KDEN Presents ‘A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol’

Kīlauea Drama & Entertainment Network (KDEN) will present a new spin on an old classic at the Kīlauea Military Camp theater.

Combining the music of Gilbert & Sullivan and the classic Charles Dickens tale, A Christmas Carol, KDEN is the first in Hawaiʻi to present A Gilbert & Sullivan Christmas Carol for one weekend only, Dec. 14 to 17, 2017.

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, 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.

Starring as Scrooge is Joel Kelley, who has appeared in KDEN’s Music Man, Kīlauea 1916 and Finian’s Rainbow.

Stephen Bond portrays Marley and Bob Cratchit.

The Ghosts of Past, Present and Future are played by Erin Smith, Kathy Frankovic and Carolyn Lee respectively.

Arlene Araki plays the roll of Tiny Tim.

Others in the ensemble portraying multiple roles are Dahlia, Kyla and Rayanna Fabiani, Karl and Mars Halemano, Dick Hershberger, Craig Kawamoto, Ariana Kelley, Jessica Owen Lawrence and Mike Meyer.

Ray Ryan is the narrator.

The cast is under the direction of Suzi Bond with music direction by Walter Greenwood.

Kathy Frankovic and Hal Glatzer are co-producers of the production.

Pedro Kaʻawaloa is the company’s rehearsal accompanist.

Performances are Thursday through Saturday, Dec. 14, to Dec. 16. Thursday and Friday shows begin at 7:30 p.m and on Sunday at 2:30 p.m.

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

Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 1, and can be purchased at Kīlauea General Store, Keaʻau Natural Foods, Basically Books and The Most Irresistible Shop in downtown Hilo.

The Kīlauea Military Camp theater is located inside Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

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