Seussified Christmas Carol helps non-profit group

Jesters Theatre's Youth Unlimited production features three Maple Ridge actors.

Hannah Willems(left) plays a maid, Madison McKenzie plays Madam Scrooge and Emma Willems plays Jen Cratchit in the production.

Hannah Willems(left) plays a maid, Madison McKenzie plays Madam Scrooge and Emma Willems plays Jen Cratchit in the production.

Charles Dickens meets Dr. Seuss in Jesters Theatre’s Youth Unlimited production of A Seussified Christmas Carol.

The play, by Peter Bloedel, will feature two casts.

One of the roles of Scrooge will be played by Madison McKenzie, 13, from Maple Ridge. She has been with the theatre company for three years.

The classic Christmas tale will feature Madam Scrooge, who finds lasting joy in life by finding the true meaning of Christmas, but done in Dr.-Seuss-style rhymes.

The three ghosts and the Cratchit family from A Christmas Carol will by joined on stage by a host of Dr. Seuss characters, including Thing 1, Thing 2, Thing 3, characters from The Lorax and other Dr. Seuss favourites.

McKenzie likes the message of the play. Her favourite scene is second to last, when Scrooge is confessing to Cratchit about how horrible she has been.

“She is rude and mean at the beginning. But through the play, she has a change of heart and she realizes that she should be nice to other people and that Christmas is something special,” said McKenzie.

Hannah Willems of Maple Ridge plays a maid and her sister Emma plays Jen Cratchit in the production.

Money from ticket sales will be going to the Mission Food Bank and also for Food for the Hungry, a Christian non-profit organization dedicated to ending poverty.

Non-perishable food donations will also be collected at the door.

Last year, the students raised almost $3,000 for charity.

• A Seussified Christmas Carol takes place Nov. 18, 19, 25 and 26 at St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church at 8469 Cedar St. in Mission.

Showings will be at 6:30 p.m. on the Fridays and at 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on the Saturdays.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. For more information, go to www.jesters.ca.

Maple Ridge News