Written by Amanda Hourt
Most people remember the Christmases of their childhood fondly: good food, the “big present,” visiting family. This year, the theater department will reminisce about the past Christmases of Welsh poet and writer Dylan Thomas by performing “A Child’s Christmas in Wales.”
The musical will be playing in the Ulrey Performing Arts Center Dec. 2-5 at 8:30 p.m., with matinee performances at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The cost is $5, or free with the Pass.The musical is based off of a series of essays written for Harper’s Bazaar by Dylan Thomas. Jeremy Brooks and Adrian Mitchell later adapted it for the stage.Britton Lynn, the director of the show, said the theater department selected “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” so they could share Christmas cheer.Lynn said he had worked on the set design of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” while he was in graduate school at the University of Tennessee.”It’s just really one of those feel-good, warm fuzzies, ‘isn’t that sweet’ types of shows,” Lynn said.It is intended to be enjoyed by the whole family, he added.”Whenever you do a Christmas show, you can almost commercialize it,” Lynn said. “With this show, the director of the original production said, ‘I don’t want to do that. I want to focus on the family. I want to focus on the circle of family that is there.’ “The play is based off of the Christmases that Thomas experienced growing up in Wales, freshman Elizabeth Bruce, who will play Aunt Hannah, said. It is composed of special moments that are meshed into a traditional Christmas like Thomas would have had in the past.”It’s one of those things where you hear ‘A Child’s Christmas in Wales,’ and you think: ‘I’ve never heard that title before. I’ve never been to Wales. It’s written by a poet.’ And all of a sudden as an audience member the alarm starts going off, like this is going to be some literary hoo-ha where we all sit around drinking dark espresso and not understand what’s going on,” Lynn said. “But actually, nothing could be further from the experience.”Bruce said she has had an enjoyable time rehearsing and getting to know the cast.”There’s not really a time that’s like Christmas,” Bruce said. “Christmas is a time when it seems like everyone feels good. Even the people who are a little more stiff; they loosen up a little.”
