This November, Wayne Valley Theater is proud to present the production Nephew Fred, a unique take on A Christmas Carol. The show will open on the 15th at 7:30 p.m., and continue through the 17th at the same time. The plot revolves around the infamous Scrooge’s nephew Fred, who quickly becomes fed up with his uncle’s nasty, unpleasant disposition and devises a scheme to teach him a lesson. In A Christmas Carol, Fred is depicted as a character with little personality, pushed aside in the favor of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Yet to Come. Now, with a new twist, Fred’s story takes the spotlight. Directed by Mr. De Fazio, Nephew Fred stars Gerald Cetrulo, Sabrina Shah, Sophia Monte, Daniel Bernstein, Natalie Cattuna, Jason Tobias, and Louis Messercola.

According to junior Sabrina Shah, who plays Fred’s wife, Clara, the best part about working with the cast is how close they have become. For that reason, they work well together and their dynamic is very realistic. Senior Sophia Monte, who was cast as the ghost of Miss Dunstable, agrees, stating that rehearsals are always enjoyable rather than particularly stressful or taxing. One of her favorite memories, she explains, is when, “we play a game called Goose Pot, and we all have a really fun time and mess around.” From when they first began rehearsing in September, the cast has become even more confident around to be themselves both on and off stage.

No matter how close the cast is, the production is still challenging because of the emotions the actors have to convey. Shah states that the hardest part about the show so far, “is all of the physical comedy. The timing has to be spot-on in order to pull it off…” As the show is based on the novella by Charles Dickens, it is complex, and often the actors have a difficult time making it completely clear what is happening.

The acting itself is not the only component of the show that proves challenging. During auditions, the aspiring actors and actresses were given the scenes for the first time. From there, they were on their own to understand the interactions and bring them to life as best as they could.

Despite the trials faced by the cast, they know their hard work will all be worth it once they face the audience on opening night. As Shah states, “I wanted to do this production because I love to act and I love theatre. I hope to go to school for it and do it as a career eventually.” The passion the actors and actresses all have for theatre will become apparent when they’re under the spotlight.

Many people will be interested in seeing the play, Shah explains, because they’re taking a well-known, well-loved story and giving it a twist. Monte adds, “It’s a really, really funny show that will get everyone in the Christmas spirit!” Come support your classmates and see Nephew Fred on November 15th-17th, 7:30 p.m. at Wayne Valley High School. Tickets on sale at the door will cost $12 for general admission and $10 for students.