Dickens Christmas Brings Its Magic to Skaneateles

Do you believe in magic?

If not, you may have a hard time explaining the 60+ Victorian-era characters who will soon be roaming the streets of Skaneateles.

Dickens Christmas returns for its 18th year Nov. 25 and runs noon to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 18, with a limited show (noon to 3 p.m.) Dec. 24.

And what brings these merry marauders to town? The year is 1842, and Charles Dickens is gathering research for his soon-to-be-written classic, “A Christmas Carol.” He and Queen Victoria journey to Skaneateles, where they meet such villagers as Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Fagin, Jacob Marley, and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

The free, family-friendly event draws more than 20,000 visitors each year. It is produced by Scarlett Rat Entertainment and sponsored by Mirbeau Inn and Spa and the Skaneateles-area business community.

Highlights include:

• The World’s Smallest Christmas Parade, which kicks off Nov. 25 at noon. The parade—featuring Charles Dickens and his entourage and a handful of floats—begins at the old firehouse on Fennell Street and proceeds east to Jordan and Genesee streets, arriving at the Sherwood House porch in time for the 12:10 p.m. grand opening.

• The Revels Live—Christmas carol sing-along—2 p.m. every day at the Gazebo. Twelve groups form, each representing one of the 12 days of Christmas. The groups vie for attention, and at the end, Queen Victoria awards a silver teasel to the most spirited performer. Winners have been known to wear their coveted silver teasels throughout the season.

• Scenes from “A Christmas Carol,” featuring guests from the audience, performed at 12:30, 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. on the steps of the Masonic Temple.

• Performances by Striking Strings, the Eastman Community Music School Hammered Dulcimer Ensemble, at 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at the Skaneateles Library.

• Horse-drawn wagon rides around the village, departing from the Sherwood Inn.

• Free refreshments, including roasted chestnuts donated by Tops Friendly Markets and roasted outside Johnny Angel’s, and Byrne Dairy eggnog served by the Girl Scouts.

For children, Mother Goose will read holiday stories at the Skaneateles Library and Father Christmas will hand out treats from the porch of the Masonic Temple.

Everyone is invited to borrow period costumes from the Chamber of Commerce, 22 Jordan St., and join in the merriment. New this year will be the identification of “Official Dickens Photo Spots,” which serve as an ideal backdrop for family photos.

“Our village becomes a magical place during the holiday season,” says Susan Dove, director of the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation. “We invite Dickens fans from near and far to step back in time and join us for a slower-paced, more enjoyable atmosphere, where shopping can still be fun. We have more than 70 shops and restaurants, sure to please any taste.”

Looking for still more magic?

Meet John Henry Anderson, Wonderful Wizard of the North.

Anderson (aka Dave Rojahn, of York, Pa.) will perform comedy magic shows at 1 and 3 p.m. Nov. 25 and 26 at the Skaneateles Library; at 7 p.m. Dec. 2 at the United Methodist Church (as part of Skaneateles Sings); and at 1 and 3 p.m. Dec. 3, 4, 10 and 11 at the Skaneateles Library.

Anderson was a popular Scottish magician who toured the United States in the 1840s and 1850s and “led a very diverse life,” says Rojahn. “He grew up poor and was orphaned at the age of 10 but was determined to make something of himself. At 17 he started performing magic. His show went on to become world famous, and he performed for Queen Victoria and other crown heads of Europe and the Orient.”

Rojahn says today’s audiences would find Anderson’s tricks dull (“things moved a lot slower back then”), so he’s added a partner to the act—Rocky, the world’s only mind-reading raccoon. “Children and adults alike find him irresistible, with his outrageous antics and amazing feats of mind-reading,” he says.

To ensure that audiences always see something new, Rojahn changes the act from year to year. This year, Rocky will pull water from someone’s head, make cards jump from one person’s pocket to another, and make money appear and disappear.

Rojahn describes the Dickens cast as “absolutely wonderful” and says “everyone comes to have fun.” What does he enjoy most? “Just being in Skaneateles—what better place is there to celebrate the holidays? It’s like being in a storybook.”

Behind the scenes

Magic doesn’t just happen—it’s conjured by the cast and crew and village merchants, with an assist from Mother Nature.

