[NEohioPAL] Facts About Canal Fulton Players' The Christmas Gifts

[DVangaasbe at aol.com]

FACTS ABOUT  THE CHRISTMAS GIFTS

The Canal Fulton Players at the UMC Family  Theatre are proud to announce 
that they will be presenting an original new play  about the Christmas season on 
December 12-14 and December 19-21.  Entitled  The Christmas Gifts, the play is 
an examination of the use of human emotions as  Christmas gifts instead of 
material objects.  Written by David Van  Gaasbeek, director of the play and of 
the Players, the play offers an in depth  look as to how remembrance, 
sacrifice, honor, love, loyalty, understanding,  tolerance, and generosity play a more 
important part of the season than a new  video game, piece of jewelry, item of 
clothing, or toy.
This play  is the third one of a trilogy written by Mr. Van Gaasbeek 
concerning the  Christmas holidays.  His first one, entitled The Second Coming?, was  
written and presented in 1993.  It dealt with the story of an embittered  
alcoholic who made the ultimate challenge to God- “Perform a Miracle.  Save  a 
wretch like me.”  What happened after the challenge defied  imagination.
The second play, entitled Merry Christmas Princess,  was written and 
presented in 2001.  It dealt with the story of a  relationship of a father and 
daughter over thirty nine years.  Told over  ten different Christmases, the story 
went from the father becoming a parent  until he had to relinquish the role to 
the daughter.  The play marked the  debut of Lisa Van Gaasbeek.
The Christmas Gifts is told in six stories  in modern times.  The first one, 
entitled The Letter, relates the story of  a school teacher who has the day to 
end all days right before the holiday  break.  The second one, entitled When 
the Cheering Stopped, deals with how  remembrance can bring back self worth.  
The third one, entitled Support Our  Troops, deals with the hard choices as to 
war and peace.  After an  intermission, the players will present the story, 
entitled Goodbye, as death  becomes part of the holiday.  It will be followed 
by a story entitled Love  Thy Neighbor, which deals with the manner in which 
people handle anti-Semitism,  hate crimes and apathy.   The last story, entitled 
Punch You in the  Nose, is a love story. The stories are intertwined and the 
actors play numerous  parts.
Kathy Devus will be playing the woman in Punch You in the Nose,  the head of 
the PTO in The Letter, and the mother in Goodbye.  Abby Yaggi  has plays the 
Lieutenant in Support Our Troops, the argumentative teacher in The  Letter, the 
young wife in Punch You in the Nose and the young woman in  Goodbye.  Ken 
Hehmeyer is the school principal in The Letter, the fanatical  football fan in 
Support Our Troops, the boss in Love Thy Neighbor, the man in  Punch You in the 
Nose, and the treating physician in Goodbye.  Jon Neumann  plays the young man 
in Support Our Troops, the young school teacher in The  Letter, and the state 
tested nurse‘s aide in Punch You in the Nose.   
Anita Artzner returns to our stage as the school teacher who has the bad day  
in The Letter, the nurse in Goodbye, the ticket agent in Support the Troops, 
and  the nurse in Punch You in the Nose.  She is joined by fellow actor, Drew  
Hutchinson, who plays the second worker in Love Thy Neighbor.   
Matt King is cast as the bigot in not only The Letter but also Love  Thy 
Neighbor.  Matt delivers a bravura performance as an anti-semitic  bigot.  He also 
plays the egotistical baseball player in When the Cheering  Stopped.  Gary 
Liknes plays the man in When the Cheering Stopped.   Mike Groom plays a member 
of the entourage for the egotistical ball player in  When the Cheering Stopped, 
the apathetic worker in Love Thy Neighbor, and the  surgeon in Goodbye.  
Steve Long plays the husband of the school teacher in  The Letter and the son in 
Punch You in the Nose.
Dave Van Gaasbeek  takes a turn on the stage as the father in Goodbye, the 
older worker in Love Thy  Neighbor, and the janitor in When the Cheering Stopped.
The play will  be performed on December 12-14, 2008 at 7:30 pm at the Canal 
Fulton Players  Fellowship Hall Theatre, 363 West Cherry Street, Canal Fulton, 
Ohio and on  December 19-21 at 8:00 pm at the Kathleen Howland Theatre, 324 
Cleveland  Ave N, Canton, Ohio .  The cost of admission at the Kathleen Howland  
Theatre will be $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for seniors (65+) and children 
under  the age of 12.
For further information call David Van Gaasbeek at  330-494-1022 or 
33-854-4387 or Todd at Second April Art Gallery at  330-451-0924.
 


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