Variety of offerings for Christmas this theater season
The three convicts, or “angels” (from left), Brian Wood, Brad McCann and William Bruce Baird, check out a snake in a box in “My Three Angels,” a holiday show opening at Heritage Theatre in Perry on Nov. 27.
Jules, left, played by Brad McCann, and a nervous Mrs. Emilie Ducotel, played by Melissa Jones, in “My Three Angels,” opening Nov. 27 at Heritage Theatre in Perry.
“My Three Angels,” opening Nov. 27 at Heritage Theatre in Perry, stars, from left, Brad McCann, Duane Rice, William Bruce Baird and Brian Wood.
OGDEN — There is something for every taste this holiday season in local community theater. An original classic, a couple of plays, an original show, an adapted musical and a combination of all three can fill your theater calendar.
The season kicks off at Centerpoint Theatre in Centerville this weekend with “Babes in Toyland.” The musical is an original adaptation in which producer and writer Scott VanDyke took a myriad of different scripts and made his own, along with new original songs to boot.
The show stars Jason Wadsworth as Solomon and Mailee Herzog as Mary Quite Contrary. The play runs Monday through Saturday from Nov. 19 to Dec 17. Tickets are $17 to $22 and can be purchased online at www.centerpointtheatre.org or at the box office, 525 N. 400 West, Centerville.
Shopping may be on the list for the day after Thanksgiving, but Nov. 27 is also opening night for Terrace Plaza Playhouse’s “Scrooge: A Christmas Carol.” This is the 24th consecutive year of the production at the Terrace and it’s a community family favorite, said Brandon Stauffer, marketing director and one of the actors in the show. Many actors return to “Scrooge” year after year and Stauffer suggests people get tickets early as the show often sells out.
• RELATED: Five versions of “The Nutcracker” to see this Christmas in the Top of Utah
This production is under the direction of Jacci Florence; the cast includes Kim Florence in his 22nd year as Scrooge, Jacci Florence as Spirit of Christmas Past, Brandon Stauffer as Spirit of Christmas Present, Cort Johnson as Spirit of Christmas Future, and Jim Alvey as Bob Cratchit. The large ensemble and character-driven cast is more than 100 persons total.
“Scrooge” runs at 7 :30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays from Nov. 27 to Dec. 23. Tickets are $12-$14 for adults and $11-$13 for students and seniors. Ages 12 and under are $9-$11. A seven-show season ticket is $84. Tickets may be purchased online at www.terraceplayhouse.com. Terrace Plaza Playhouse is located at 99 E. 4700 South in Washington Terrace.
Heritage Theatre in Perry will offer a play, “My Three Angels,” starting Nov. 27 and running through Dec. 19. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays with a 2 p.m. matinee Dec. 5. Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $9 for children and seniors. Patrons can call for reservations 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, except Tuesdays and Sundays, at 435-723-8392, or buy tickets at the box office or online at www.heritagetheatreutah.com.
“My Three Angels” is set in French Guiana, a region where on Christmas day, the temperature has dropped to a “cool” 104 degrees. Three convicts are employed as roofers by a family whose roof is in desperate need of maintenance. The show follows their plight and their change of heart. Brian Wood is directing the play and it promises to deliver a great Christmas message with a break from the regular Christmas shows.
Centerpoint Theatre has two holiday offerings this year and the second one, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!,” will be performed in the theater’s smaller, more intimate Leishman Performance Hall starting Nov. 30. The show will run at 7 p.m. Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays through Dec. 21 . Tickets are $15. The play is directed by Bre Welch and stars child actress Sophie Utley. The show tells the Christmas story through a chaotic family’s eyes where people get the change to learn a lesson about compassion and acceptance. The show is appropriate for all ages and runs 60 minutes.
The Ziegfeld Theater will present an original music parody, “A Fairly Potter Christmas Carol,” starting Dec. 4 and running through Dec. 23 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays. Matinees are at 2 p.m. Saturdays. There will be an opening night gala Dec. 4 where audiences will meet cast members in costume with treats after the show. There will additional performances at 7:30 p.m. on Dec. 22 and 23.
Tickets are $17 for children, students and seniors, and $19 for adults if purchased online. Tickets are no longer available online one hour prior to the performance. All tickets are $1 more if purchased at the door. The Ziegfeld Theater is located at 3934 S. Washington Blvd., Ogden. The show is suitable for all ages and runs 120 minutes. Tickets can be purchased at 855-ZIG-ARTS or www.theziegfeldtheater.com. Box office hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday and Friday.
The original musical is written by Rick Rea and follows up after a successful run of another original parody about Harry Potter earlier this year. “A Fairly Potter Christmas Carol” is billed as a hilarious and heartwarming Christmas story. While lovingly poking fun at the characters and universe of Harry Potter, the story also includes elements from holiday favorites like “Frozen” and “How the Grinch Stole Christmas.”
Hope Box Theatre has the latest start date with its show, “Christmas on Broadway.” This production plays at 7 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays Dec. 11 through Dec. 22. For the Christmas show, dessert will be served afterward for the audience while they mingle with the cast. Tickets are $12 to $18 and can be purchased online at www.hopeboxtheatre.com or at the box office at the theater, 1700 S. Frontage Road, Kaysville, prior to the show.
Audience members will be able to take a walk down Broadway with songs from favorite musicals like “A Christmas Story,” “Elf the Musical,” “Miracle on 34th Street,” “A Christmas Carol,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and “White Christmas.”