The Return of Scrooge

Sophomores Amanda Crow and Caroline Fleming sing with senior
 Taylor Sargent during a dress rehearsal Monday. 

By CHELSEY POLLOCK
Union Leader Correspondent

DERRY -- After more than two months of rigorous practice, the Pinkerton Players present their take on “A Christmas Carol” this weekend, with opening night tonight.
“It has been very fast and people had to learn their lines in the first week or so,” said Pinkerton Academy senior Spencer Benson during a dress rehearsal Monday. “But I’m going to go out and say that this is our best effort yet. Everyone has done really well with it and all of our actors are spot-on.”

Benson, from Chester, was cast as Jacob Marley — Ebenezer Scrooge’s late business partner — in late September, joining a cast of nearly 30 other students for near-daily rehearsals since then. “It’s very exciting, especially today because the set it just about finished, and we all have our costumes,” he said Monday. “You can really see it coming together.” 

Joel Kasnetz left, and Spencer Benson. 

While the school’s theater group performs a fall play each year, “A Christmas Carol” only comes around every fifth year, said director Ann West. 
“I try to make sure that we have the opportunity for all students to do this, but only every fifth year so each class has one shot at it,” said West, who has been directing the Pinkerton Players for 52 years. 
Senior Jeff Scott of Derry, who plays Scrooge’s mistreated clerk Bob Cratchit, has acted in plays and musicals throughout his time at Pinkerton but said he had been waiting for his turn at “A Christmas Carol.” “It’s a classic, so everyone knows it,” he said. “That actually makes it a little more challenging because you have to think more about the roles. People know what to expect from seeing movies, so you don’t want to disappoint them.” 
But after a demanding few months of practice, Scott said he expects great things from the show. 
“It’s going to be so good,” he said. “To think back to what we’ve pulled together in a short time, it’s pretty amazing. We’re all excited with opening night coming up.” 
And with senior Joel Kasnetz leading the group as Scrooge, West said this year’s cast offers something special. 
“Every year is wonderful, but this is a very strong cast, and Scrooge is particularly strong this year,” West said Monday. 
“They’re all very focused.” 
“A Christmas Carol”opens at 7 p.m.  tonight at the Stockbridge Theater at Pinkerton Academy, with evening shows continuing on Friday and Saturday. A Sunday matinee will be held at 2:30 p.m.  Tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors and Pinkerton Academy students and faculty.