Back by popular demand and now in it’s 4th year, the interactive holiday sensation, “A Christmas Carol,” with a Pennsylvania Dutch twist, rolls into West Reading again this year. Sponsored by the L.O.V.E. Team of West Reading and presented by Fecho Productions, the production is now called, “A Christmas Carol on the Coach.”
Since it’s debut in 2014 this traveling show has played to standing room only for audiences of all ages.
2017’s production is getting some spiffy new changes, in attempt to keep this very special roving theatrical Christmas presentation fresh and unique from year-to-year. In the past, we have used a motorized replica of a Trolley to cart the audience from venue-to-venue. Due to audience comments, in regard to comfort, and difficulty of entering and exiting the Trolley, we made the decision to use a very comfy 36 passenger coach/bus, which will create a futuristic way to transport our audiences, as they go “back to the future” on this Christmas Carol journey.
The other major change is that the entire event will now involve, only, in West Reading. The wine tasting, provided by Starving Artist Winery, will take place in the West Reading shop, Curious located at 605 Penn Avenue, which is where the Christmas Carol event departs and ends for each performance.
The audience boards the coach and is transported back in time to the streets of Olde West Reading Towne circa 1935. Scrooge himself plays the surly emcee of this delightfully fun and wonderfully homespun treatment of the Charles Dickens’ classic. Children and adults love it, giggling between the comedy and the dramatic twists, as they also get a mini-tour of historic West Reading and Wyomissing. Ebenezer Scrooge begins to spin the time-honored tale for the audience and then the Coach make’s several stops at various West Reading businesses to meet other characters and further the storyline. At each participating business, guests will be offered complimentary snacks or non-alcoholic drinks. As old Scrooge begins to find some faith and trust in his fellow man and is reminded what a blessing each day of life is, the Christmas Coach wends its way back to CURIOUS as the audience, Scrooge and Cratchit, sing Christmas carols in the spirit of the very special holiday. When the audience returns to the winery, they are welcomed back into CURIOUS to shop and purchase wine from Starving Artist Winery.
“A Christmas Carol on the Coach” is the brainchild of producer L J Fecho, owner and founder of Fecho Productions and Artistic Director of Genesius Theatre. Fecho adapted the script from the book by Charles Dickens.
The interactive show has a cast of six actors, who play multiple roles and even audience members are called upon to portray various characters. This year’s production features, once again, Vicki Nunis and Christine Cieplinski, two women, who alternate playing the infamous Ebenezer Scrooge. The rest of cast plays several roles and includes: Dara Himes, Julia Elberfeld, Apollo Loose, Taylor Clark, Nicolas Freer, Sani Periera, Kelly Schmehl, Ellie Loose and Joey Lovella
“A Christmas Carol on the Coach!” starts Dec. 2 and runs Dec. 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23 with either 2 or 3 performances per evening. Show Times on three performance nights are 4:40 p.m., 6:10 p.m., and 7:40 p.m. and two performance nights at 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Doors open at Curious 30 minutes before each show time. For tickets and more information please visit fechoproductions.com/xmas.
