Music, comedy and drama – the Grey Wellington Theatre Guild’s (GWTG) upcoming production of the seasonal musical Ebenezer contains everything an audience looks for in a show.
In November, the guild will stage the world premiere of Ebenezer, an original musical featuring lyrics and music written by Mount Forest area songwriter/performer Lindsay Thomas Morgan and directed by GWTG veteran Patrick C. Smith, of Harriston.
Ebenezer is based on the Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, but Smith says audiences will find plenty that is new about the show.
“It’s done in a comical way to a large extent. It’s not A Christmas Carol. What I love about it is the fact that everybody sings and it’s done with a comical flair. I think the audience will really enjoy it from that point of view,” said Smith, adding the play turns serious in a couple of places, “but not terribly serious.
“I think it’s really a great family show.”
The full-scale musical extravaganza features a cast of about 30, many of whom play multiple roles. Cast and crew have been drawn from throughout the region including performers from the Harriston, Mount Forest, Palmerston, Drayton and Listowel areas.
Ebenezer represents the first foray into original musical theatre for Morgan, who put together the musical arrangements for the GWTG’s first production of another Dickens’ classic, Oliver!.
Born in Wales, Morgan moved to Canada in his youth and has been performing across the country since the ‘70s. He has recorded a number of CDs, including tracks which have hit the top 40 on Canadian country charts.
In 1985 he produced the first single for a young Canadian singer named Alanis Morissette.
Smith, a Harriston resident who founded the GWTG in 1974, plays Ebenezer Scrooge in the production, which also stars Dan Bieman of Harriston as Bob Cratchit, Wilma Mol of Palmerston as Mrs. Cratchit, and Christine Wick, of Listowel, Warren Wray of Atwood and Ken Babey of Mount Forest, as the spirits of Christmas past, present and future.
Smith feels the production, which features musical direction by Ethel Forbes and choreography by Becky Litt, has all the makings of a hit along the scale of past GWTG musicals Oliver! and My Fair Lady.
“I think the cast is coming up to speed, we’ve got some good choreographic numbers that our choreographer has put in. I think our musical director has done an incredible job of getting the cast into shape,” Smith states.
Ebenezer is slated for a 10-show run at the Harriston Town Hall Theatre on Nov. 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 at 7:30pm and Nov. 10 and 17 at 2pm. Tickets are available for $20 at Harriston Home Hardware, Shopper’s Drugmart in Mount Forest, or the box office at 519-338-2778 or ticketsgwtg@wightman.ca.
