special to The Star



“A Christmas Carol,” the Meridian Little Theatre’s holiday family entertainment, has been cast. The Charles Dickens classic with music will be made up of approximately 50 local and surrounding area residents.

Scrooge will be played by Meridian Mayor John Robert Smith. This makes the fourth time Smith has portrayed Scrooge for MLT, receiving the theatre’s Austin Award for Best Actor for his 1992 representation.

The Cratchit family will be played by an entire family. This makes a first in the little theatre’s 76 year history— an entire family portraying a stage family. Robert Dickerson, his wife, Amy, daughter, Lauren, and son Andrew, are Mr. and Mrs. Cratchit, Frances and Tiny Tim.

Other Cratchit children are Daniel May as Peter, Addison Garrett as Belenda and Marisa Potate as Martha.

Brad Hampton will play the first ghost Jacob Marley, who’s rattling chains torment Scrooge. The role of Christmas Past, an elegant female ghost, went to Julia Hayens. Christmas Present, the larger than life merry-making ghost will be played by Tommy Smith.

The part of Fred, Scrooge’s nephew and his pretty wife, Millie, went to Keith Farmer and Sarah Farmer. Young Scrooge and his fiancé, will be played by Caleb Thaggard and Katie Smith, and their companion Victoria, by Greer Holladay.

David Miller and Mandy Smith will be the comic couple Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig. The roles for Jake and Nell went to Al Brown and Buffi Crouch, with the beggar played by Dalton Newell.

Scrooge’s Christmas party couple includes Chase Cooksey as Topper and Amy Poole as Lucy. The charity men will be played by newcomer Joshua Price and Jack Edwards. Ebby, Scrooge as a very young boy, and his sister, Fan, will be portrayed by Austin Quigley and Mikayla Giles. The comic roles of Mrs. Crow and Mrs. Dilbert went to Glenda Thomas and Sandie McClain.

Street urchins will be played by James Gibson and Jacob Gordon. London Street people are Aston Lamoreaux, Gia Hellige, Ranchel Linder, Tiffany Gordon, Kay Poole, Wendy Redoblado, Jackie Giles, Jessica Williams, Nancy Gibson, Susan Thaggard, Andrea Thaggard, and Matt Hall.

Jimmy Pigford is directing, with Dr. Bob Hermitz as choral director, Suzie McGraw is choreographer, Carey Smith is music director, Scott Merrell is producer, with Melinda Perry is the stage manager.

“A Christmas Carol” is slated for a holiday treat, Dec. 4-10. Guest tickets are $20 for adults and $18 for military and senior citizens and are available now. For box office information call (601) 482-6371.