The Library Vault

A few weeks ago, I walked into Russell Library’s Reading Room at 7am on a Friday morning. My mission, with the help of two members of our facilities department and a member of the East Haddam Stage Company’s production team, was to set up 80 chairs in various configurations and then put them all away and restore order to the room before we opened at 9am.

Easy, right?

Amazingly, it was. We were done by 8am. Our job was to determine the best way to orient the audience for our upcoming production of A Christmas Carol, which is taking place in our historic Reading Room. Kandie Carle, the director of the show requested a theater-in-the-round setup. This would allow actors to perform in the circular area between both sides of the audience as well as giving good views of both balconies.

I must tell you that as I sat on those chairs, testing various views, I suddenly realized what an incredible experience this show was going to be. The books stacks rise up all around you and the soaring ceiling reflects sound back down upon the audience, creating an immersive feeling. The production assistant must have felt the same for as she sat among those chairs she said, “This rooms engulfs the audience. They are going to be at the center of the show.” She turned to me and added, “It’s going to be amazing!”

(By the way, if you are interested in how we are going to have a theatrical production in our Reading Room you can check out my recent blog post Reading Room by Day, Theater by Night. It not only describes the transformation of our Reading Room into a theater, but it talks about some of the resident ghosts in our building.)

If you stroll through the library, you can see signs of the show. Yes, there are advertisements throughout the building but if you look more closely you will spot the Ye Olde Costume Shoppe on a door in The Space, our teen area. Stop by on any weekend afternoon and you may see an actor or two wandering the balconies and ramps of the Reading Room as they become familiar with where they will be during their scenes. Also, keep an eye on our lobby as we deck it out in traditional Victorian holiday style.

I’ve also got insider info about the production itself, which is now in rehearsal. It opens with Charles Dickens’ classic line, “Marley was dead to begin with.” That sets the scene for this haunting Victorian story. There are dozens of places the cast use to enter and exit the performance space. Special lighting and sound effects will enhance the show and they are extremely effective in that soaring book-lined room! Whether it’s the voice of Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s dead business partner, ringing out from an unseen place or the background voices of carolers, the tones fill the room.

Spooky and magical, humorous and poignant, this adaptation of A Christmas Carol flows smoothly through the story of Ebenezer Scrooge and his transformation from misanthrope to humanitarian. The run time of the show is about 90 minutes and, trust me, it will feel like it is over too soon. Whether you are familiar with this timeless holiday tale or experiencing it for the first time, this spellbinding production will captivate you from beginning to end.

If you want to see this unique show, check out the details, below.

When: Saturday and Sunday evenings between November 29 and December 21. Shows start at 7:00pm.

Where: Russell Library Reading Room, 123 Broad Street, Middletown.

Who: Best for ages 13+ (see: ghosts).

Tickets: $50 each, available on the library’s website. Space is limited; purchase your tickets today!