Southern Scrooge comes to WILLow LeaVes of Hope

A southern fried take on a beloved Christmas classic returns to the WILLow LeaVes stage for back-to-back weekend performances when the Actor’s Studio of Hope and WILLow LeaVes of Hope present “EB Scrooge: A Southern Fried Carol” beginning at 7 p.m. Friday.

The show’s producer, Naomi Fleetwood-Pyle, says this run of the comedic take on the beloved holiday tale was essentially by request.

“We are doing this by request from WILLow LeaVes,” Pyle says. “And this year we are doing things a bit differently.”

From stage set-up to talent, this season’s performance holds a few surprises.

The play’s 15-member cast features several talented new faces and some fresh moves, Pyle says.

No Christmas play is complete without some caroling, however, for this cast they also had to learn to hustle. Literally.

“I choreographed a new hustle routine and everyone dances the hustle,” Pyle says. “There are no jazz hands, but there are the arm movements pointing to the sky reminiscent of John Travolta in ‘Saturday Night Fever.’”

Jason Bowser, who plays the lead of EB Scrooge and who is also co-directing with fellow actress Falicia Whited, says the transition from cantankerous old man to director hasn’t been too brutal at all.

“Honestly, it has been very easy from the standpoint that the actors we have are so good,” Bowser says. “I spent most of the early rehearsals more in my director hat, I would spend more time off stage when Scrooge would be on just watching. As we went on, I could do that from on stage, but Felicia has been doing an excellent job. She has shown to be a natural at it and that is a big help.”

Not only is Bowser pulling double-duty, but his also playing the role of very proud parent.

Bowser’s two sons, 8-year-old Gabriel and 10-year-old Asher, are playing the roles of young Scrooge and Tiny Tim, respectively.

“In every Scrooge story, Scrooge had compassion for Tiny Tim,” Bowser says. “The fact that it is my son kind of adds to the emotional impact of him up there. I was getting emotional during the first run through with him up there.”

Those who may be skeptical about entertaining the idea of a new take on Scrooge need not worry, Bowser says.

“This story is near and dear to my heart,” Bowser says. “I watched Scrooge [‘A Christmas Carol’] with my family 50 times every year and I loved the characters. There are some twists to it to give it a more modern feel and a bit more humor, but the core is still there. There is nothing you are going to see or hear and say that doesn’t go with what that story is. It is very faithful to the story, which is the only reason I did it.”

Every play presents its own set of unique challenges from first read-through to opening night, especially when working with a predominantly fresh cast, but this crew has it all under control as challenges and hiccups have been few and far between, Pyle says.

”A lot of them [the cast] weren’t there at the last one so they don’t know what to expect,” Pyle says. “But they are knocking it out of the park.”

With tech week nearly finished, Pyle and the Scrooge cast are counting down to opening night.

Aside from holiday cheer, Pyle hopes the play offers audiences a glimpse of why and how people can come to change for the better. And, as a happy side effect, they leave feeling even more inspired by the Christmas spirit, she says.

“I just want people to understand the true meaning of Christmas and the fact that if Scrooge can change, anyone can change,” Pyle says. “I really want the audience to get the message of EB Scrooge that he changed from this clutching, covetous old sinner to a very warm, humbling and wonderful creature. It is never too late to change and turn your life around.”