Plateau Actors Work Long Hours to Produce Christmas Show

It is always astounding to me when talented local actors spend laborious hours of their time rehearsing and performing for local productions on the Plateau - without pay. Why do they do it?

I asked this question of performers preparing for the upcoming Radio Show: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens to be performed at the Chalet Theatre in Enumclaw at 1 p.m. on Nov. 24th and 25th:  

“What does it mean to you to be in the cast of a classic tale like this?” I ask.

Bonnie Azzelino, a Bonney Lake resident who performs the part of Ghost of Christmas Past, says she loves to perform but her part is special to her because it is a story of redemption. “The Ghost of Christmas Past opens the first crack in the armor surrounding Scrooge's heart, allowing Scrooge to begin the journey to forgiveness of self and love for others.”

Enumclaw’s Walt Pulliam says “It’s a lot of fun to work with the talented actors that you have in this show.” he will be introducing the play and closing the play as the character of Orson Welles. The famous actor starred in the original 1939 radio show produced by the Campbell Playhouse. He says that Welles described the show “as a warm American tradition.”

“I absolutely love doing these radio shows,” says Buckley resident Trudy D’Armond who has had roles in this show and other radio shows the past five years. This year she has stepped up to the onerous task of director. “Each holiday season Stage Door Productions (SDP) performs a classic radio show using the authentic scripts from radio 75 years ago. It’s been 5 years since we’ve done Charles Dickens’, “A Christmas Carol”. In past seasons we have done “Miracle On 34th Street”, “It’s A Wonderful Life”, and “A Christmas Story”.

SDP is teaming up with Chalet Arts Showcase Theater (CAST) to present the show with a cast of 15 which includes Frank Thompson, Rick Antes, Bonnie Azzelino, Britani Tipton-Hasson, Katie Peet, Becky Peet, Uriah Larson, Nathanael Brown, Kristen Mitchell, Walt Pulliam, Stephanie Licu-Venrick, Wynona Hasbrook, Kevin Flatt and Craig Gammon on sound and musical effects.

Wynona Hasbrook of Enumclaw, says she loves being involved with fellow actors. "Performing in the Radio Show is like getting together with family, which is what Stage Door Productions has been to me."                                                   

“It not only gives us the chance to pour our hearts into the meaning of the season by giving of our talents to the community, but we also back up the spirit of the season by requesting donations to our local food banks in exchange for a discounted ticket price,” says D’Armond..

For more info visit the CAST website at www.chaletartsshowcasetheatre.com  and the PATCH events calendar.

(Susan Etchey is a freelance writer who resides in Enumclaw. Email: azaroa40@yahoo.com)