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Hannah Waller

By Heidi Sutton

“Marley was dead: to begin with. There is no doubt whatever about that.” And so begins one of the most popular, most-adapted and most relevant holiday tales ever written, Charles Dickens’ novella, A Christmas Carol. Published on Dec. 19, 1843, the initial print run of 6,000 copies sold out by Christmas Eve. More than 178 years later, it lives on as a story of redemption and hope and serves as a reminder to keep the spirit of Christmas in our hearts all year round. 

In the book’s foreword, Dickens writes:

I have endeavoured in this Ghostly little book, to raise the Ghost of an Idea, which shall not put my readers out of humour with themselves, with each other, with the season, or with me. May it haunt their houses pleasantly, and no one wish to lay it.

Now the pages of the Dickensian story come to life once again as Theatre Three in Port Jefferson presents its 38th annual production of A Christmas Carol. The curtain went up this past Saturday to a full house.

While preparations are still underway to transform the seaport village back to the Victorian era for its 26th annual Charles Dickens Festival on Dec 3 and 4, Theatre Three is already dressed head to toe for the holidays and carolers entertain theatergoers before the show, setting the  tone for what is to come.

Adapted for the stage by Executive Artistic Director Jeffrey Sanzel, A Christmas Carol tells the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge (played by Sanzel), a successful business man who has chosen money over everything else and has become bitter, lonely and stingy over the years, especially around the holidays. “I have devoted my life to the cultivation of business,” he explains.

We first meet the miserly curmudgeon on Christmas Eve, exactly seven years after the death of his business partner Jacob Marley (Stephen T. Wangner). Caught in a particulary bad mood, we witness him chase carolers from his office, turn away the needy and a pair of charity workers. He snaps at his underappreciated and underpaid clerk Bob Cratchit (Douglas J. Quattrock) and his chipper nephew Fred Halliwell (Sean Amato) the sole child of Scrooge’s deceased sister, Fan, who has dropped by to invite him for dinner. “Keep Christmas in your own way and I will keep it in mine,” he warns his nephew before kicking him out.

That evening Scrooge is visited by Marley’s tormented ghost who offers him one last chance at redemption. Draped in the chains he has forged in life, Marley tells Scrooge he will be visited by three spirits — the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.

The Ghost of Christmas Past (Danielle Pafundi) appears soon after, all aglow in a white dress, and takes Scrooge to Wellington House, the boarding school he attended as a young boy alone; we meet his adored sister Fan and his apprenticeship at Fezziwig’s (played by Scott Hofer), where the audience is introduced to Scrooge’s one and only love, Belle. This is also where he meets Marley for the first time and where his choices take him down a dark path.

The Ghost of Christmas Present (Scott Hofer) takes Scrooge to meet Bob Cratchit’s family where he learns about Tiny Tim’s failing health and to a dinner party hosted by his nephew where guests play a fun game of Yes or No. 

In one of the most anticipated and frightful scenes, a towering Ghost of Christmas Future (operated by Sean Amato) shows Scrooge the shadows of what is yet to come, including  at trip to the cemetery to see his headstone, and how the people in his life are affected after his death, including a disturbing scene where Scrooge’s housekeeper Mrs. Dilber (Ginger Dalton) attempts to profit from his demise. It is just what Scrooge needs to shake him to the core. In the end, he learns that “life is not about facts and figures. It’s about joy and family and Christmas.”

Directed by Sanzel, the entire production is flawless and the talented cast (playing multiple roles) is excellent. As Scrooge, Sanzel is at his finest in a role he has played almost 1500 times. This is most evident when the Ghost of Christmas Past takes his character to one of Fezziwig’s famous holiday parties. While otherwise slightly hunched over with a slow walk, Sanzel suddenly jumps into the role of a younger Scrooge and  takes part in a Wassail dance (choreographed by Sari Feldman) with boundless energy.

Although in its 38th year, the show is always evolving, remaining fresh and exciting while maintaining its timelessness and important message. The Victorian set, costumes and creative lighting tie it all together to create a magical evening at the theater.

