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theatre I by Morgan Palmer W i t h t h e holiday season fast a p p r o a c h i n g , Capilano College's Theatre D e p a r t m e n t presents the holiday classic, Dicken's A Christmas a d a p t e d f o r t h e s t a g e by Jeff Pitcher. Carol, "Serial" were very newspapers common in C o m p l e t e w i t h all t h e u s u a l Dickens t i m e . Writers suspects - Scrooge, Marley, a n d t h e Cratchets, C a n a d i a n p l a y w r i g h t a n d N o r t h V a n c o u v e r resident, Jeff Pitcher r e m a i n s t r u e t o t h e o r i g i n a l D i c k e n s s t o r y a n d d i a l o g u e in his t h e a t r i c a l a d a p t a t i o n w h i c h y o u r w h o l e f a m i l y is sure t o enjoy. w o u l d p u b l i s h stories in newspapers piece by . piece over a p e r i o d o f time, and people w o u l d look f o r w a r d t o p i c k i n g u p t h e n e x t e d i t i o n t o r e a d h o w t h e story As t h e A r t i s t i c D i r e c t o r o f Theatre N e w f o u n d l a n d Labrador, Jeff f i n d s h i m s e l f s h a r i n g his t i m e b e t w e e n his w o r k in N e w f o u n d l a n d , a n d his f a m i l y in D e e p C o v e . Jeff says he is " r e l a t i v e l y p o l i t i c a l a n d w o u l d t u r n o u t . T h e r e is a s o r t o f p a r a l l e l in o u r t i m e as p e o p l e t u n e in t o t h e i r f a v o u r i t e television s h o w s w e e k after week. Dickens o f t e n w r o t e f o r s u c h n e w s p a p e r s , e s p e c i a l l y a t C h r i s t m a s t i m e w i t h h o l i d a y stories. a g g r e s s i v e " in his w o r k " s o it's a l w a y s nice t o g e t b a c k t o BC a n d slip i n t o a m o r e q u i e t a n d m e d i t a t i v e l i f e s t y l e . " In V a n c o u v e r , Jeff f i n d s t h e solace t o be a b l e t o d o m o s t o f his w r i t i n g , a n d b e l i e v e s t h a t BC is t h e " m o s t b e a u t i f u l place in t h e w o r l d . " It t o o k Jeff a b o u t six m o n t h s to w r i t e f r o m first draft to final draft, but there w a s also a lot of research done before pencil ever hit paper. Jeff f o u n d himself reading a lot of Dickens serial newspaper stories, as well Jeff w a s c o m m i s s i o n e d t o w r i t e t h e p l a y f o r t h e W e s t e r n C a n a d a Theatre C o m p a n y in K a m l o o p s seven years ago. "The c h a l l e n g e o f as researching London, England in t h a t t i m e period. a d a p t i n g such a f a m o u s story, is living up t o t h e e x p e c t a t i o n s o f t h e a u d i e n c e . " Because a l m o s t e v e r y o n e has seen t h e m o v i e or read t h e book, t h e y have a preconceived idea a b o u t w h a t the play should l o o k like. But, f o r Jeff t h e real c h a l l e n g e of a d a p t i n g such a f a m o u s novel w a s " t o stay as close t o Charles Dickens story as [he] c o u l d . " Jeff s t r o n g l y believes t h a t in a stage play, one s h o u l d " s h o w a n d n o t t e l l . " For e x a m p l e , in an o p e n i n g scene w h e r e n a r r a t i o n sets up t h e w h o l e s t o r y f o r t h e a u d i e n c e , Jeff c r e a t e d " a n e w f i r s t scene t h a t encompasses all of t h e i m p o r t a n t f r o n t n a r r a t i o n " . It is " v e r y t o u g h " f o r Jeff t o b e a w a y f r o m his w i f e a n d son f o r t h e t i m e he is in N e w f o u n d l a n d w o r k i n g , b u t Jeff says t h a t " i t makes [their] t i m e t o g e t h e r all t h a t m o r e s p e c i a l . " Jeff Pitcher seems to be a very lucky m a n in life, he has a career a n d a f a m i l y he adores, and as his m o t h e r t o l d h i m , " i t ' s n o t quantity, Jeff, it's q u a l i t y . " W i t h the C h r i s t m a s spirit all a r o u n d us, i s n ' t t h a t e x a c t l y w h a t s h o u l d be o n o u r minds? Q u a l i t y t i m e w i t h f a m i l y a n d friends is w h a t Christmas is all a b o u t . What: Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol \W0 When: Nov 14 - 16, 21 - 23 @ 8pm, Nov 19 @ noon and 23 @ 1pm Where: Capilano College Performing Arts Theatre How: Call Capilano College Box Office 604.990.7810 Tickets - $15, $10, and $8 (kids under 12) CRAFTERS OF PURE & NATURAL BREADS Why: It's a classic for a reason. A truly w o n d e r f u l story of redemption and the triumphs of the human spirit - what better way to celebrate the season! November | December