In 1843, Charles Dickens visited the Field Lane Ragged School, one of many establishments that cared for destitute children in London. Exposed to the horrible conditions of the working poor, Dickens set out to write a pamphlet, “An Appeal to the People of England on behalf of the Poor Man’s Child.” A week later he decided to turn the pamphlet into a story and A Christmas Carol was born. Released on 19th of December 1843, it sold out by Christmas Eve. Twelve more printings sold out over the next year. Though Dickens would write several more Christmas stories, it is A Christmas Carol that endures.
The story of Ebenezer Scrooge also serves as a vehicle for Dickens to protest other philosophies of his time. The Reverend Thomas Malthus worried that feeding the starving would increase the world’s population to untenable levels, and so Scrooge bitingly says the poor should go on and die, “and decrease the surplus population.” Elsewhere Marx and Engels proposed revolution; but Dickens proposed something more profound: redemption.
Though, in one sense, very much a product of its time, Dicken’s tale of the bitterness and ruin caused by selfishness and greed is timeless. “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil,” Paul wrote Timothy. The story of one miserly and bitter old man finding new purpose in life has thrilled readers and audiences for generations. And now, Fairmount Christian Church is bringing this tale, in musical form, to our Worship Center stage the first two weekends in December.
We presented Scrooge: The Musical in 2011, and it remains one of our most popular shows. We hope to fill our Worship Center for eight shows, November 30th through December 3rd, and December 7th through 10th. We certainly want all to come and enjoy the show and bring friends and family; and we also need YOUR help to bring this production to the stage.
We will be signing up people to help with performances: ushers, greeters, parking, etc. in the Fall. Right now, we need people to audition to play a role on stage and people to sign up to help backstage. There are many roles that are non-speaking, or non-singing (or both!), so this is a great way for anyone to participate in one of our biggest productions, and we need people of all ages, from grade-school to seasoned citizens.
If you are interested in participating in the production of Scrooge: The Musical, visit our website at auditions.fairmountcc.org and peruse all the information about our show. If you want to help backstage, just go straight to the Sign Up Page and follow the instructions. Auditions are May 20th! So don’t delay!
I’m very excited about this production, and I hope you are as well. Please consider participating and join us in making this a great Christmas for us all.
God bless us, every one.
Barry Scott Will, Director