"A Wicked Christmas Carol" is set for its Unadilla Valley debut later this month.
The play, according to playwright Bobby Keniston, is equal parts an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol," by Charles Dickens, and the magical world of Oz, created by L. Frank Baum.
The UV Drama Club is presenting the production on Friday, Dec. 8 at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 9 at 2 p.m. Admission is $5 for students and senior citizens; $8 for adults; and children four and younger are free.
According to the Playscripts description: The Wicked Witch of the West wasn't always that way, and when a ghostly figure whisks her away on a journey through her past, present, and future, she may find a second chance on Christmas Eve. Can familiar faces help to melt the Witch's heart, or is she doomed to melt away herself? A Christmas classic gets a thrilling transformation, set in the magical world of L. Frank Baum's Oz books.
“In writing this play, I have tried my best to be true to the spirit of both works, while also being true to my own voice, and to make some sly pop culture references to the popular worlds presented in these pages,” Keniston said in a 2019 blog post.
Drama Club Advisor Jordan Barnes said students in grades 7 through 12 have been working since September on the production.
“We have 30 students involved between the actors and backstage crew,” Barnes said.