Dickens Christmas has a cast of about 65, including young apprentice talent, which is joined by a variety of guest musicians and caroling groups. The show comes together in just six rehearsals. “We pack a lot in and streamline the process of building a character,” says Jim Greene, of Dryden, who is producing director and plays Dickens. “Every actor learns music and uses improvisational techniques to build his character and become part of the ensemble.”

Direction comes from Maria Wechsler, of Marcellus, who is artistic director and plays Queen Victoria; Kristen Baskewicz, of Rochester, who is music director and plays the headmistress of the finishing school; Brian Goldblatt, of Lafayette, who is associate director and plays Jacob Marley; Krystal Scott, of Weedsport, who is associate director; and Tracey Greene, of Dryden, who is costumer.

The artwork for this year’s poster was provided by Kathleen Schneider, of Camillus, a co-owner of Gallery 54 whose artwork also formed the basis for this year’s Lavender Festival poster.

More than 120 local businesses make Dickens Christmas possible through their sponsorship support. This year’s presenting sponsor is Mirbeau Inn and Spa. Father Christmas sponsors include Johnny Angel’s Heavenly Hamburgers, KeyBank, The Sherwood Inn, Summit Auto, Tops Friendly Markets and Verizon Business Services. Charles Dickens sponsors include ADworks of Skaneateles, Arbor House Inn and Suites, Bluewater Grill, Community Bank, Creekside Books & Coffee, Doug’s Fish Fry, Group M Communications, Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Imagine, Joe’s Pasta Garage, M&T Bank, Mid-Lakes Navigation, Paris Flea, Pomodoro, Rhubarb, the Skaneateles Library, Skaneateles Town Square and Wegmans.

“I’m always excited about the magic we create, and the magic people bring to this show,” says Jim Greene. “You gotta believe….”

For more information on Dickens Christmas, go to http://www.skaneateles.com, call 315-685-0552, or follow the event on Facebook (Dickens Christmas in Skaneateles) or Twitter (@DickensXmas).

Scrooge_Skaneateles_Festival

Dickens Christmas Opens Nov. 26 in Skaneateles

From the world’s smallest Christmas parade to a visit by New York Gov. DeWitt Clinton, lots of surprises are in store

When Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria take up residence in Skaneateles this holiday season, they will be accompanied by a new dignitary—New York Gov. DeWitt Clinton—as the three make their way to this Finger Lakes village via the historic Erie Canal.

The year is 1842. Charles Dickens is gathering research for his soon-to-be-written classic, “A Christmas Carol.” On village streets, he encounters Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley, the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future, and a bevy of other characters.

Magic, music and merriment prevail, as the revels play, visitors ride by in horse–drawn carriages, and improvisational street theater rules the day.

It’s all part of Dickens Christmas, which returns for its 17th year the Friday after Thanksgiving. The production runs noon to 4 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 19, with a limited show (noon to 3 p.m.) Dec. 24.

The family-friendly event—produced by Scarlett Rat Entertainment and sponsored by the Skaneateles-area business community—draws some 20,000 visitors each year. (more…)

Dickens Christmas Celebrates 15th Anniversary

It began as a simple thank-you from village merchants to the Skaneateles community. Now, 15 years later, Dickens Christmas provides cherished holiday memories for thousands of families regionally and nationally.

Dickens Christmas—which opens the Friday after Thanksgiving and runs noon to 4 p.m. every weekend until Christmas—is improvisational street theater. Costumed Victorian characters wander the village streets, interacting with each other and with the public.

Horse-drawn carriage rides, carolers, concerts, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, refreshments, children’s activities, free costume rentals, locals night—all were there from the start and continue, in expanded form, as attractions today.

Dickens Christmas was the brainchild of Karen Foltz, owner of Pomodoro and Pomodoro Too, who had seen a similar production in Minnesota and—as a board member of the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce—was looking for ways to boost business. “A lot of people now bring their family and friends—it’s a highlight of their holidays,” says Foltz, who serves as co-chair of the Dickens Christmas Committee. She notes the program began as “a fun little thing to do.”

