtual event. The format would allow the show to take place no matter how students would be attending school come the winter.
The production will be presented as a streaming audio broadcast. Students recorded their lines this past weekend, coming in small groups to abide by the district’s social distancing policies. The lines will be edited into one show.
“The audio recording allowed the students to work on things like accents, articulation, and voice acting, which are things there isn’t always time for in a traditional on-stage musical,” Jodoin explains. “The students have worked so hard on this, despite the circumstances, and I could not be more proud of them.”
Anyone interested in listening to the stream of the broadcast can scan a special QR code or go to this website to purchase tickets for either night. The price is $21 for up to four devices, or $25 for more than four devices, and proceeds will benefit the Theatre Arts Program.
“One constant this entire year has been how dedicated and creative our students have been despite the pandemic’s restrictions, and this show is a perfect example of that,” says School Superintendent Judith Kuehn. “We encourage the entire Hull community to purchase tickets to this show and listen to the hard work our theater arts students have put into making this the best show possible under these difficult circumstances.”
The cast and crew of “A Christmas Carol: A Streaming Broadcast” include the following
London Minelli – Announcer/Female 1/Partygoer 6
Dahlias Hedrick – Storyteller/Widow Krook/Partygoer 3
Austin Strong – Ebenezer Scrooge
Tim O’Hayre – Fred/Old Joe
Mickey Casagrande – Bob Cratchit/Passing Brother
Thomas Brasil – Jacob Marley/Male 5/Partygoer 2
Sasha Green – Ghost of Christmas Past/Male 4/Man/Businessman 3
Emily Sinkiewicy – Fan/Martha Cratchit
Robert Hunter – Fezziwig/Male 1/Partygoer 4/Piano
Victoria Dolan – Belinda/Partygoer 1
Estella Conley – Belle/Female 3
Bianca Foresta – Ghost of Christmas Present/Mrs. Dilber
Tyler Eckland – Topper/Male 2/Businessman 2
Victoria Rosado – Mrs. Cratchit/Female Player 2
Lucia Foresta – Charity Woman1/Female 4/Lady
Stevie Ryan – Tiny Tim/Businessman 1
Maeve Mulvhill – Fred’s Wife/Partygoer 5/Charity Woman 2
JT Gould – Boy on the Street/Male 3
Charles Jodoin – director
Ian Barkon – composer/arranger/piano
Stella Gianadda – production manager
Stacia Foresta – audio engineer
Grace Holden – documentary director/properties.
