Nov. 12, 2023
By Dana Treier
Webmaster
Holiday spirit came early to the cast and crew of “A Christmas Carol.”
On Sept. 20, junior Savio Nguyen found out he had been cast as the apathetic and greedy Ebenezer Scrooge in LHS’ production of Jacqueline Goldfinger’s play, which was adapted from Charles Dickens’ novella.
“I was in total shock,” said Nguyen, who was previously part of the backstage crew. “My experience of being in the pit and working [and] moving sets backstage [was] totally different, but I have gained the ability to perform on stage.”
Nguyen will be joined by a cast of 25 students who will bring the time-honored classic to life on Lyndhurst Middle School’s stage on Nov. 16 and 17. Tickets can be purchased for $8 at the door before the show or for $5 in advance at the student entrance.
Nguyen said he struggled during the initial rehearsal but overcame the challenges by putting emotion into his voice and committing to Scrooge’s character.
“I had to remember my lines to sound more fluent and know how it felt and act to be like Scrooge,” Nguyen said. “He’s grumpy and mean, [which] I’m not.”
Nguyen said this play communicates an important message about the meaning of Christmas.
“Christmas is not about money or any of that stuff,” Nguyen said. “Christmas should be a happy time to spend with friends and family.”
Director Ms. Coppola, who has been directing LHS’ plays since 2005, said after 11 years, she decided to stage “A Christmas Carol” once again.
“I wanted to do this play since people would pretty much know the story, and I thought it would be a good show to invite all ages,” Coppola said. “Also, I wanted to take advantage of the holiday time because our show happens the week right before Thanksgiving, and people are already thinking of the holidays.”
Coppola said Dickens’ novella aligns closely with the play.
“It’s still a feel-good story about the beauty of family and holiday cheer and recognizing what’s important in life.”
“It’s very true to the original source, but it’s very creative with the special effects with the ghosts and music, and [it] doesn’t take nearly as long to watch it as it would to read it,” Coppola said. “It’s still a feel-good story about the beauty of family and holiday cheer and recognizing what’s important in life.”
During the course of the play, Scrooge learns the significance of being generous during Christmas and modifies his behavior after encountering three ghosts.
Senior Samantha Cardo, who was part of the cast her sophomore year, said taking on the role of the strange yet caring Ghost of Christmas Past reminded her of the importance the past plays in one’s life.
“The Ghost of Christmas Past tries to show Scrooge how he became so miserable, and he was not always like this,” Cardo said. “I try to look at the past to help guide myself in a good, happy direction as well.”
Cardo said her castmates have put forth significant effort during rehearsals.
“I am impressed by how well everyone has gotten into their roles,” Cardo said. “Even when we are doing read-throughs, everyone is committed to making it sound good. The cast and crew are all excited for this show to come together into the amazing production it can be.”
Junior Autumn Peduto, who has been part of the plays since her freshman year, said portraying the cheerful Ghost of the Present gave her a better understanding of the dangers of being greedy.
“This show teaches a great lesson about greed, and the audience should take away that money is not everything,” Peduto said. “My role helps the main character, Scrooge, work through his own issues with greed and [addresses] helping the poor, which I think more people should definitely do.”
Peduto said the production will be be a success due to the dedication of the cast, director Ms. Coppola and assistant director Mr. DeVito as well as Music Department faculty Mr. Cardone, who provides technical assistance, and Ms. Wise, who taught the actors how to sing their carols.
“Both directors have done everything they could to make this show perfect for all of us,” Peduto said. “There are people who have never been in a show before that now are taking on larger roles, and I can really see their growth.”
Senior Faith Arroyo said she likes her role as the ominous Ghost of Christmas Future because it has reminded her of the importance of valuing the people in her life.
“This show teaches that [it’s] important to give and be kind to others,” Arroyo said. “My role is trying to get Scrooge to see what he needs to change in his life since the future is unknown.”
“A Christmas Carol” will mark Arroyo’s last performance in an LHS play. Having been part of every play since she was a freshman, she said she will especially miss the cast once this production is over.
“It’s truly a bittersweet feeling,” Arroyo said. “I’m very excited to be going to the next chapter of my life, but deep down in my heart, I will always be that high school kid who is performing on that middle school stage with some of my closest friends.”
