'Tis The Season - Or Is It?

With Thanksgiving almost here, it's normally the time of year when community theatre groups roll out their holiday shows.

Usually, you'll find more than one group presenting shows on the same weekend, since there's only a limited number of weekends between Turkey Day and Christmas - but this year, there's a surprising shortage of holiday shows.

In fact, the only one I've heard about is Mary, a seasonal favorite being presented in Charleston by CYAC for the 12th year! Those shows run from Nov. 28 to Dec. 6 (and I'll have more about it later this week).

The Ashland Community and Technical College (ACTC) has a long-running tradition of presenting A Christmas Carol every holiday, but that theatre group is still on hiatus after last Spring's accident on the set of Sweeney Todd. (Word has it that they'll be presenting shows again in the Spring of 2009.)

Fifth Avenue Theatre in Huntington also has a two-year tradition of presenting A Christmas Carol, but has apparently decided to take a break this year.

First Stage Theatre Company has presented several Christmas shows in the past, including A Christmas Carol (natch), A Christmas Story (twice) and The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, but that group is also taking this holiday off.

If there are any shows out there I'm missing, gentle readers, let me know - but it looks like this year, other than Mary, we'll have to settle for watching A Charlie Brown Christmas on TV for the umpteenth time.