A play in one act

Alexis Barker
NLJ Reporter
 
The Weston County Arts Council is bringing holiday cheer to the Weston County Events Center this week with its rendition of “Christmas Thieves: A Small Town Radio Play,” by Greg Oliver Bodine. 
The evening will also feature a meal prepared by Liana Scribner and her culinary arts students at Newcastle High School, as well as a performance by the bell choir directed by Linda Russell. 
“Christmas Thieves,” a comedy, will be performed by several local personalities on Thursday and Friday, Dec. 13 and 14. 
“The story is that there is this radio station manager, played by Andy McKay, who has hired some fancy actors to come from London, England, to do a radio play at his station with the hopes of raising money to save the station financially,” said Tom Voss, a member of the arts council and an actor in the play. 
The story takes a turn when an unexpected incident leaves the hired actors indisposed and the radio station help must take over the play in an attempt to save the station. 
Local actors in the play Irma Fouch, Tim Lorenz and Dawnyell Nagle work at the radio station and play different employees who attempt to put on the performance to help their boss. 
The person who is against the whole radio station and play is the old man and Grinch of the season, Mr. Saltzepeter, played by Voss. 
“The station owes him money, and he might shut the station down,” Voss said. “The station is a polka station and he hates polka. That is what makes the whole play funny; no one wants to listen to polka.” 
Voss reported that the cast will take the audience through the story to see who emerges victorious at the end. 
“It comes down to seeing who wins, Saltzepeter or the radio station,” Voss said. 
According to Voss, the evening promises good holiday entertainment and family friendly fun. 
Voss credited several people, including Newcastle High School art teacher Jimmie Josephson and her students for helping with props, Neal Purcelli for aiding in prop prep, Vicki Kirklaw for helping with stage design and stage art and Mayor Deb Piana for acting as host during the performances.  
Also helping to make the evening special is home economics teacher Scribner and her students, who will prepare and serve chili. 
Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for the chili feed, with music by the bell choir to begin after the meal. After the musical entertainment, the actors will take the stage. Voss anticipates that the play will finish up by 8:15 p.m. 
“All we are asking is for gracious donations at the door. We have not listed a set price,” Voss said.