Get your ticket to see this wonderful production “before you dot another ‘i'” and make it part of your holiday traditions. It will make your heart full.

Stay after the show for a photo keepsake with Scrooge. The $5 fee goes to support the theater’s scholarship fund.

The Cast: Sean Amato, Ava Andrejko, Ginger Dalton, Ellie Dunn, Alexa Eichinger, Samantha Fierro, Griffin Fleming, Julie Friedman, Skye Greenberg, Kathleen Han, Scott Hofer, Patrick Hutchinson, Linda May, Brooke Morrison, Danielle Pafundi, Douglas J. Quattrock, Michaela Reis, Dylan Paige Rumble, Vivian Leigh Rumble, Jeffrey Sanzel, Jennifer Salvia, Steven Uihlein,  Addyson Urso, Hannah Waller, Stephen T. Wangner and Cassidy Worrell.

Theatre Three, 412 Main St., Port Jefferson presents Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol through Dec. 30. Tickets are $20 per person in November, and $35 adults, $28 seniors and students, and $20 children ages 5 and up in December. To order, call 631-928-9100 or visit www.theatrethree.com.

Sebastian (Derek Hough) serenades Prince Eric (Brody Hampson) and Ariel (Dori Ahlgrim) in 'Kiss the Girl'. Photo from SPAC

By Heidi Sutton

This summer, families will have the opportunity to swim under the sea with Ariel and all her friends as the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts presents one of Disney’s most beloved classics, The Little Mermaid Jr. 

From the moment you step into the historic theater you know you are in for a real treat. Decorated with shells and coral, the lobby beckons visitors to an afternoon of live theater as little Ariels and fellow princesses make their way to their seats. The set is equally impressive, with long blue panels affixed with coral and netting representing the kingdom of Atlantica. Once the show begins, every flawless scene delights with wonderful acting, singing and dancing by a cast of 20 young budding actors. Sitting in the balcony, I kept thinking how this could easily be a main stage production.  

Ariel (Dori Ahlgrim) sings ‘Part of Your World’. Photo from SPAC

With music by Alan Menken, book by Doug Wright and lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, the show, which opened last Saturday afternoon, begins with the seafaring number “Fathoms Below” and keeps the audience on the edge of their seats until the very end. 

Directed and choreographed by Ryan Nolin, with musical direction by Robbie Torres, the story centers around Princess Ariel, the youngest mermaid daughter of King Triton, who is obsessed with the world above and longs to trade in her fish tail for a pair of legs, much to the dismay of her father. 

When she falls in love with Prince Eric, Ariel strikes a bargain with her aunt, the evil sea witch Ursula, to become human. There is a catch however — Ariel must give up her voice and Eric must fall in love with her in three days or she will lose her soul forever. With the help of her best friend Flounder, the court composer Sebastian the crab, and a seagull named Scuttle, Ariel sets off to follow her heart. But things do not go as planned.

Ariel (Dori Ahlgrim) and Prince Eric (Brody Hampson) in a scene from the play. Photo from SPAC

Dori Ahlgrim is perfectly cast as the free spirited Ariel. With a beautiful singing voice, her solo, “Part of Your World” brings the house down. As Prince Eric, Brody Hampson holds his own with the endearing number “One Step Closer” where he teaches a mute Ariel how to dance.

Molly Sanges is wonderful as Ariel’s best friend Flounder and Gianna Oppedisano is a delightful Scuttle in “Human Stuff.”

Special mention must also be made of Derek Hough as the crabby crustacean Sebastian who shines in the big dance numbers “Under the Sea” with mermaids and jellyfish and “Kiss the Girl” in a race against time as the sun goes down. 

The big number ‘Under the Sea’. Photo from SPAC

Other standout performances include Jenna Hammelman as the heartless Ursula who belts out a superb rendition of “Poor Unfortunate Souls” and Gabby Blum and Kieran Brown as the slippery slithering electric eels Jetsam and Flotsam who show up when least expected to create havoc. In the second act, Luke Hampson, French accent and all, gives a hilarious performance as Chef Louis in “Les Poissons.”

