Old School Baptist Meeting House is Perfect Setting for ‘A Christmas Carol’

Story by Jennifer O’Connor

The dimly lit Old School Baptist Meeting House in Warwick provided a quaint and intimate setting on Sat., Dec. 7 and Sun., Dec. 8 for the Greenwood Lake Theater’s production of Charles Dickens, “A Christmas Carol,” adapted by Doris Baizley.

Two performances of the holiday classic were presented by Greenwood Lake Theater in partnership with the Warwick Historical Society to the delight of audiences that packed the historic church to watch the play.

During the 70-minute show, the cast of about ten actors, playing multiple roles, engaged the audience while utilizing the entire space of the church. This version of “A Christmas Carol” is told by a ragtag troupe of traveling players made up of actors, puppets, clowns and mimes.

They share the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, portrayed by Brandon Patterson, who transforms his life from a selfish miser to a generous, kind and caring benefactor after he receives a visit from three wise ghosts.

“We wanted to do something a little different for a Christmas show so we chose this interesting take on the traditional presentation of A Christmas Carol,” said Mary McKinley, Greenwood Lake Theater’s Co-Artistic director. “This is also our first time performing in this beautiful church and we are very excited to be here.”

Nora Gurvich, the Executive Director of the Warwick Historical Society, said, “Theater has always been important to me. And at the Historical Society, we are interested in supporting the organizations and individuals in the Town of Warwick who are making history today, like the Greenwood Lake Theater Company. The Society maintains and preserves some iconic buildings in Warwick, and we want to open our doors to the public and bring awareness to our efforts to preserve history.”

Gurvich added, “The story is perfect for the holiday season. The acting group incorporated the beautiful building into the story so well, it was almost a supporting cast member.”

With the two successful performances that were embraced by the community, the show will be back again next year in the Old School Baptist Meeting House. For a complete list of upcoming performances by the theater company visit www.greenwoodlaketheater.org.

To learn more about the Warwick Historical Society visit www.whsny.org.