From Atwater to 1840 England: “A Christmas Adventure” returns for Its 26th year at the Bloss House.
The characters from the Charles Dickens’ classic “A Christmas Carol” will once again come to life as the Atwater and Buhach Colony high school drama departments collaborate for the 26th annual “A Christmas Adventure,” which will be held at the Bloss Home Museum in Atwater this week. This immersive theatre piece transports audiences through the pages of the classic novel into the lives of Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley, and Tiny Tim during a guided walking tour of the Bloss Home.
“It's this whole immersive experience, and it's this massive collaborative experience between two schools, two programs,” said Buhach Colony Theatre Arts and English Instructor Kimberly Holl. “We hope that you forget you're in Atwater and we hope you feel like you're in 1840, Victorian, England.”
The production, which features 60 students from both high schools, takes guests through scenes of “A Christmas Carol” through a dramatic tour of the Bloss House. The shows will run Dec. 11-14th, with several shows running every 20 minutes from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and Sunday matinee shows from 1 to 3 p.m. The guided tour lasts 1 hour and 20 minutes. The $15 tickets may be purchased online at eventbrite.com. Tickets can also be purchased at the Bloss House on the days of the performance if still available.
Auditions, planning and rehearsing for “A Christmas Adventure” begin in September. It’s a huge undertaking for both drama departments as they set up 11 scenes in the Bloss House. They also put on many performances for elementary school students.
A friendly hostess greets audience members in a winter wonderland in front of the house. Here, the audience is prepared for the participation sections of the show. A storyteller guides the group to the front door, and the tour begins with a brave audience member knocking on Ebenezer Scrooge’s door. As the audience moves from room to room, they experience different scenes from the story: the ghostly warning from Jacob Marley, the revelation of the three spirits, and the transformation of Scrooge.
Audience members will get to experience dancing at Fezziwig's Christmas party, helping the Cratchit children make cookies, and trimming the tree with Scrooge's nephew and niece. The production is a blast for the students as they take ownership of their roles.
“Each room has its own sort of life, yeah, like it’s own universe they really do bond with their room,” said Atwater High Theatre Arts CTE Instructor Julianne Aguilar. “That's what they always say. Like, if they're in Fred's room, or they're in Fezziwig's room, or if they're the hobos outside, they really get very possessive, in a good way, and they take a lot of ownership.”
The Bloss House serves as the perfect setting for the performances. “We do have to have the right environment for it to be fully immersive, Holls said. “Bringing it into the house makes it feel so much more authentic for the staff, for the students and the guests who come through as well.”
The performances are a highlight of the year for so many of the theatre students. “‘A Christmas Adventure’ has been a rock in the community longer than I have been alive,” said Atwater High senior Eathyn Hernandez. “My family tells me stories about how they saw it when they were in high school, just because they lived in the area. Since I’ve been in middle school, this play has been something I have greatly looked forward to, and I have since participated in it multiple times throughout my high school career.”
This will be the third time fellow Atwater High senior Temari Medeiros has participated in “A Christmas Adventure.” and is thankful that Aguilar and Holl have helped her take part in this production that has made a positive impact during her time in high school. “I have spent so much time in this and have enjoyed every second,” Medeiros said. “I have learned so many valuable skills. I love how I have been given a loving family and amazing friends. I am thankful for being given the opportunity to do something I love and enjoy.”
Shawn Jansen is the MUHSD Program Manager Digital Media. He can be reached at Sjansen@muhsd.org.