DISCOVER Magazine

DECEMBER 9, 2017 | DISCOVER!
6 | Playbill
KATE HARLOW | STAFF WRITER
One man,
many
characters
Harold Hynick offers up
“A Christmas Carol” at SCT
At a Glance :
WHAT: One-man performance of “A
Christmas Carol”
WHERE: Spencer Community Theatre,
518 1st Ave. E. Spencer
WHEN: 7:30 p.m., Friday, Dec. 15
COST: $15 for adults and $9 for
students
CONTACT: 712-262-7336
ONLINE: www.sctplayhouse.org
Scrooge. Bob Cratchit. Tiny Tim.
These are iconic and beloved
characters. They often leap off
the pages of Charles Dickens’s “A
Christmas Carol” onto the big screen
and onto the stage this time of year.
On Friday, Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.,
Spencer Community Theatre will be
playing host to a very unique offering
of this classic Christmas tale.
A one-man show.
This one hour, one-man version of
“A Christmas Carol” was adapted and
will be performed by Harold Hynick.
He will portray more than 20 characters
including Scrooge, Marley’s
Ghost, Fezziwig, Mrs. Cratchit and
Tiny Tim.
“Harold Hynick is originally from
Iowa and is a theatre professor at
Missouri Valley College. He has developed
his own production of ‘A
Christmas Carol’ where he plays all
the major character by himself. It’s
really spectacular,” said Rusty Ruth,
the executive artistic director at the
Spencer Community Theatre.
The way that Hynick portrays all
these various characters is a sight to
see, according to Ruth.
“He changes his physicality, his
voice, his characteristics. It’s fascinating
to watch him and it’s another
great way to usher in the holiday season,”
Ruth said.
In addition to his performance on
Friday night, Dec. 15, Hynick will be
hosting a free improv class for ages
middle school and up from 10 a.m.-3
p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 16.
“You have to be a master of improv
to do a show like this and we are lucky
enough to have received a Renaissance
grant from the city of Spencer to help
bring Hynick in for this performance
and this master class,” Ruth said. “If
anyone is interested in the class, space
is limited. It’s free of charge but call
the theatre to reserve
a spot if you are interested.”
Hynick has been
performing this oneman
version of “A
Christmas Carol” as
a way to fundraise to
help send his students
to the Kennedy Center
American College Theater
Festival regional
meeting, according to
Ruth.
Whether you love
Dickens, Christmas,
theatre, or all three
Ruth says that this show
is one to put at the top
of your to-do list.
“I’m excited for audiences
just to be able
to see this same story
in a new way. He’s not
reinventing it. By doing it all by himself
he’s breathing a breath of fresh air
for people who love that show,” Ruth
said. “It’s such a great story. It’s about
redemption and understanding what
the holidays are really all about. It’s a
perfect vehicle for people to get more
into the spirit of the season.” F
Spencer | Iowa