Granville Wyche Burgess, a , has written a toe-tapping musical to be performed by Theatre Artists Workshop Members and guest actors on Friday, Dec. 11 and Saturday, Dec. 12 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m.
In this American hillbilly version of "A Christmas Carol," Ebben (Scrooge) is a country songwriter who leaves his backwater Butterfly Holla for the fame and riches of New York Theatre, forsaking his love, Belle, and the West Virginia mountains that inspire his songs. The date is 1898.
Fast forward 10 to 20 years and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet To Come begin to haunt Ebben just as they haunted the original Scrooge in Dickens’ 1843 classic set in Victorian times.
"A Country Carol’ is a heartwarming musical whose conflicts unfold with rat-tat knee slapping humor and old-fashioned, tuneful songs. Focusing on the relationship between Ebben and Belle, this lively reimagining adds a love story to the mix of greed and selfishness in the darker original, as well as a surprising twist on Ebben’s visit to the future that brings him to his senses and returns him to the land and the woman he loves.
The score is filled with country, vaudeville, and holiday songs that will fill your heart up in this joyous rendition of an old classic that "entertains like the Dickens!"
Mark Graham of Stratford directs. It is co-produced by Granville Burgess, Stephanie Hazard of New Canaan and Ina Chadwick of Westport.
The suggested donation of $10 will benefit the Theatre Artists Workshop.
Theatre Artists Workshop is located at 5 Gregory Rd. in Norwalk, Conn. For more information, phone (203) 854-6830, or visit taworkshop.org.
Photo: L to R, Laura Warfield, Mia Cenholt-Hauland, Molly Garbe, Denise Johnson. Standing: L to R, Holly Fasciano, Jack Vaughan, Larry Gabbard, Clayton Wheat, Will Strong and Norris Wakefield