The timeless story about “the eternal light with which childhood fills the world” will return to the stage this Christmas season as the Oswego Players proudly presents “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus.”
The production will run weekends, December 6th to 15th onstage at the Frances Marion Brown Theater at Fort Ontario, Oswego, NY. Friday and Saturday night performances are at 7:30PM, while curtain time for the two Sunday matinees is at 2PM.
Tickets are $17 for adults, $13 for seniors and $12 for students. They may be reserved online by going to oswegoplayers.org, or by calling the Players’ Box Office at (315) 343-5138.
Written by Andrew J. Fernady, the play is inspired by the true, simple, poignant letter written in 1897 by 8-year-old Virginia O’Hanlon to the editor of the New York Sun, “Dear Editor, I am 8 years old. Some of my little friends say there is no Santa Claus. Papa says if you see it in the Sun, it’s so. Please tell me the truth. Is there a Santa Claus?”
Ed Mitchell, the Sun’s editor, gives the assignment of answering Virginia’s letter to Frank Church who, until his wife and baby died last Christmas Eve, was the Sun’s best and most dependable reporter. “Yes Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” is a play for young and old, magically reaffirming life’s highest beauty and joy.
The Players’ production is under the direction of Jennifer Hitchcock, who originally brought the show to the stage of the Frances Marion Brown in 2016. For this revival, Hitchcock has with her a cast of 19 actors, with ages running from six to 60-plus.
The cast includes the talents of: William Edward White as Edward P. Mitchell; Pablo Mendoza as Frank P. Church; Helen McDonald as Virginia O’Hanlon; Kaleigh Hartle as Andrea Borland, and Kevin Colvin as James O’Hanlon.
Also included in the show are: Krista Thomas, Charlie Thompson, Richard Carpenter, Chloe Hill, Mallory Gordon, Lilith Pape, Charlotte Gilkey, Averyanna Wilson, Christina Rogers, Norman Berlin, Bill Cowham, Craig Gilkey, and Donald Crowe. Assistant Directing and Stage Managing the production is Caylyn Salmonsen.
“Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus” is presented by special arrangement with the Dramatic Publishing Company of Woodstock, Illinois.
The cast of the Oswego Players’ production “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Clause” features a cast of 19 actors, ranging from six to 60-plus. Pictured are some of their youngest cast members. Front row, from left: Charlotte Gilkey, Helen McDonald, and Charlie Thompson, back row, from left: Mallory Gordon, Averyanna Wilson, and Lilith Pape. The production will run weekends, December 6th to 15th onstage at the Frances Marion Brown Theater at Fort Ontario, Oswego, NY.