“A Child’s Christmas in Wales”: One of the most lyrical and lovely journeys through the memory of Christmas past brings Dylan Thomas as our guide.
Thomas’ poetic language is brought to life by the cast at Whidbey Playhouse as the familiar stories and songs unfold in a celebration of Christmas long ago.
But the stories and songs of yesterday will make sense to today’s children as Dylan Thomas cleverly delivers the universal message of the holiday.
Whidbey Playhouse actor Darren McCoy gets to play Thomas and send us into sublime daydreams with such lines as:
“I can never remember whether it snowed for six days and six nights when I was 12 or 12 days and 12 nights when I was 6.”
McCoy is joined by “just a great cast of characters,” said Cynthia Kleppang, director.
Producer Tara Hizon said the show is extradorinary in that the off-season cast is quite large at 23 people. It is also the first lead role for McCoy, the Oak Harbor High School choir director who shines as Dylan Thomas, Hizon said.
“Needless to say, it’s been a group effort that truly defines the essence of what community theater is all about,” Hizon said. “The finished product is something we are extremely proud of.”
Though the setting is Wales — the music is also Welsh — where the poet and writer grew up, Thomas touches us all with this story of Christmas Day as seen through the eyes of a child.
Thomas brings us a joyous perfect holiday, from the morning’s quiet beginning filled with expectations, to the day’s end when the boy finally crawls into bed.
“A Child’s Christmas in Wales” is an off-season, limited engagement and runs for eight performances only at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and 2:30 p.m. Sunday through Dec. 18 at Whidbey Playhouse, 730 SE Midway Blvd., Oak Harbor. Tickets are $12. Call 360-679-2237 or www.whidbeyplayhouse.com/home.html.
Theresa Goffredo: 425-339-3424; goffredo@heraldnet.com.
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