Starting on Dec. 5, the Johnson City Community Theater will kick off December with “A Christmas Carol” with Melanie Yodkins making her Christmas directorial debut.
“It’s actually my first Christmas show ever,” Yodkins said. “I have directed seven productions here in East Tennessee and have been involved at the Johnson City Community Theater.”
“A Christmas Carol” is a classic holiday story by Charles Dickens about Ebenezer Strooge, a selfish old man who hates Christmas. Throughout one night he is visited by the ghosts of his old business partner Jacob Marley as well as the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.
“Especially through ‘A Christmas Carol,’ the concept is compassion and kindness and helping other people,” Yodkins stated. “The show is especially about reaching out to those who can’t do for themselves.”
On the theme of helping other people, Yodkins and the Johnson City Community Theater partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank.
“One of the things I wanted to do this year was to partner with Second Harvest,” Yodkins expressed. “So we actually have a deal where if you bring canned foods or non-perishable items that Second Harvest collects, then you get a free popcorn at our concession. Or if you can’t consume popcorn, then we can figure out something else to discount off of.”
This goes with the theme of the show as Scrooge who is a penny-pincher at the beginning of the story becomes more kind and giving later on. It is also an effort to build community outreach and giving back.
“We want to encourage other people to help other people,” Yodkins remarked. “I feel that reaching out, especially in our own community, is really important to me to give back in different ways.”
The first production of “A Christmas Carol” will be Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $15 while student and military tickets are priced at $12. Yodkins had a message for those who have not seen or read the story of “A Christmas Carol” before.
“Come and be enchanted,” Yodkins proclaimed. “Be completely swept up in the true spirit of Christmas because it is a classic story that speaks to every person’s heart and humanity. It is the most human nature show I have ever seen in over 20 years of doing theater.”