Dickens Christmas was launched in 1993 under the direction of two area event planners—Lorraine Smoral and Gloria Romeo.  They were followed by Skaneateles resident Ted Davenport, who was followed by Wrynkle in Time Productions, of Rochester. Since 2001, the program has been produced by Scarlett Rat Entertainment, under the direction of Jim Greene (a.k.a. Mr. Dickens), of Dryden, N.Y.

With Scarlett Rat came the premise for the production: In 1842, Charles Dickens and Queen Victoria visit Skaneateles. Based on the characters they meet on village streets—Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Jacob Marley—Dickens writes “A Christmas Carol” upon his return to London.

Over the years, the cast has grown from about 30 to 50 (more than half of whom are professional, paid actors), and the level of professionalism has greatly increased, as has the number of musical and theatrical offerings. The number of local residents participating remains an important part of the show.

Greene jokes that, as producer, he hires talented people and takes all the credit. But he says much of the program’s current success is due to the work of artistic director Maria Wechsler, whom he describes as “brilliant,” and musical director Kelly Stallard, who “has a gift for empowering everyone to sing with their own voice.”

Many of the professional actors are affiliated with the Sterling Renaissance Festival, which is where Greene was working in 1999 when he first took part in Dickens Christmas (playing Emerson Wales, the Rat Catcher). About 90 percent of the cast returns each year. “There’s a lot of love there,” says Greene, whose wife and children have all been a part of the production. “It’s a wonderful way to share the holiday season.”

One constant over the years has been Onondaga Hill resident Bob Krigbaum in the role of Scrooge.

“People get a kick out of my asking the shopkeepers for rent,” Krigbaum says. “I have a ball with it. Once I go into a store, it’s like magnetism. I have them laughing out loud.

“To be Scrooge, you have to be mean. It’s tough to be mean,” he says. “You learn to think real quick, to have an answer for whatever comes your way. Sometimes, people’s reactions are different than what you’d expect.”

Even after 15 years, Krigbaum has no difficulty keeping the character fresh. “The people you interact with help you do that,” he says. “Every time I come out here, it’s the first time.”

Krigbaum’s portrayal of Scrooge is drawn from three movies: “A Christmas Carol” (1951), “Scrooge” (1970) and “The Muppet Christmas Carol” (1992). According to Krigbaum, that makes the character—in turns—serious, funny and musical.

Krigbaum, who is a full-time professional actor with a degree in theater, spends the season playing not only Scrooge, but also Santa Claus (at Burnet Park). A man of many talents, he also is a professional clown, mime, World War II re-enactor and local TV personality.

Both Krigbaum and Greene recall having posed for hundreds of holiday photos. “When people ask to take my picture, I tell them, ‘It will cost you a shady penny,’ and they’ll give me one,” Krigbaum says.

“It’s been a real joy to share this work with my family,” says Greene. “Do I have a favorite moment? No. That’s like asking if I have a favorite child. But there’s been a lot of funny stuff, touching stuff, over the years.”

One of the most emotional moments for him, Greene says, was when he presented a check to the Skaneateles Fire Department in 2001, following 9/11.

As for the funny stuff, Greene says: “My job is to make people laugh all day. I help people create memories with their families. I’m pretty lucky to have this be my work.”

The real Mr. Dickens couldn’t have said it better.

Grammie’s Pantry Offers Dickens Christmas Tea
 
Mr. Dickens, Scrooge, Tiny Tim and company won’t be arriving in Skaneateles until the day after Thanksgiving.
 
But you don’t have to wait until then to get a taste of Victorian England. Starting Nov. 1, and running through Dec. 20, Grammie’s Pantry Tea Room and Gift Shop will offer its traditional Dickens Christmas Tea.
 
The menu includes tea or gourmet coffee, fruit compote, scones with lemon curd and Devonshire cream, Grammie’s Garlic Herb Feta Spread with crackers, tea sandwiches, quiche and dessert.
 
Cost is $19.95, and reservations are required.
 
Grammie’s Pantry is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 1126 Woodworth Road, Skaneateles. For reservations, call 636-8111.
 
Starting Jan. 5, the tea room will open Monday through Saturday for English afternoon tea parties and a la carte lunches for parties of two or more, by reservation.

(more…)