A CHRISTMAS STORY

ABOUT THE SHOW:

Cary Players in partnership with the Town of Cary, is producing the stage version of Jean Shepherd’s holiday movie classic “A Christmas Story”. Follow young Ralphie Parker in his quest to score a Red Ryder BB gun on Christmas morning. For hundreds of Cary residents, this has quickly become a favorite holiday tradition, whether as an audience member or by being part of the cast and crew.

Some interesting points about this year’s show:

The show is directed by Debra Grannan, who grew up in Cary. As a child, Debra attended Cary Elementary School, in the very same building in which the show is being performed. This is Debra’s second time directing the show. She has also played the character of Mrs. Parker, Ralphie’s mother, twice.

Cary resident Matt Schedler is Assistant Directing, and is also playing the role of Adult Ralph, as he has done the previous three years. Matt is the only actor to play the same role in each of the four years Cary Players has produced the show. It takes a special talent to memorize over 300 lines!

This will be the final performance of “A Christmas Story” in the current Old Cary Elementary facility. The Town of Cary plans to renovate the site into a multi-purpose Cultural Arts Center over the next couple of years. In order to keep the tradition alive, Cary Players will be looking for a new site to produce the show in 2008, but hopes to return to the renovated theatre upon its completion.

Cary Players was founded in 2001 by long-time Cary resident, Dan Martschenko. For the first time in its six-year history, Dan found the time to audition for a Cary Players production and was cast as the character of the turkey-loving, furnace-fighting Old Man, Ralphie’s father. Dan is honored to follow in the footsteps of Wilson Pietzsch and Chris McKittrick. Wilson played the part of the Old Man in the first production in 2004, and Chris was cast in 2005. Last year, Wilson was cast again as the Old Man, but unexpectedly and tragically passed away a mere three weeks prior to opening night. Chris McKittrick stepped in and re-learned the part in three weeks in time for a very successful run of shows to sold out audiences. Dan, with a degree in Dramatic Arts from UNC-Chapel HIll, is committed to honor these memorable performances with the best Old Man he can muster. For fans of Chris McKittrick, he can be seen in this year’s production again in the crowd-pleasing role of Santa Claus!

Cary newcomer Monica Lee, is no newcomer to the stage! She plays Ralphie’s Mother, Mrs. Parker with wonderful alacrity. “Nica,” her husband Dan, and two children came to the area from Peoria, IL, where she also played the role of the Mother in a local production of “A Christmas Story” there. One of Nica’s boys, Jared, can also be seen in this year’s production as a turkey-stealing Bumpus Hound.

Over two dozen eager children auditioned for the produciton. Trevor Phillips landed the coveted role of Ralphie partly by his talent and partly by memorizing entire pages of the script prior to the auditions!

Long-time Cary resident Carole Kelly is the Prop Master, as she has been in years past. One of the most challenging aspects of the production is the numerous strange props needed for the show. Examples include a bright blue bowling ball, an old-fashioned flit gun, a real snow ball, a spider pin, a flying monkey costume, a Little Orphan Annie decoder pin, lots of oatmeal, an old-fashioned can of Simoniz and of course, the famous “Leg Lamp”.

The “Leg Lamp” used by Cary Players in the first three years has been officially “retired” due to wear and tear. Cary Players has invested in two new authentic “Leg Lamps” for this year. One is being used for rehearsals and the other is being saved for the production. At some point, Cary Players must “break a leg” as those familiar with the storyline know that the script requires it.