Scrooge, played by Michael Millet, and the Ghost of Christmas Past, played by Madelyn Sweet, grade 8, rehearse their scene. Photo contributed by Meg Davis
After a two-year hiatus forced by COVID-19, the Midcoast Youth Theater in Brunswick will perform “A Christmas Carol” for its return to the stage starting Dec. 1.
The show, based on Charles Dickens’ famous novel by the same title, tells the story of a selfish old man who hates Christmas but is given a second chance at redemption with the guidance of three ghosts.
With a no-cut policy and an understudy for each youth role, the cast consists of 55 actors from Brunswick, Edgecombe, Topsham, Freeport, Bath, Yarmouth, Pownal, Durham, Woolwich and Georgetown, ranging from age 5-69.
Director Meg Davis said the theater typically performs two large shows a year, but due to the pandemic, it hasn’t been possible since 2019. She said the kids have “really missed it” and are happy to be back on stage.
Davis’s daughter, Michaela Davis, a sixth grader, is playing the Ghost of Christmas Future and said the pandemic tested her.
“I was pretty depressed not to be able to do live performances in theater or dance or chorus or anything,” she said. “When everything started coming back, it was just such an amazing feeling. I’m so excited to be in a big show again.”
“For a lot of kids, the theater gives them a place to express themselves through other avenues,” Meg Davis said. “There’s a lot of kids out there that might not feel comfortable in their classrooms, where the ‘bigger behaviors’ are discouraged. Performing is a wonderful thing.”
In addition to being back in person, “A Christmas Carol” will be the first musical performed at the new Morse High School theater, which opened in 2020.
Eighth grader Madelyn Sweet said she is most excited to play the Ghost of Christmas Past because she gets to wear Heelys — a sneaker with a built-in skate wheel — creating the illusion she is floating around the stage.
Sweet is a seasoned actress, appearing in commercials and film, but said she loves the bonds she creates in the theater.
“I love performing with my friends, but I also love to work with older actors and learn from them,” she said. “Working with Scrooge (Michael Millett) has been so fun.”
According to a Facebook post, Millett said he has wanted to play the role of Scrooge for many years and hopes the audience will take something meaningful away from the show.
“Scrooge, as you know, makes some significant transitions in his life,” Millett said. “Maybe we can all learn from his mistakes and, albeit to a lesser degree, we can all improve if our hearts are open to it.”
Performances run from Dec. 1-4 at Morse High School in Bath.
Tickets cost $15 for adults and $12 for students and seniors. All funds go back into the theater program to pay for the props, costumes and sets.
For more information, visit facebook.com/MidcoastYouthTheater/.
Justin Coffin as Nephew Fred and Michael Millet as Scrooge rehearse for “A Christmas Carol.” Photo contributed by Meg Davis
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