New venue for Bay Area Stage’s third production of Dickens-based holiday show

By Keri Luiz
Assistant Editor

Bay Area Stage Productions, a Vallejo-based theater group of non-professional actors, directors and technical experts from around the Bay Area, is preparing for its third running of “Scrooge the Musical.”

There’s a reason the theater group, known for its ecelectic offerings, has returned to familiar material, and it’s not just because of the holidays — the play is very popular, and a lot of fun to perform, said Stacey Loew, producer, costumer and business manager.

“It has all kinds of kids in it, young and old, from about 7 years old to about 69,” she said.

“Scrooge the Musical,” based on Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” was written by composer-lyricist Leslie Bricusse, known for his work on such films “Willy Wonka,” “Doctor Doolittle,” and “Goodbye, Mr Chips!”

“The music is wonderful,” Loew said. “There are some lively songs that people will go out of the theater humming.”

Some of the actors from the past years’ productions are returning, and there are some new members of the cast.

“Our Tiny Tim from the previous two years, he grew up and he doesn’t want to be known as Tiny Tim anymore. Now he’s playing baseball,” Loew said.

The most important part, however, is the same actor — Loew’s partner, Jeff Lowe, will polay Scrooge again, as he did in 2011. Mr. Fezziwig and some of the ghosts have returned, too.

Some members of the cast are family members. “You will see a daughter and a mom on stage. It’s a way for children to spend time with their parents,” Loew said.

“When I was a kid it was, ‘Stop watching that TV and come join us.’ Now it’s, ‘Put down the cell phone, put down the games and the computers.’ This is a way for some of the family units to do things together in a fun and positive way.”

For those who have seen past BAS productions of “Scrooge the Musical,” this year will be a bit different. The show will be staged at Vallejo’s Fetterly Playhouse this year instead of the Mira Theatre, so the staging will be different.

And there will be some special effects added this year, too.

“Jeff Lowe … he’s going to be doing some projections on the back wall. That will be new for us this year,” Loew said.

“So when the phantoms arrive he’ll actually have images of phantoms on the back wall.

“It’s a very fun show,” she said. “I’m playing Mrs. Fezziwig this year.”

Loew said that when you produce theater, you have to fill the holes. “I’ve been in the lighting booth, and we’ve both worked on sets. Jeff has done everything except costumes, that’s pretty much me,” she said.

Though the Scrooge musical has become something of a tradition for BAS, the theater group will probably move on to something different next Christmas, Loew said.

“We decided we are going to do a different holiday (show) next year,” Loew said.

“It’s one of those things that is a positive way to usher in the holidays.”

If You Go
“Scrooge the Musical” will play for three weekends at the Fetterly Playhouse, 2467 Sonoma Blvd., Vallejo. Showtimes on Dec. 6-7, 13-14, 20-21 at 8 p.m., and on Dec. 8, 15 and 22 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $17 for seniors 65 and over. For reservations call 707-649-1053. For more information visit bayareastage.org.