Community Ed. offers 'Scrooge' workshop

MILLSTONE - Those seeking laughter, redemption and renewal this holiday season can look no further than the township's community education program.

Millstone Community Education will present a "Scrooge" musical theater workshop that will culminate in two performances on Dec. 15 and 16, according to a Millstone Community Education press release.

No auditions will be held, as anyone who is interested and meets the age requirements gets to be in the show, which offers a variety of singing, acting, tap-dancing and ballet numbers, according to the release.

The workshop is open to those middle school-aged and up, and parents can be in the show with their children, the release said. However, it is limited to 30 people.

Based on Charles Dickens' holiday tale "A Christmas Carol," the production is set in the 1860s and will begin with Ebenezer Scrooge belittling the holiday season as usual. The main character will then be visited by the ghost of his greedy old business partner, and thus will begin the journey during which Scrooge has a change of heart, according to the press release.

Laurie Edwards, president of Phoenix Productions, an award-winning theater company that performs out of the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, will teach the class and direct the production, the release said.

In addition to providing an opportunity to perform onstage, the hands-on workshop will teach participants about stage presence, script memorization, set design, costuming and makeup, according to the press release.

The workshop will meet twice a week, Oct. 10 to Dec. 16, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30-8:30 p.m. Classes will not be held on Oct. 31 or Nov. 7, 9, 21 and 28.

The workshop costs $175 per person and will take place in the Millstone Elementary School cafetorium. The school is located at 18 Schoolhouse Lane in the Clarksburg section of the township.

For more information or to register, call Barbara Schulze at (732) 446-6802, ext. 17, or e-mail schulzb@-millstone.k12.nj.us.