‘trial of Ebenezer scrooge’ guilty of inducing laughter

 By Marilyn Jozwik

Published Dec. 21, 2019

So, what happened to Ebenezer Scrooge following his
remarkable transformation after being visited by several spirits on Christmas Eve?

“The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge” by Mark Brown, being
presented by Lake Country Playhouse, tells the consummate miser’s story exactly one year later. Apparently, Scrooge has had another change of heart and looks upon the visits of the specters as traumatizing. He has accused them of everything from kidnapping to trespassing to attempted murder!

The irascible Scrooge, played with bluster and bravado by
Nicholas Callan Haubner (who was a last-week replacement!), represents himself as the prosecuting lawyer while Jim Baker plays Solomon Rothschild, who represents all ghost defendants. The judge (Doug Smedbron) is not a fan of Rothschild’s, who he calls “a doltish irritant in my courtroom.” Smedbron’s judge has a similar “bah, humbug” attitude as Scrooge, which leads to a fun twist at the end.

The sanctuary of the United Church of Christ, across the
street from Lake Country Playhouse, works well as the courtroom for the show, as defendants are called to testify. Bob Cratchit (Marty Graffenius) tells of Scrooge’s tight-fistedness while Mrs. Cratchit (Paula Garcia) adds bursts of comedy from the courtroom’s audience. Garcia returns to play Mrs. Sara Wainwright, who solicits funds for the poor every Christmas, and repeats Scrooge’s remarks  “I wish to be left
alone” and “Are their no workhouses?” Many such tidbits from the original Dickens story popped up throughout.

I really enjoyed Scott Stenstrup’s Ghost of Jacob Marley,
who came in with the bellowing, chain rattling and ominous sounds we associate with the original story, but often turned meek and mousy when he wasn’t mouthing Dickens’ words.

Zachary Klahn is a wide-eyed, eternally optimistic Fred and
Sandra Renick handles the Ghost of Christmas Past nicely, while segueing into characters from Scrooge’s past – including Scrooge’s sister Fan and girlfriend Belle, although it would have been good to distinguish those characters better, perhaps with a subtle costume change.

Katherine Rae Mooers is the less-than-honest (and less than
bright!) maid who stole from Scrooge in the Dickens future scenes. Mooers has a delightful turn as she mistakes the word for “pilfer” for something just as inappropriate while being interrogated.

There are many funny bits here, such as Diane Kallas as The
Translator – who speaks “ghost” -- for the Ghost of Christmas Future, as well as the bailiff’s (Oliver Kuhtz) humorous interruptions during Fred’s description of the game he played on Christmas Eve mocking his Uncle Ebenezer. The Ghost of Christmas Present, it seems, can never be rounded up but accusations of his activities cast aspersions on the jolly phantom.

After all the evidence is collected and the verdict
delivered, there are a couple of turns that nicely tie up the show with a
positive message, harkening to the much beloved Dickens classic.

Breanne Brennan directs the show, which has a whimsical
quality from the start. She also designed the sound, which includes walk-up holiday tunes for each of the defendants, as well as numerous ominous sound effects used successfully throughout.

With the well-known story of “A Christmas Carol” threaded
throughout, “The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge” is a satisfying holiday treat.

If you go:

Who: Lake Country Playhouse

What: “The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge”

When: Through Dec. 29

Where: United Church of Christ, 111 Church St., Hartland

Tickets/Info: www.lakecountryplayhousewi.org