A Christmas Carol

press release: The Watertown Players will be celebrating their 30^th anniversary of bringing family-friendly and affordable theater to the Watertown area this year with a special production of Dickens’ famous work, “A Christmas Carol.” The show will be performed at the Octagon House Museum, located at 919 Charles Street, Watertown, November 24 and 25. The performances begin at 11:00 am each day and run continuously until 3:00 pm, with a new show every 45 minutes.

In 1988 local author and playwright, Bill Jannke, was approached by the management of the famed eight-sided landmark and asked to produce a holiday play. He and Lynda Mallow and the late Sy Quam had produced and directed two Christmas-themed shows once before, in 1983 and 1984. After that the Historical Society went in a different direction with its annual open house. But it was found that the public responded favorably to Christmas plays and so Jannke was called on to take the reins once more and bring before the public a production of “A Christmas Carol.”

Since then, Bill has been responsible for every show that has been presented in the museum.  Though unofficially retired as director, he nevertheless writes each show and oversees the publicity for them. This year, being the anniversary year, he decided to take the directorial seat once again, aided by Dale Van Holten (who had been directing the shows for the past five years) and Annette Weirick.

For this special production many actors who performed in past shows have come back to be a part of this special anniversary production.

A double cast has been employed due to the rigors of performing. The cast for Saturday, Nov. 24, includes:  Brandon Thomsen (Scrooge), Nathan Lampe (Fred), Jim Steffl (Bob Cratchit), Tess Mueller and Elizabeth Boxell (The Solicitors), Laura Basse (Narrator), Anne Penfield Grover (Ghost of the Past), Gwen Woerishofer (Isabelle), Caleb Clark (Young Scrooge), Matt Emerson (Ghost of the Present), Jenny Farmer (Mrs. Cratchit), Liam Grover, Cannon Jo Wiley, Sophie Mattke (Cratchit Children), Eleanor Lampe (Tiny Tim), Margaret Smith(Mrs. Dilber), Jim Powell (Old Joe) and Luke Gantner (Ghost of the Future).

The Sunday, Nov. 25, cast includes: Brandon Thomsen (Scrooge), Nathan Lampe (Fred), Jim Steffl (Bob Cratchit), Tess Mueller and Teresa Loepfe (The Solicitors), Tonya Toth (Narrator), Linda Ewert (Ghost of the Past), Rhonda Tesmer (Isabelle), Jackson Palmer (Young Scrooge), Leysa Miller (Ghost of the Present), Lisa Steffl (Mrs. Cratchit), Amelia Boer, Margaret Oestreich, Destini Toth (Cratchit Children), Eleanor Lampe (Tiny Tim), Brina Elliot (Mrs. Dilber), Jim Powell (Old Joe) and Hailey White (Ghost of the Future).

Tickets for the show will be available on the days of the performances and can be purchased at the Octagon House, adult admission is $7.00, children 12 and under are $4.00. For this year there will be a special admission deal: up to two children 12 and under can enter free with the purchase of an adult admission.

This year, since the Visitor’s Center has been demolished and is in the process of being re-built, audiences this year will enter and purchase their tickets in the basement kitchen of the museum and will then be sent upstairs in order to tour the four main rooms of the Octagon House. Once they have seen the show, audiences will exit through the front door.

For further information please contact the Watertown Historical Society, (920) 261-5433.