Waitsburg Middle School performs "A Christmas Carol"

WAITSBURG - In the first semester at Waitsburg Schools, Elizabeth Jagelski introduced Music Exploration to a combined class of sixth and seventh graders. Jagelski led students in exploring music and musical instruments, including bucket drumming and kazoo playing.

The students got to vote for their last segment of instruction in music. They could choose between putting on a play, learning to play recorders, or forming a choir to sing in four-part harmony. With ninety-eight percent of the vote, the overwhelming choice was to perform a play.

After the vote, Jagelski told the students that it would take a lot of work and effort from everyone to complete this task successfully. The students learned about the rhythmic flow of dialogue and stage direction.

Owen Harvey, who recently performed in the Dayton Liberty Theater's "Fiddler on the Roof," was chosen as an understudy to the entire cast. Harvey's experience memorizing lines quickly and delivering them with inflection would allow him to be placed anywhere.

Mary Luce, costume extraordinaire, outfitted the group with costumes. She taught students how to hang, wear, and perform carefully in the clothing.

The students chose "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens. Jagelski directed the students, who performed three shows. Shows were performed for the elementary school, the other sixth and seventh-grade split class, and on Monday, January 27, for the community in the high school auditorium.

The students performed excellently with Carson Scott in the lead role of Ebenezer Scrooge. The class worked well together, including figuring out how to fill in for missing cast members.

The cast:

Narrators – Wiley Gagnon, Bentley Hill, and Gannon Pennington

Ebenezer Scrooge – Carson Scott 

Cratchit Family 

Bob Cratchit –Ollivyr Dahlby 

Tiny Tim – Wyatt Vasquez 

Bob Cratchit's daughter – Davina Navarette

Scrooge's Nephew – Abel Creeley 

Ghosts

Jacob Marley – Rylan Struckmeier 

Ghost from the Past-Haven Henry 

Ghost of Christmas Spirit – Peyton Childers  

Charity Workers 

Haydyn Gascon, Owen Harvey

Orphans 

Rylan Struckmeier and Abel Creeley 

Understudy to the Cast - Owen Harvey 

Stage Director and Crew - Ethan Watson and Rylan Struckmeier