Elizabeth Honeycutt (from left) as Scrooge, Carrie Petrocelli as Felicity, Bob Breeding as Gordon, Neva B. Gielow as Tiny Tim and Jennifer Hicklin as Mercedes perform in the Fountain Square Players production of The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomens Guild Dramatic Society Production of A Christmas Carol during dress rehearsal. The group rehearsed at the old Bowling Green Junior High School on Tuesday. Photo by Miranda Pederson

Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol is considered a classic work of literature. But when the Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomens Guild Dramatic Society gets through staging a play based on the story, the tale becomes classic comedy. Its got so much funny stuff, said Jerry Wallace, who this week is directing the Fountain Square Players production of The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomens Guild Dramatic Societys Production of A Christmas Carol. Its a little bit like Monty Python in some ways, he said. In addition to Scrooge, Tiny Tim and all the regular characters in A Christmas Carol, the Farndale ladies play includes Santa Claus, a snowman and a few other characters that Dickens did not include in his story. All but one of the Farndale performers is female. Bob Breeding plays Gordon, the stage manager who is drafted to play 10 different parts in the play after one of the Farndale ladies gets injured and cant play her parts. Mercedes was in a shopping cart pile-up and goes through this with a little bit of a handicap, Wallace said. While Mercedes, played by Jennifer Hicklin, hobbles around the Farndale set in a brace and a sling, Gordon takes on roles including that of Mrs. Cratchett. Its kind of fun to be able to show some diversity, Breeding said of the roles that find his main character, unfortunate Gordon, being pressed into service. He thinks the audience will enjoy Gordons roles. I think its hilarious because my analyzation of the whole character of Gordon is that hes steady and staid and a diligent kind of guy, he said. At first, Gordon is nervous about acting in the play, but soon he becomes very brave on the stage. He actually thinks hes doing a good job playing Mrs. Cratchit, Breeding said. Breeding first played Gordon seven years ago, when the Fountain Square Players first performed The Farndale Ladies version of A Christmas Carol. Also reprising their roles from several years ago are Neva B. Gielow, who plays Mrs. Reece, and Elizabeth Honeycutt, who plays Thelma. Honeycutt said she is thrilled to be playing Thelma again in the play by David McGillivray and Walter Zerlin. I was Scrooge then, too, and Im still miserly, she said. As herself, Honeycutt is lots more relaxed and isnt worried about making mistakes in the play, which includes instances when the cast bursts into musical numbers. Theres nothing that can go wrong, she said. If it goes wrong, its fine because these (Farndale) women arent together. Wallace thinks the play that he also directed seven years ago is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season during a year of national hardship. It should brighten up a lot of peoples holiday, especially this year when we need more laughter than ever, he said. The Farndale Avenue Housing Estate Townswomens Guild Dramatic Societys Production of A Christmas Carol will be performed at the old Bowling Green Junior High School at 1141 Center Street on Dec. 13-15 at 8 p.m. and Dec. 16 at 3 p.m. Handicap-accessible parking and a handicap-accessible entrance are located on the left side of the building. The play was originally scheduled to be performed at the Capitol Arts Center but was moved because of ceiling damage at the Capitol . Tickets cost $8 for adults, $6 for students and seniors and $4 for children under 12. Tickets may be purchased at the Capitol Arts Center or at the door. For ticket information, call the Capitol at (270) 782-ARTS.