Costumes by Liz Honig are on point, from the black and white sailors costumes to the bright, bold and sparkly mermaid outfits. The set, along with King Triton’s kingdom, switches flawlessly from Ariel’s grotto to Ursula’s lair to Prince Eric’s castle. Kudos to the set production team. As an added bonus, a large screen in the background changes with the scenery and adds a third dimension to the story. 

Members of the cast will stay after the show for photos and shell wands and tiaras are sold in the lobby. Proceeds from the merchandise will benefit the restoration of the historic theater.

The Cast: Brody Hampson, Ari Spiegel, Ryan Romanelli, Derek Hough, Marilena Castoro, Selin Kazdal, Hannah Waller, Alia Romanelli, Emmerson Lebrecht, Nicole Sasbon, Molly Sanges, Dori Ahlgrim, Gianna Oppedisano, Gabby Blum, Kieran Brown, Jenna Hammelman, Luke Hampson, Allison Heidrich, Michael Gualtieri and Alexa Oliveto

The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown presents Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr. through July 24. Costumes are encouraged. Running time is one hour and 30 minutes. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information or to order, visit www.smithtownpac.org.

 

By Heidi Sutton

It’s been 14 years since the world was first introduced to Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the giraffe and Gloria the hippo in DreamWork’s computer-animated comedy “Madagascar.” Since its release, there have been two sequels, a spinoff (“Penguins of Madagascar”) and more recently a stage adaptation.

The latter opened at the Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts last weekend in the form of “Madagascar A Musical Adventure Jr.,” a show for kids performed by kids, and the end result is a fabulous afternoon of live theater. Sitting in the balcony during last Saturday’s performance, I was quickly reminded of just how clever and funny and entertaining this story is.

Living the good life at the Central Park Zoo, Alex (Hunter Pszybylski), Gloria (Gianna Oppedisano) and Melman (Jacob Christie) help Marty (Thomas Lau) celebrate his 10th birthday. When asked to make a wish, Marty wishes he can go back to the wild (aka Connecticut). Moments later he escapes with “cute and cuddly” penguins, Rico (Ari Spiegel), Kowalski (Hannah Waller), Private (Laurie Kratochvil) and Skipper (Max Lamberg) who are determined to get back to Antarctica “where we belong, on the ice.”

When Marty’s friends go looking for him, the entire group is cornered in the halls of Grand Central Station by the zookeepers and tranquilized. When they awaken, they find themselves in crates on a ship headed to a wildlife preserve in Africa. When the penguins escape their confinement and seize the ship, their antics cause the crates to fall overboard and the four friends wash up on the shores of Madagascar.

There they are met by King Julien (Zachary Podair), his sidekick Maurice (Emily Warner) and a tribe of ring-tailed lemurs who hope that Alex can protect them from the terrible foosa, cat-like animals that “are always trespassing, interrupting our parties and ripping our limbs off!” However, when Alex’s stomach starts rumbling and the lemurs can only offer him seaweed on a stick, things take a turn for the worse.

Expertly directed by Tommy Ranieri, the young cast (19 in all) do an excellent job bringing the personalities of these zany characters to life in this musical about the importance of friendship.

The songs are executed perfectly with special mention to “Relax, Be Cool, Chill Out,” “Best Friends,” “Steak,” and the big dance number “Living in Paradise” with fresh choreography by Ryan Cavanagh.

Costumes are simple but cleverly designed by Ronald Green III with the outfits matching the zoo animal’s colors with an orange wig for Alex’s mane, while his monochromatic friend Marty sports a mohawk. The set, used from the current main stage production, features panels that change to reveal different scenery and the show uses fog and incredible sound effects in telling the story.

The finale, a rousing rendition of “I Like to Move It” led by King Julien himself, is the icing on the cake. Meet the main cast in the lobby after the show for photos and autographs.

The Smithtown Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. Main St., Smithtown, presents “Madagascar Jr.” through Oct. 27. Up next is a main stage production of “Annie” from Nov. 9 to Jan. 20 and then children’s theater continues with “Shrek the Musical Jr.” For more information, call 631-724-3700 or visit www.smithtownpac.org.

All photos by Courtney Braun