On Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4-6,  50 area children under the direction of Terri Huggins, Stephen Green, and Heather Schimmelpfennig will take the stage to bring to the community one of the most beloved holiday stories of all time.

Join Curtain Call Children’s Theatre as it presents, “Bah Humbug,” a delightful musical version of Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol.”

Written by Rebecca Ryland, with music and lyrics by Bill Francoeur, this adaptation will take the audience through the tale of redemption and forgiveness that captures the true spirit and magic of the holiday season. 

Ebenezer Scrooge (Nathan McDaniel) is such a miser that even on the coldest days of winter, he insists on saving money by burning as little coal as possible.

Even on Christmas Eve his clerk, Bob Cratchit (Zach Whitt) suffers through the cold because he is afraid to ask Scrooge for more coal.

Scrooge's niece, (Emily Williams) invites the old man to join her for dinner on Christmas Day, but Scrooge refuses.

As Scrooge's niece departs, three ladies (Josie Banaszak, Emma Fenske, and Mary Whitt) arrive, collecting donations to ease the comfort of the poor at Christmas. Scrooge quickly dismisses them along with a group of carolers (Adam Fike, Anna Guyer, Molly Hunter, Aaron McDermott, Sophia Moe, Anthony Sommer, Dominic Schultz, and Devin Unrein) before settling in for Christmas Eve alone. 

It isn’t long before his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley (Kaleb Stiffler) and a group of goblins (Theodore Banaszak, Kristen Flowers, Nicole Hampshire, Annabelle Hughes, Justin Pitzer, and Madison Whitt) pay him a visit bringing news that one last chance has been secured for Scrooge to redeem himself and avoid the same miserable fate of Marley.

Three ghosts visit Scrooge to show him the error of his ways.  Join the Spirit of Christmas Past (Rachel McDaniel) as she takes Scrooge to see himself as a young boy (Anthony Sommer) with his sister Fanny (Sophia Moe) and teacher, Miss Fezziwig (Devin Unrein). 

Then join the Spirit of Christmas Present (Constantine Dordoni) as he takes Scrooge to Bob Cratchit’s house where and his wife (Caitlin Kessler) and several children (Shelby Comfort,  Noah Connolly, Aurora Dieter, Grace Guyer, and Audrey Nixon) are joyfully preparing their meager Christmas feast.

Then go to the home of Scrooge’s niece’s Christmas party where Fran and her guests (Lauren Price, Amber Moore, and Olivia Nixon) are talking about Scrooge and are satisfied to believe that he is a hard, mean, old miser.

The Spirit of the Christmas Future (Aaron McDermott) completes the trio of spirits that takes Scrooge to his own funeral where citizens (Elise Schimmelpfennig, Emma Nixon, and Emily McDaniel)  along with a chorus of other citizens (Adrienne Johnson, Hope Schimmelpfennig, Sara Stiffler, and Kristina Tracy) sarcastically mourn his passing while Dilly (Abby Comfort), Dorie (Olivia Eddington), Lizzy (Elizabeth Marden), Paddy (Baydon Root), and Sal (Emma Marley) and their band of street waifs (Juliana Fenske, Kassey King, Ginger Monroe, Courtney Pitzer, Averie Stone, and Chloe Unrein) help themselves to his belongings. 

This vision as well as another visit to the Cratchit house leads to the understanding that sparks the dramatic change that will change his life forever. 

Bring the family to this timeless play and put some magic in your holiday season Friday through Sunday, Dec. 4-6, at the Central Middle School Auditorium at 303 E. Superior St.

Performance times are 7 p.m. on Friday, 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Saturday, and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Tickets are $6 for adults, and $4 for children 14 and under.  

For reservations and tickets call 236-6KCC.  Tickets will also be available for purchase on Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 and 2 at the Central Middle School Auditorium, between 6 and 8 p.m., and before every show. Check out the Web site at www.kokomocurtaincall.com.

This play is partially funded with a grant from the Kokomo Community Arts Commission.