Center Stage director Michael Disher is not afraid to proclaim his love affair with the most wonderful time of the year.
“I freely admit that I love holiday shows,” shared Disher. The Center Stage director adores seasonal spectaculars so much that you can enjoy the theater troupe’s A Christmas Carol, A Live Radio Play two weekends in a row at Southampton Cultural Center.
“There is something solid, secure and satisfying about the tale of Ebeneezer Scrooge – his past, present and future,” Disher reflected. “We know the tale, its outcome and yet we never tire of its message and meaning.”
Center Stage at Southampton Cultural Center will present the holiday tradition, with visits from Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Yet to Come, Friday, November 24 through Sunday, December 3.
“Perhaps these somewhat revelatory tales and simpler times are an antidote for the tumultuous, complex and chaotic events that currently shape our lives,” he said. “Perhaps they simply remind us of childhood and innocence. Perhaps they touch the purest portions of our being.”
During the Joe Landry adaptation of the beloved classic, audiences will experience the production as a live 1940s radio broadcast.
“Sometimes this simplest of notions eludes us. And maybe that is why I feel it so important to present these hope-filled chestnuts,” he said. “Whatever the case, I know, without question, that they make me smile, think and shed a loving tear. And I feel better about the world and what we can do – and who we can be.”
The production offers the chance to revel in the season and escape to a simpler time, if just for a few hours.
“What is undeniable is that holidays are magical,” Disher explained. “And though this tale is heavily conflicted (as is its central character), the end result or realization reminds us of what is most important – life, giving and family.”
Daniel Becker, Christopher Disunno, Richard Gardini, Joey Giovingo, Barbara Jo Howard, Deb Rothaug, Ken Rowland, Josephine Wallace and Gerri Wilson will present some of that Hamptons holiday magic as they star in A Christmas Carol, A Live Radio Play.
“We matter. We make differences. We make decisions. And we affect those around us,” he concluded. “So whether you shout Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah, do so loudly. Most assuredly, someone somewhere is listening and thankful.”
Performances will take place on Thursdays at 7 p.m., Fridays at 7 p.m., Saturday at 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Southampton Cultural Center is located at 25 Pond Lane in Southampton. For more information, call 631-287-4377 or visit www.scc-arts.org.