Review: Nothing “Bah, Humbug!” about SECT's A CHRISTMAS CAROL

No holiday season is complete without a viewing of the holiday classic A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens. Sioux Empire Community Theatre's (SECT) staging of the festive show opened on Thursday night at The Orpheum Theatre in Downtown Sioux Falls. A merry tone is set the moment the house doors open with various energetic carolers and characters mingling in the lobby, interacting with patrons as they arrive. Be sure to arrive early to shake hands with Mr. Fezziwig, who acts as perfect party host with contagious excitement on and off stage, and catch the talented cast perform your favorite carols.

In his first show with SECT, Louis Mehlhaff takes on the role of Ebenezer Scrooge - a wealthy businessman who loathes Christmas and all the joy and grace associated with it. Mehlhaff does a wonderful job at portraying the old curmudgeon, manipulating his posture and movements to round out the character while also bringing a youthful spirit to the role in tone and expression. His strongest moment comes in Act 2 as Scrooge reflects on his life choices after his ghostly visits throughout the night. Alone on a dark stage Mehlhaff brings everything to the scene as he commands the attention of the audience in a compelling realization of the characters fate and actions.

In contrast to his curmudgeon of an uncle, Josiah Southall as Scrooge's nephew Fred brings a light to the stage with consistent joyful energy throughout the show. Southall gained early laughs from the audience when his repeated attempts to give his uncle a hug or a handshake are denied, only to try again with persistence that won't be dismissed.

On Christmas Eve Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley, and warned that three ghosts will visit him in the night. The arrival of these apparitions is perhaps director Matt Nesmith's best use of the multi-level stage, with each one arriving from a different point that keeps the audience guessing. I was blown away by each entrance, but will leave these as treats for audiences who catch the show next weekend.

From the moment Marty Martin entered the scene, he dominated the stage as the late businessman Marley. His cautionary monologue to Scrooge captivated the audience. You could feel the emotion behind his words as his voice cracked and through his facial expressions; it was easy to believe the man was truly haunted by his actions in life.

The show is filled with technical effects that breathe life into the show. The lighting design by Lucas Granholm is strong but understated, beautifully setting the tone for each scene with vivid color. Snow and fog machines also add notes of whimsy or eeriness throughout the performance.

As the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come (portrayed here by Emily Wilson, Mitchell Olson, and Will Smith, respectively) visit old man Scrooge he is forced to reflect on his life and grapples with the choices he's made and the man he is. The journeys that these apparitions take introduce the audience to the shows talented cast of young performers; from the touching scene between young Ebenezer and his sister Fan to the spirited Cratchit children there is no shortage of talent in the young performers on this stage.

When Scrooge awakes on Christmas morning he has come to terms with his actions and chooses to embrace the Christmas spirit, making amends with those in his life in an effort to be a better man. After his ghostly visits, Scrooge is a visibly different man. Mehlhaff adds more glee to the character with each relationship he mends until the joy is spilling out of him and he repeats "I'm getting very good at this." The show closes with an all company rendition of Noel and the infamous line "God Bless us, everyone!" - at this point there couldn't be any other acceptable ending to this timeless story.

Be sure to get your tickets to this holiday classic, the show runs at the Orpheum Theater in Downtown Sioux Falls through December 9th.

Photo Credit: Sioux Empire Community Theatre