Steel Beam Theatre to stage lively "Christmas Carol"

Whether you're heading into the holidays with a "Bah! Humbug!" mentality or the gratefulness of "God bless us, every one," Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles has just the thing to generate Christmas cheer all around.

The professional theater company will mount the perennial crowd-pleaser "A Christmas Carol," opening today, Nov. 28, and running through Sunday, Dec. 21. This year SBT is adding extra performances on Sunday nights to accommodate more audiences.

"Our Christmas shows usually sell out," said founder and artistic director Donna Steele.

With dozens of productions in the nonprofit company's seven-year history, this is the first time Steel Beam has staged Charles Dickens' 1843 classic ghost story. "We've always kind of avoided 'A Christmas Carol' because there's so many versions out there," said Steele, who also directs the show.

She finally selected a favorite adaptation, however - the New York musical composed by an eight-time Academy Award winner.

"The Alan Menken version isn't done that often," Steele said. "It's rather huge in scope. The score is wonderful, very charming, very melodic."

The Menken musical, with lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and book by Mike Okrent, debuted in 1994 at the Paramount Theater at New York City's Madison Square Garden. The basis for the 2004 film version with Kelsey Grammer, it remains faithful to the gist of the Dickens original.

"Everybody knows the story," Steele said, "so I think what piques your interest is the music and how the story is told through it. The music is what draws you and makes it fresh."

Thomas Thomas of Wasco stars as miserly Ebenezer Scrooge - the 19th century curmudgeon whose vaporous Christmas Eve visitors change the course of his life and the size of his cold Victorian heart. Peter Sipla of Lisle plays the Ghost of Christmas Past, Jim Turano of River Forest is the Ghost of Christmas Present, and Schaumburg's Jamey McDunn appears as Jacob Marley.

"These are professionals who have been performing many years in the Chicagoland area," Steele said.

They're supported by a cast of 30, the largest at Steel Beam this year.

Eleven children's roles were double or triple cast to make it easier for kids to keep up with the demands of a 23-show schedule on top of schoolwork. Steele chose three boys - Christopher Nimick of St. Charles, Jonathan Perry of Elgin and Mikey Taylor of South Elgin - to share the role of the youngest cast member, Bob Cratchit's son Tiny Tim.

Even with so many kids involved, Steele said "A Christmas Carol" is not particularly a children's show.

"It's not watered down," she said, adding that it does, however, qualify as family fare.

"The dancing ghosts are not frightening. They're more humorous."

Choreographed by Cynthia Hall, the musical offers a variety of dance styles, including ballet en pointe.

As always, Steel Beam features live music - a couple of keyboards, a couple of woodwinds, bass and percussion. Debra Stombres is musical director for the show.

DeKalb artist Roberta Maxfield painted the backdrop, and special effects were created by lighting designer Paul Mapes, whose main challenge was the comings and goings of the ghosts.

Steele is staying mum on other effects in the musical, "because then you would miss the surprise at the end," she said. "We have creative ways of creating excitement without blowing the place up."

"The place" is an intimate, second story space in a historic building at 111 W. Main St., downtown St. Charles. In 2001, Steele began building the well-regarded acting company that now presents six main stage shows each year.

"My greatest pride, really, is now that we're able to pay (the actors)," Steele said. "They're not making a living at it; it just gives that legitimacy to what we do. It's not just a hobby anymore."

Performances of "A Christmas Carol" are at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Dec. 4, 11 and 18; 8 p.m. Fridays, Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, 12 and 19; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6, 13 and 20, and 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, 14 and 21.

Admission is $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and students, and $22 each for parties of 10 or more. Tickets may be purchased online at www.SteelBeamTheatre.com or by calling (630) 587-8521.

If you go

What: Steel Beam Theatre production of "A Christmas Carol"

When: 7:30 p.m. Thursdays, Dec. 4, 11 and 18; 8 p.m. Fridays, Nov. 28 and Dec. 5, 12 and 19; 3 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, Nov. 29 and Dec. 6, 13 and 20, and 3 and 7:30 p.m. Sundays, Nov. 30 and Dec. 7, 14 and 21.

Where: 111 W. Main St., St. Charles

Tickets: $25 for adults, $23 for seniors and students, and $22 each for parties of 10 or more.

Info: www.SteelBeamTheatre.com or (630) 587-8521

Cast

Aurora: Amanda Zaeske, Christina Zaeske, Julia Zaeske

Batavia: Nancy Kolton

Bloomingdale: Walter Bezt, Jim Heatherly

Carol Stream: Adam Stephan

Chicago: Becky Schallert, Amy Steele

DeKalb: Aleia Chambers

Elgin: Jonathan Perry

Geneva: Connor Colbert, Cameron Graber, Jordan Graber, Megan Grant, Tommy Hintz, Matthew Kuyawa, Allison Slattery

Lisle: Peter Sipla

Naperville: Sara Geist

River Forest: Jim Turano

Schaumburg: Jamey McDunn

South Barrington: Kaylyn Slevin

South Elgin: Mikey Taylor

St. Charles: Matt Aldis, Kalli Bravo, Morgan Fanning, Beth Kahan, Christopher Nimick, Sofie Peltier, Dan Solon, Abby Stombres, Jon Stombres, Emory Tower

Wasco: Thomas Thomas