KDEN to Present ‘A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol’

Kilauea Drama & Entertainment Network (KDEN) will return to its performing home, KMC’s Kilauea Theater, to present a “new” spin on an old classic. KDEN will present A Christmas Carol Dec. 14 through 23, 2018, combining the music of Gilbert & Sullivan and the classic Charles Dickens tale.

The show features all the characters one usually meets in A Christmas Carol, with songs taken from all the various Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. With lyrics by Gayden Wren (inspired by W.S. Gilbert), familiar tunes such as Three Little maids From School from The Mikado becomes Three Little Ghosts for Scrooge. I am the very model of a Modern Major-General from Pirates of Penzance becomes I am the very model of a mystic supernatural. The finale is Hooray for Mr. Scrooge sung to HMS Pinafore’s He is an Englishman.

The rest of the show features at least one tune from each of The Gilbert & Sullivan operettas.

Starring as Scrooge is Joel Kelley, who appeared in KDEN’s Music Man, Kilauea 1916, Finian’s Rainbow and as Fagin in 2018’s Oliver. Stephen Bond portrays Marley and Bob Cratchit. The Ghosts of Past, Present and Future are played by Terry Sever, Joy Sever and Arlene Araki, respectively. Travis Wood is Tiny Tim.

Others in the ensemble portraying multiple roles are Murphy Bierman, Rayanna Fabiani, Karl and Mars Halemano, Dick Hershberger, Ariana Kelley, Jessica Owen Lawrence, Tom Meranda and Mike Meyer. Ray Ryan is the narrator.

The cast is under the direction of Suzi Bond with music direction by Armando Mendoza. Kanako Okita is the company’s rehearsal accompanist.

Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:30 p.m.

Tickets are $20 general, $15 seniors/students and $12 for children under 12.

Tickets go on sale Dec. 1 at Kilauea General Store, Kea‘au Natural Foods, Basically Books and The Most Irresistible Shop in downtown Hilo.

Kilauea Theater is locates at 99-252 Crater Rim Drive in Volcano Village.

For more information or to make reservations, call (808) 982-7344 or email kden73@aol.com.

Park entrance fees may apply.