'The Rented Christmas' opens Friday
CHERYL SCHWEIZER | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 7 years, 9 months AGO
Cheryl Schweizer/Columbia Basin Herald The kids from the orphanage (front, Elizabeth Schwartz and Calvin Becker; back, Masen Hagood, Makayla Gustin and Nickole Lambert) step up to help and get a Christmas reward in the Masquers production of ‘The Rented Christmas,’ opening Friday.
Cheryl Schwezier/Columbia Basin Herald Anne (Jessica Hogge, right) has a brilliant idea she shares with Jimmy (Masen Hagood) in the Masquers production of ‘The Rented Christmas.’ The play opens Friday.
Senior Reporter Cheryl Schweizer is a journalist with more than 30 years of experience serving small communities in the Pacific Northwest. She began her post-high-school education at Treasure Valley Community College and enerned her journalism degree at Oregon State University. After working for multiple publications, she has settled down at the Columbia Basin Herald and has been a staple of the newsroom for more than a decade. Schweizer’s dedication to her communities and profession has earned her the nickname “The Baroness of Bylines.” She covers a variety of beats including health, business and various municipalities. | November 29, 2018 2:00 AM
SOAP LAKE — A tale of Christmas transformation comes to the Masquers stage for two weekends, starting Friday. The curtain goes up on “The Rented Christmas” at 7 p.m. for Friday performances and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The play is scheduled for Friday through Sunday, and Dec. 7, 8 and 9.
John Dale (Jesse Huntwork in the Masquers production) never really got over a family tragedy, and has been okay with living mostly alone. But Christmas is coming and a big empty house really needs – well, it needs a tree and presents and kids (five will do) and of course a wife.
But where does a guy who keeps to himself come up with all that – um, wife and five kids – a couple of weeks before Christmas? Luckily there’s a little rental business downtown.
Anne (Jessica Hogge) is having trouble keeping the doors open, even with the help of Jimmy (Masen Hagood), one of the kids from the orphanage down the road. John Dale’s project might be just the answer to the financial problems.
Ah, but things go wrong, and Anne needs to improvise. She’s forced to step into one of the roles herself, and the kids from the orphanage end up as part of the story. And of course it’s Christmas, so anything can happen.
A Christmas play is a Masquers tradition, but so is the annual musical that’s the first production of each season. A musical is a big production, and the 2018 show wrapped up about two weeks ago. “Quick turnround,” said “Rented Christmas” director Stacey Bresee, doing another play so soon. But this play attracted “a lot of veterans. Even (among) the kids,” Bresee said.
“A cute, heartwarming story,” she said.
Audiences are encouraged to buy tickets at the Masquers website. They are $10 for adults and $7 for children under 12 years of age.
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