Reflecting on A Christmas Carol
When we closed Legacy for the first time in 2017, we donated or gave away most of what we had Light systems, costumes, sets, props, office equipment . . . we didn't keep much of anything, thinking we would never do this again. However, we did keep a few memories.
Tiny Tim's stool.
The Scrooge and Marley sign - the first prop given to Legacy back in 2011.
The scale that sat on Scrooge's desk.
Scrooge's top hat and glasses.
The A/C vent that was hanging in the back of our old theater. (If you know, you know 😉)
Gold comedy and tragedy masks.
A picture from our 2016 production of "It's A Wonderful Life."
That's all.
That is all Steven and I kept from Act One.
When The Lord asked us to open Act Two, I looked around our home and saw all of The Christmas Carol things I kept. Without going into details, each one of those items holds great significance for me.
A Christmas Carol is one of those stories that, year after year, changes my life. I remember sitting in my bedroom at 16 years old and reading the book for the first time. I said, "One day, I am going to make this into a play." I had no dreams of starting my own theater company, but somewhere deep inside, I knew that A Christmas Carol would be part of my life forever.
As I reflect on this opening production of A Christmas Carol, my heart is full of those memories. The 16-year-old girl in her bedroom imagining this story on stage, the props that have sat in my home knowing that they would get another moment in the spotlight even if their owner didn't, the years of characters, actors, and people that have walked on Legacy's stage over seven productions of A Christmas Carol. All of the memories are flooding back.
I hope there is something in your life that you go back to time and time again, something that, when you reflect on it, changes you. I hope you have a story, a piece of art, a movie, a song, or a performance that brings a mirror of change to your face when you behold it. I hope you have memories like A Christmas Carol holds for me.
If you came to the show this December, I hope you saw a beautiful piece of art created by members of your community who want to give their gifts and talents to bring love, joy, healing, and rest to our little corner of the world. But I also hope you saw a story that caused you to reflect a bit on your own life.
Maybe it was Fred when he said, "I have learned to be content."
Maybe it was Mr. Fezziwig, the employer who has the power to render his workers "happy or unhappy making their service light or burdensome, a please or a toil."
Maybe you related to Young Richard as he walked out on the love of his life because she chose money over him.
Maybe you can relate to The Cratchit Family as they suffer a great lose and deal with the grief of it together.
And maybe you related to Scrooge as she vows to "change and do good upon my fellow man."
As we close this opening production of a new Christmas Carol and as we look to the future, I pray that this story moves your heart as it has moved mine for many years. My prayer is that it becomes more than just a show but has the power to transform and change us all to become the highest version of ourselves.
Let us not be Scrooge who mocks, "hope, change . . . Humbug", but let us reflect the words of The Ghost of Christmas Present when he says, "The One who was born upon this day came to redeem not only the riches of us but the poorest and unworthiest as well."
Actor Willem Dafoe said,
"Great theater is about challenging how we think and encouraging us to fantasize about a world we aspire to."
A Christmas Carol does that for me, and I hope for you as well.
🎩 Erika Bain
