Photo by Miranda Pederson/Daily NewsEbenezer Scrooge (left), played by 16-year-old Bryan Clark, is introduced to the story by a group of singing orphans during rehearsal for “Bah, Humbug” - the Capitol Arts Youth Theatre’s take on Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” - on Tuesday during rehearsal at the Capitol Arts Center. The play runs at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Capitol.

Youth Theatre production of Dickens’ classic hitting the stage this weekend at the Capitol

By ALYSSA HARVEY, The Daily News, aharvey@bgdailynews.com/783-3257

The Capitol Arts Youth Theatre will bring a musical version of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol” to the stage with “Bah, Humbug.”

The musical will run at 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Capitol Arts Center. Tickets are $12 for adults; $7 for students and seniors; and $5 for children ages 2 to 7.

“It’s holiday friendly,” CAYT artistic director Ashley Gentry said. “It’s a good kickoff to the season.”

The story is the traditional tale of the miserly Ebenezer Scrooge and three spirits who teach him about Christmas, but there are some twists. For example, some of the parts that have been male – such as Scrooge’s business partner, Jacob Marley, and his employee, Bob Cratchit – have been written as female characters.

“In a youth theater production, you’re going to have more girls than boys. A lot of the male parts changed to female parts,” Gentry said of the musical, which was written for child actors. “They were already written that way. We did not change any of the parts.”

“It’s simple enough that they understand what they’re trying to convey to the audience. It’s written in a way that they get,” she said. “Playing ghosts and supernatural things gives them a chance to do something fun. They think it’s a blast.”

The 53-member cast – which ranges in age from 7 to 17 – has been great, Gentry said.

“It’s a wonderful, wonderful cast and a wide variety of roles,” she said. “It takes some time and some patience, but they’ve worked really, really hard.”

Sixteen-year-old Bryan Clark said he got excited when he found out he would be playing Scrooge.

“At the start of the play, he’s an old man who hates Christmas. His business partner tells him that he will be visited by three spirits to help him be better,” he said. “He learns that Christmas is not just a time of the year, but a feeling in your heart.”

The most challenging thing about playing Scrooge is his range of emotions, Clark said.

“He goes from mean and yelling to really sad to really happy,” he said.

Eleven-year-old Kate Hahn-Madole plays a goblin – a part that she said is really fun.

“When Marley comes back to warn Scrooge, the goblins come with her,” she said. “We sing a song telling him about what might happen to him if he doesn’t change his ways.”

She said she was especially excited about what she and her fellow goblins wear.

“We get a cool costume,” she said. “I get to be scary.”

Being a part of the production has been fun, Katie said.

“I’ve made friends,” she said. “I like it a lot.”

Seven-year-old Cole Vaughan plays Tiny Tim – a nice, poor boy who uses a crutch.

“I don’t have too many lines, but I have two solos,” he said. “I don’t even dance because I have a crutch, but I get to be on Scrooge’s shoulder.”

Clark said he believes the audience will enjoy the show.

“I’ve enjoyed working with everyone who’s in the show,” he said. “It’s a good children’s show.”

The Youth Theatre also will have a staged reading of Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 15-16.

— For more information, call the Capitol at 782-2787 or visit www.capitolarts.com.