by Pa Rock
Traveling Fool
Rosie and I are safely back in West Plains following our two-day excursion in the Kansas City area. Not only did we get to visit with Olive and Sully, and their foreign exchange student sister, Ella, from Beijing, China, and Tim and Erin, I also got to go with the group (all except Tim who had to work and Rosie who could not score an invitation) to see the KC Rep's wonderful yearly performance of Charles Dickens "A Christmas Carol." Each year there are a few minor changes, but the overall story, of course, is timeless and remains the same.
We began taking Olive to see "A Christmas Carol" when she was four, and she is eleven now. During the COVID year (2020) it was presented on-line, but otherwise, I believe that last night was our seventh year of being there - and Sully's second year at the show. We always order early in order to get good seats right down front, and with the elaborate sets, the London fog rolling off of the stage, and the cast occasionally strolling into the audience as a part of the performance, it feels as though we are right there - on the cobblestone streets of London during the Victorian era.
"A Christmas Carol" by the KC Rep is always a very magical production!
This year, as with last year, the artistic director of the show, Stuart Carden, came into the audience before the performance to talk about the play, and this year, as with last year, he stopped in front of our family group for his discussion which was primarily aimed toward helping the young people understand some of what they were about to see. Mr. Carden's comments helped to make the show more accessible to those who had never read the novel or seen the material presented on stage or on film before. (And even this old-timer and audience veteran learned a few things!)
It was a great night for sharing Christmas joy. Thank you, KC Rep, for continuing this very fine holiday tradition!
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