December 9, 2010 | Story by: Lindsey Chester | Categories: Arts, Community, Events, Featured, Theater
Story by Lindsey Chester, Photos by Chris Adamczyk
Cary, NC- The holiday play, “Yes Virginia, There Is A Santa Claus” was a treat for the eyes and ears.
“Yes Virginia” is a radio play. The stage is not a typical set where actors move about. Instead, the actors perform their parts standing in front of microphones and “read” their lines. All sound effects are created by Foley artists – who literally re-create the sounds of doors slamming and footsteps.
The scenes are reminiscent of radio programs (before television), when “plays” were performed in front of live studio audiences for radio listeners at home in 1940′s. The actors portray a story set at the turn of the 1900′s when New York City experienced high unemployment and a large multicultural population.
The lead characters are the O’Hanlons, an Irish family. The O’Hanlon patriarch looks in vain for a job. It is the holiday season and times are tough. His daughter, Virginia, is questioning the existence of Santa Claus, and she decides to write a letter to The Sun, asking if “he’s” real. Because as her father told her, “if it appears in The Sun it must be so”.
The second part of the story involves the newspaper man, Frank Church, who has lost his wife and child and is slowly ruining his life with drink. Cornelius Barrington (Bob Grannon) from a rival paper looks to bring him down. His boss, Edward P Mitchell (played by Mark Mickunas), worries about him. He visits at one point and brings him Virginia’s letter – and saves his life in the process.
In between all the action are “commercial breaks” where a group of 6 radio singers sing jingles for the show’s sponsors. These include adorable tributes to Ashworth Drugs, and Nowell’s Furniture among several other original tunes. And true-to-form the singers are dressed in 1940′s styles. Costume designer LeGrande Smith recreated the era through “forties” dresses, hats and sharp suits.
Director Debra Grannon has done a superb job – the cast is convincing, the singers highly entertaining and so talented and the set was a holiday feast for the eyes.
The Cary Players are the real deal for drama here in Cary.
The play is wonderful. There is struggle and hope and the innocence of childhood. And of course, a happy ending.
To see the complete slide show by Chris Adamczyk, go to CitizenPhoto.
